Lecture 2: Overview of Epidemiology

Question 1

Epidemiology (definition)

Answer 1

a public health discipline basic science which studies the distribution and determinants of disease in populations to control disease/illness and promote health

Question 2

Disease distribution

Answer 2

Studied using frequencies of disease occurrences (counts relative to population size) and patterns of disease occurrences (trends with respect to person, place, time)

Question 3

Determinants of disease

Answer 3

Factors of susceptibility/exposure/risk, etiology/causes of disease, mode of transmission, social/environmental/biologic elements

Question 4

Core functions of epidiemiology

Answer 4

Public health surveillance, field investigation, analytic studies, evaluation, linkages, policy development

Question 5

Public health surveillance

Answer 5

Core function of epidemiology; portrays patterns of disease via data collection, registries

Question 6

Field investigation

Answer 6

Core function of epidemiology; investigators are sent into the field to determine vehicle/source of disease or learn more about the disease (natural history, clinical spectrum, elements of descriptive epidemiology)

Question 7

Analytic studies

Answer 7

Core function of epidemiology; advance the information generated by descriptive epidemiology techniques (use of comparison group)

Question 8

Evaluation

Answer 8

Core function of epidemiology; determine effectiveness, efficiency and impact of activities as systematically/objectively as possible with respect to established goals

Question 9

Linkages

Answer 9

Core function of epidemiology; to collaborate/link with other professionals (i.e. clinicians, public)

Question 10

Policy development

Answer 10

Core function of epidemiology; provide input, testimony, recommendations regarding disease control and prevention strategies, reportable disease regulations, healthcare policy

Question 11

John Snow’s contribution

Answer 11

Investigated the spread of cholera; conducted surveillance and mapped data of affected/unaffected individuals in order to confirm that the Broad Street water pump was the source of cholera.