Pdhpe 2 palm cards Epidemiology

Question 1

What is the role of epidemiology?

Answer 1

Epidemiology is the study of diseases in groups or populations through the collection of data and information, to identify patterns and causes.

Question 2

Epidemiology considers the patterns of disease in terms of what factors

Answer 2

• Prevalence (The number of cases of disease in a population at a specific time)
• Incidence (the number of new cases of disease occurring in a population)
• Distribution (the extent)
• Apparent causes (determinants and indicators)

Question 3

What can epidemiology tell us?

Answer 3

Count the cases of a disease or injury
Identify the affected group
Calculate the rates of disease or injury in that group—for example, 39% of all deaths.
Compare those rates with rates for other populations—for example, 16% of deaths for the entire population.
Draw a conclusion to determine whether a problem exists. If the conclusion is reached that a problem does exist, then further investigative steps are taken.

Question 4

• Who uses these measures?

Answer 4

Epidemiology is used by governments and health-related organisations to obtain a picture of the health status of a population, to identify the patterns of health and disease, and analyse.

Question 5

• Do they measure everything about health status?

Answer 5

These measures do not take into account the positive dimensions of health, quality of life or the many social and environmental determinants of health.