Scope and Function of Epidemiology Flashcards
What is the simple definition of epidemiology?
The study of health and disease in human populations
What is the comprehensive definition of epidemiology?
The study of the distribution and determinants of disease frequency in human populations
How is epidemiology different from other health disciplines
Epidemiology is the only scientific discipline that is concerned with the occurrence of disease in human populations and how it changes over time
What is epidemiology’s role in public health?
To develop and apply methods for assessing health and disease
What are the 5 main objectives of epidemiology
1) Identify the cause of disease and its risk factors
2) To determine the extent of disease found in the community
3) To study the natural history and prognosis of disease
4) To evaluate new preventative and therapeutic measures
5) To provide a foundation for developing public policy
When did the public health service?
1) John Adams signed into law July 16th, 1798 “ The Act for the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen”
To Identify the Cause of Disease and its risk factors
1) Includes field work to identify the causative agents
2) Studying the conditions under which people life and work
To determine the extent of disease found in the community
Involves going to the people
What led to the establishment of local health departments?
Rural sanitary surveys conducted during 1900-1920
Study the natural history and prognosis of disease
Involves understanding of the disease biology
Evaluating new preventative and therapeutic measures
1) Involves going to the people with solutions and common problems
2) Involves tracking the effects of vaccination and other clinical interventions
What does epidemiology look like in action?
1) Identifying immediate needs for information
2) Designing studies
3) Collecting data
4) Analysis
5) Making inferences
6) Communication
Endemic
Usual occurrence of a disease within a given geographic area
Epidemic
The occurrence o fan infectious disease clearly in excess of normal expectancy and generated from a common or propagated source
Pandemic
A worldwide epidemic affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the global population
What are the 10 steps of an outbreak investigation?
1) Prepare for field work
2) Establish the existence of an outbreak
3) Verify the diagnosis
4) Define and identify cases
5) Describe and orient the data in terms of person,place, and time
6) Develop hypotheses
7) Evaluate hypotheses
8) Refine hypotheses and carry out additional studies
9) Implement control and prevention measures
10) Communicate findings
How do you know if it’s an outbreak?
1) Health data surveillance records for a notifiable disease
2) Sources such as hospital discharge records, mortality records and cancer or birth defect or other diseases and conditions
3) If local data is not available, make estimates using data from neighboring states or national data
What does a case definition include?
- 4 components
- Clinical information about the disease
- Characteristics about the people who are affected (person)
- Information about the location (place)
- A specification of time during which the outbreak occurred (time)
How do you develop hypotheses
Hypotheses should address:
1) Source of the agent
2) Mode of transmission (vehicle or vector)
3) Exposures: Associated with disease
What is a Randomized Controlled Trials
Generally regarded as the most scientifically rigorous method of hypothesis testing
Uses of Randomized trials:
1) Evaluated therapeutic and preventive aspects of medical practice
2) Evaluate new approaches to health care delivery
3) Evaluate impact of health education on health behavior
What are characteristics of a cohort study
1) Designed to answer the same question as a randomized clinical trial
2) Groups of individuals defined on the basis of presence/absence of exposures
3) All potential subjects must be initially free of the disease under investigation
4) Eligible participants are then followed over time to assess occurence of disease
