Non-infectious disease - Epidemiology

Question 1

Epidemiology

Answer 1

Epidemiology - The study and analysis of the distribution, patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population – describes the patterns and causes of disease.

Question 2

OBSERVATIONAL - cohort study

Answer 2

OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH AIMS TO ESTABLISH CAUSE OF DISEASE

Involves studying two or more similar groups of people who are free of the disease and differ in a main factor (exposure to the disease) and follow over a long period of time to compare resulting incidence.

Question 3

cohort study method

Answer 3

1. Recruitment of large group of individuals that are divided equally into two groups (age, sex, location etc)
2. One group is exposed to a risk factor and the other group is not exposed to the risk factor.
3. The incidence of disease of the disease is then recorded over a long period of time.

Question 4

OBSERVATIONAL - case-control study

Answer 4

compares people with the disease (cases) to people without the disease (controls) to look for differences in exposure to the possible causes of the disease.

Question 5

case-control study method

Answer 5

1. Survey all individuals suffering from particular disease.
2. Compare with a similar size sample of individuals from the same population who are free of the same disease. (Making both equivalent in terms of sex and age)
3. Collect data about diet, housing, lifestyle, occupation, smoking and drinking habits.
4. Analyse data to identify factors that are more common amongst the afflicted group.
5. IF INFECTIOUS DISEASE – investigate common sources e.g. water source, food consumed, social function and search for evidence of pathogen
   IF NON-INFECTIOUS DISEASE – investigate common exposures to toxins, lack of essential nutrients in diet etc