LP-8 Flashcards
Define epidemiology
The study of health and disease in defined populations and how these states are influenced by heredity, biology, physical environment, social environment, and ways of living.
What are areas of research in epidemiology?
Caries
Trends in Dentistry
Success of Vaccines
Suicide rate of Dental Professionals
What are 3 purposes and reasons for conducting research in DH?
Develop programs
Gathering info for Legislation
Product Evaluation
Research in dentistry is only acceptable if it is?
Evidence-based
Define evidence-based dentistry.
Oral health care that requires judicious integration of systematic assessments of clinically relevant scientific evidence relating to the patient’s oral and medical condition and history with the provider’s clinical expertise and the patient’s treatment needs and preferences.
Evidence-based practice includes what 4 key elements?
- Scientific evidence
- Patient preferences or values
- Clinician experience and judgement
- Clinical or patient circumstances
What are the steps of the scientific method?
- Formulation of the problem (asking the ?)
- Formulation of the hypothesis (proposed answer)
- Collecting the data (existing info. & gathering info)
- Analysis and interpretation of the results
- Presentation of the results
- Formulation of conclusion (Relationship of results to hypothesis)
What are the steps for a Systematic approach to evidence-based DH practice?
- Determine clinical issue
- Develop researchable question
- Conduct search for evidence
- Analyze evidence
- Apply evidence
- Evaluate patient outcomes
If your patient outcomes are not what you expected what should you do?
Return to step one “determine the clinical issue”
During steps 1-4 what should you evaluate as you are going through the steps of a systematic approach?
- Is the clinical issue correctly defined?
- Is the evidence appropriate, valid and current?
What are the levels of evidence based on?
The ability to control for bias and to demonstrate cause and effect.
What are the levels of evidence from top to bottom?
Meta-analysis systematic reviews Randomized controlled trials Cohort studies Case control studies Case reports Ideas, editorials, opinions Animal research In vitro (test tube) research
What are two types of epidemiological studies?
Descriptive studies
Analytic studies
What is a descriptive study?
Describes the existing distribution of disease and other variables, without regard to causal or other hypotheses.
Who is affected
Where the disease/condition occurs
When the disease/condition occurs
What is an analytic study?
Examines associations or hypothesized causal relationships: generally concerned with identifying or measuring the effects of certain risk factors.
Asks why the disease occurred in a particular target population.
What are the 5 research approaches used in public health?
Historical Approach Descriptive Approach Epidemiological Approach Retroactive (Ex Post Facto) Approach Experimental (Prospective) Approach
What is the historical approach?
Natural history studies, data gathering; no intervention is involved (questionnaire, clinical testing)
What is the descriptive approach?
Comprehensively describes a condition or situation; No interventions is involved.