Course contents
Measures of effect
Parallel concepts:
Concepts of disease
Causation
Study designs:
Concepts of disease
Descriptive Studies
screening
Analytic studies (case Public Health
control)
Analytic studies (cohort) Surveillance
Experimental studies Outbreak investigation
and Management
Validity, Bias and
Prevention and control
confounding
in public health
AL NAHDA COLLEGE-MEDICINE PROGRAM
ADVANCED EPIDEMIOLOGY COURSE
Introduction to Epidemiology
Fadwa [Link]
Contents
Definition of epidemiology
Historical evolution of Epidemiology
key uses of epidemiology
Applications of epidemiology in public health
practice
Epidemiology is the basic
science of
public health
What is
Epidemiology ???
Epi = upon
Demos= meaning people
Logos= meaning the study of.
What is
Epidemiology ???
Epidemiology is 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.
Study
a scientific discipline with sound methods
use of valid comparison groups
Distribution
Frequency
Pattern
Determinants
Any factor, whether event, characteristic, or
other definable entity, that brings about a
change in a health condition or other
defined characteristic.
Health related events
Epidemics of communicable diseases
Specified populations
Clinicians
Epidemiologist
s
Historical
evolution of
Epidemiology
400
Uses of
Epidemiology
Assessing
the communitys health
Making individual decisions
Completing the clinical picture
(eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome)
Searching for causes
16
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Measures of Disease
Frequency
17
Tools of Measurement:
Ratio:
relation in size between two
random quantities (x : y )
Proportion:
Numerator is always part
of denominator.
Rates: comprises the numerator,
denominator, time specification and
multiplier.
9/13/16
Outcome of interest:
18
Morbidity
Mortality
Disability
9/13/16
Morbidity Frequency
Measures
Describe the presence of disease in a
population, or the probability (risk) of its
occurrence.
References:
Principles of epidemiology, 3rd edition.
[Link] PPT