Population Data Flashcards
What are the aims of epidemiology?
Description: Amount and distribution of the disease
Explanation: natural history and etiological factors - combine with data from biochem, occ health and genetics
Disease control: preventative measure, public health practices and therapeutic strategies can be developed, implemented, monitored and evaluated
define incidence
number of new cases of a disease in a population in a specified time
define prevalence
number of people in a population with a specific disease at a single point in time
Define relative risk
measure of strength of an association between a suspected risk factor of the disease under study
what is the calculation of relative risk?
incidence of disease in exposed group/incedice of disease in unexposed group
What are the various types of studies?
Descriptive
Cross-sectional
Analytic-Case Control
Analytic- Cohort Study
What is descriptive study?
describe the amount and distribution of a disease in a given population. Cheap, quick and rough overview. No evidence about causation
What is cross-sectional study?
observations made at a single point in time. conclusions are drawn about relationship between diseases and other variables. provides quick results - impossible to infer causation
Describe analytic-case control?
Two groups of people are compared:
- Individuals who have the disease (cases)
- Individuals who do not have the disease (controls)
define RCT
two groups at risk of developing a disease. A study group and a control group
Alteration is made in intervention group, no alteration made to the control.
Data on subsequent. outcomes collected in the same way from both groups, and relative risk is calculated
What are the factors in interpreting a result?
- Standardisation
- Standardised Mortality Ratio
- Quality
- Case definition
