Week 1: Measures of Disease Flashcards
Define epidemiology
the study of the distribution and determinants of disease frequency in human populations and the application of this study to control health problems
Define population
group of people with common characteristic such as place of residence, gender, age, event, or use of medical services
Define disease frequency
quantification of how often a disease arises in a population
Define disease distribution
analysis of disease patterns according to person, place, and time
Define disease determinants
factors that bring a change in a person’s health status including individual, societal, and environmental characteristics
Define disease control
accomplished through epi research and surveillance of disease occurrence
What are the objectives of epi?
- study natural course of disease from onset to resolution
- determine the extent of disease in a population
- identify patterns and trends in disease occurrence
- identify causes of disease
- evaluate the effectiveness of measures that prevent and treat disease
What are the sources of scientific knowledge in public health?
- basic science – understanding disease mechanisms
- clinical and medical sciences – improving diagnosis and treatment of disease
- public health sciences – prevention of disease and promotion of health
What are the regulations for human subjects protections under the Belmont Report?
- respect for persons – respecting autonomy and consent of an individual
- beneficence – do no harm; maximize benefits and minimize harm
- justice – fair distribution of benefits and burdens
What are key considerations of informed consent?
- information exchange – disclose aspects of research to participants including purpose/procedures/risks/etc
- comprehension – deliver info in an understandable and culturally appropriate manner
- voluntariness – consent was given without coercion
- documentation – the investigator documents written consent
What should be taken into consideration when measuring disease?
- number of people affected by the disease in a population
- size of the population in which cases of disease arise
- the length of time that the population is followed
Define prevalence (P)
Define point prevalence
Define period prevalence
Define incidence
Define incidence rate (IR)
Define cumulative incidence (CI)
What is the relationship btwn CI and IR?
What is the relationship btwn P and IR?
Define crude mortality rate
total number of deaths from all causes per 100,000 per year (incidence rate)
Define cause-specific mortality rate
number of deaths from a specific cause per 100,000 per year (incidence rate)
Define age-specific mortality rate
number of deaths from all causes amongst individuals in a specific age group per 100,000 per year (incidence rate)
Define years of potential life lost (YPLL)
number of years an individual was expected to live beyond when they died (takes into consideration specific cause and age of individuals)
Define live birth rate
number of live births per 1,000 per year
Define infant mortality rate
number of deaths of infants less than 1 year old per 1,000 live births per year (separate neonatal and postneonatal)
Define birth defect rate
number of children born with defects per 10,000 births
Define morbidity rate
number of existing or new cases of a particular disease/condition/event per 100 people
Define attack rate
number of new cases of disease that develop per number of healthy people at risk at the start of the specified time frame
Define case fatality rate
number of deaths per number of cases of disease over a specific length of time (cumulative incidence)
Define survival rate
number of living cases per number of cases of disease over a specific length of time (cumulative incidence)
