Introduction to Epidemiology

Question 1

Definition

Answer 1

• EPIDEMIOLOGY IS THE STUDY OF THE DISTRIBUTION AND DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND ILLNESS IN HUMAN POPULATIONS WITH THE GOAL OF PREVENTING ILLNESS

Question 2

Purpose

Answer 2

• Health and disease are not randomly distributed in the population
• Why is that?

Question 3

Environmental Factors that play into one’s health

Answer 3

• age, sex and race
• occupation
• eating habits
• level of one’s physical activity
• smoking
• geographical location

Question 4

Different Types of Research

Answer 4

• Descriptive studies
• Analyze outbreaks
• Study disease etiology
• Perform experiments
• Predict epidemics
• Evaluate programs
• Outcomes research

Question 5

Difference between Epidemiology vs. Clinical Medicine

Answer 5

Epidemiology Clinical Medicine
Populations Individuals
Well and Diseased Diseased
Prevention Curative and Ameliorative

Question 6

Epidemiology Triangle

Answer 6

Components:
Host
Agent
Environment

Question 7

Host characteristics

Answer 7

o	GENETIC ENDOWMENT
o	AGE
o	SEX
o	RACE
o	PHYSIOLOGIC STATE
o	PRIOR DISEASE HISTORY
o	OCCUPATION

Question 8

Agent characteristics

Answer 8

o BIOLOGIC
–METAZOAN, INCLUDES HOOKWORM AND SCHISTOSOMES
–PROTOZOAN, INCLUDES MALARIA AND AMOEBAE
–BACTERIAL, SUCH AS STAPH, STREP, LEGIONELLA, PNEUMOCOCCI
–VIRAL, INCLUDES MEASLES, SMALLPOX, HIV, HPV, SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME (SARS)
o PHYSICAL, SUCH AS AUTOMOBILES, ELECTROMAGNETIC FREQUENCIES (EMF)
o CHEMICAL, SUCH AS DRUGS, LEAD
o NUTRITIONAL
–EXCESS OF CALORIES OR NUTRIENT
–DEFICIENCIES OF NUTRIENTS

Question 9

Environment characteristics

Answer 9

o PHYSICAL
–GEOLOGY, CLIMATE, HYDROLOGY, BUILT ENVIRONMENT
o BIOLOGIC
–POPULATION DENSITY
–PLANTS BOTH AS A FOOD SOURCE AND A REFUGE FOR VECTORS
–ANIMALS AS A FOOD SOURCE, AS ANIMAL RESERVOIRS AND AS A REFUGE FOR VECTORS
o SOCIAL
–LEGISLATIVE
–URBANIZATION
–DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH
–WAR