Key Concepts in RESS2

Question 1

What is the definition of epidemiology?

Answer 1

the study of the distribution and determinants of health related states or events in specified populations

Question 2

What are examples of health related states?

Answer 2

1. disease
2. death
3. use of health services
4. behaviour
5. reaction to treatment
6. accident
7. battlefield wounds

Question 3

What is ‘distribution’ an example of?

Answer 3

Descriptive epidemiology

This is describing a health related state within a population

Question 4

What is meant by frequency and how is it measured?

Answer 4

Frequency is ‘how many’

e.g. count, rate, risk

Question 5

What are determinants?

Answer 5

Anything that you think may cause the outcome

e.g. chemical, biological, behavioural, social, cultural

Question 6

What are determinants an example of?

Answer 6

analytical epidemiology

this is what do we see and what do we think is causing what we see?

Question 7

What are the 3 initial stages in the scientific method?

Answer 7

1. observations
2. propose a hypothesis
3. test the hypothesis

Question 8

What are the 2 outcomes of testing a hypothesis?

Answer 8

1. it can be rejected

2. it can be not rejected

Question 9

What happens if a hypothesis is rejected?

Answer 9

The hypothesis is modified and it is tested again

Question 10

What happens if a hypothesis is not rejected?

Answer 10

This does NOT mean the hypothesis is correct

It must keep being tested to provide weight of evidence