what is epidemiology? 1. a term derived from the greek: epi : on, upon demos : the people logos :...
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What is Epidemiology?
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A term derived from the Greek:
epi : on, upon demos : the people logos : the study of
(Webster's Unabridged Dictionary)
Dictionary definition of epidemiology
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Pathologist Doctor
Epidemiologist
Professions in the study of diseases and health
1. Learn new ways to understand important, real world questions about your health and the health of others
2. Gain knowledge to make more informed choices about your personal health
3. Improve science literacyo Research skillso Reasoning skillso Understanding of media reports
4. Be more empowered as a citizen in a democracy to make public health decisions
5. Find out more about other public health career paths besides being a doctor or a nurse
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Reasons to Learn Epidemiology
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An epidemiologist is a scientist who specializes in tracking the occurrence and cause of disease
Epidemiologists help answer how and why diseases occur among a population in order to control and prevent diseases.
Detectives
Investigate crimes
Look for clues at a crime scene
Judge quality of evidence
Form hypotheses
Identify suspects
Present evidence in court
Help control crime
Epidemiologists
Investigate diseases
Look for clues in the community
Judge quality of evidence
Form hypotheses
Identify suspected causes
Present evidence in scientific journals and at scientific meetings
Help control disease
The Community is the epidemiologists’ laboratory
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An observational study that takes advantage of a naturally occurring event or situation that can be used by a researcher to answer a particular question.
Natural experiments are often used to study situations in which a true experiment is not possible,
Natural Experiment
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An epidemiological study of a natural experiment in which the investigator is not involved in the study other than to record, classify, count, and analyze results.
Observational Study
An Adult Definition of
Epidemiology
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... the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations and the application of this study to the control of health problems. (Gordis, 2004)
. . . the study of populations in order to determine the patterns and causes of health and illness, and to be able to apply the learned information to the control of health problems.
A Middle-School Definition of Epidemiology
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Epidemiology is the study of populations in order to determine the patterns and causes of health and illness, and to be able to apply the learned information to the control of health problems.
A working definition of the science of epidemiology
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Epidemiology is the study of populations in order to determine the patterns and causes of health and illness, and to be able to apply the learned information to the control of health problems.
A working definition of the science of epidemiology
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Epidemiology is the study of populations in order to determine the patterns and causes of health and illness, and to be able to apply the learned information to the control of health problems.
A working definition of the science of epidemiology
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Epidemiology is the study of populations in order to determine the patterns and causes of health and illness, and to be able to apply the learned information to the control of health problems.
A working definition of the science of epidemiology
Control of Health
Problems
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Population patterns in health-related behaviors
and in health and illness
Possible strategies and actions that can change
the patterns of health and illness in populations
Three main areas that epidemiology tries to address
Causes
Patterns
Causes of health and illness in populations
Thinking like an epidemiologist . . .
Health and disease are not distributed haphazardly in a population. There are patterns to their occurrence.
We are affected by many things around us – things we can control and things we can’t control.
Epidemiology studies how peoples’ lives and health are affected by things that impinge upon us.
It finds clues and answers by looking at large numbers of people.
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• Interest in investigations and solving mysteries
• Critical thinking
• Analytical/mathematical skills
• Enjoyment in working with people
• Team player
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Skills for epidemiology