Intro to Epidemiology

Question 1

Definition of Epidemiology

Answer 1

the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations and the application of this study to the control of health problems

Question 2

What does epidemiology deal with?

Answer 2

Deals with the investigation of diseases, productivity, and welfare in animal populations

Question 3

What does epidemiology describe?

Answer 3

the frequency of occurrence of these health-related states/events and how diseases, productivity and welfare are affected by different factors (or determinants)

Question 4

What is the goal of epidemiology?

Answer 4

to reduce the frequency of disease occurrence, enhance productivity and improve animal welfare

Question 5

What are the characteristics of descriptive epidemiology?

Answer 5

Describes disease

Characteristics, amount, and distribution of disease in specified populations

Question 6

What are the characteristics of analytical epidemiology?

Answer 6

Determine if there is an association between an exposure and outcome in a population and how strong the association is
Ultimate goal is to determine if an exposure factor causes the disease

Question 7

Association

Answer 7

an identifiable relationship between an exposure and an outcome

Question 8

Independent

Answer 8

when one quantity changes nothing happens to the other

Question 9

Causation

Answer 9

Implies that there is a true mechanism that leads from the exposure to the disease

Question 10

Epidemiological triad

Answer 10

Consists of an external agent, a susceptible host, and an environment that brings the two together
Disease results from the interaction between agent and the susceptible host in an environment that supports transmission of the agent from a source to that host

Question 11

Rothman’s model

Answer 11

Disease is caused by multiple factors - when a host is exposed to all these factors (not necessarily at the same time), disease occurs