epidemiology Flashcards
GOAL of Epidemiology is to:
Improve the health status of the population.
GOAL of Epidemiology is to reduce (3 marks)
Morbidity (illness).
Mortality (deaths).
Injuries
define epidemiology
its the study of distribution of diseases in specified populations and application of epidemiological methods to handle it health problems
define epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of diseases and other health-related states or events in specified populations and the application of epidemiological methods to control the health-related problems.
examples of health related states and events
disease
injury
drugs use
accidents
Diseases or and other health-related problems in the populations are quantified in terms of ………(4 marks)
rates
ratios
count
propotion
what is descriptive epidemiology
it provides the who, what, where and when of health events
what are determinants
they are factors that influence health i.e occurence of a disease
what does analytic epidemiology tell us
how and why of health events i.e poor sanitation, high risk occupation, drug abuse
classification of determinants (3 marks)
host
agent
environment
what is epidemiological triad
presentation of the interplay between the 3 determinants i.e host, agent and determinants.
host as a determinant ( i.e host as a factor that influences occurrence of a disease) (3 marks)
biological characteristics
socioeconomic characteristics
demographic characteristics
environment as a determinant( as a factor that influences occurrence of a disease
physical environment
social environment
biological environment
agent as a determinant( as a factor that influences occurrence of a disease
physical agent social agent biological agent nutrient agent chemical agent mechanical agent
what is study in epidemiology
process in which epidemiology undergoes to determine magnitude and determinants of health related events in populations
Kinds of Epidemiologic Studies
Descriptive
Analytic
Experimental
Descriptive studies……
Study of the occurrence and
distribution of disease
Analytic studies ….
Further studies to determine the
associations between factors and
occurrence of diseases.
Experimental studies …..
Deliberate manipulation of the
cause is predictably followed
by an alteration in the effect
not due to chance
kinds of study methods
observational studies
experimental studies
examples of observational studies
descriptive studies
case control studies
cohort studies
LEVELS OF DISEASE PREVENTION (3 marks)
Primary Prevention
Secondary prevention
Tertiary Prevention
what is Primary Prevention
Is targeted at the period before the disease infects the individual.
what is Secondary prevention
is concerned with detecting a disease in its earliest stages, before
symptoms appear, and intervening to slow or stop its progression.
what is Tertiary Prevention
Takes place during the advanced stages of the disease progression to minimize
the complications or reverse the effects.
Sources of Epidemiologic Data (7 marks)
Disease notifications Census data. Surveillance data Surveys (morbidity, mortality etc.). Reports (morbidity, mortality, etc. Records. Laboratory Investigations.
USES OF EPIDEMIOLOGY (4 marks)
- Determining the disease burden in the population.
- Community diagnosis
The presence, nature and distribution of health and disease among the population. - Searching for causes of diseases and other health-related conditions.
- Learning about the natural history of diseases (NHD) and of their
pathogenesis - Screening for diseases and risk factors.
- Planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating of health programmes.
- Surveillance for specific health conditions in the population.
- Identification and investigation of outbreaks or epidemics.
what is natural history of a a disease (NHD)
NHD - Is the progression of the disease from inception to termination.
Why knowledge of the NHD? (2 marks)
prevention
prognosis
Stages in the NHD ( natural history of a disease) (3 marks) and level of prevention
Susceptibility stage ( healthy).—-primary level
Subclinical (or Pre-symptomatic ) stage.—–secondary level
Clinical (or symptomatic ) stage.—–tertiary level
Disability (or death) stage.
Endemic -
Endemic - The habitual presence (or usual occurrence) of a
disease within a given geographic area
Epidemic -
Epidemic - The occurrence of an infectious disease clearly in excess of normal expectancy, and generated
from a common or propagated source
Pandemic -
Pandemic - A worldwide epidemic affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the global population
