Epidemiology - Understanding Public Health Patterns | Encyclopedia AU

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in populations, often to inform public health interventions.
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Disease Patterns | Public Health Interventions | Population Health Studies | Population Health
Prepared by Shruti Sahoo, reviewed by Dr. Eugene Smith

Epidemiology FAQ


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What is epidemiology based on?

Epidemiology is based on two fundamental assumptions. First, the occurrence of disease is not random (i.e., various factors influence the likelihood of developing disease). Second, the study of populations enables the identification of the causes and preventive factors associated with disease.

What is epidemiology in public health?

Apply today or explore our overview book for more info. Epidemiology is the study of how various health challenges, including disease, spread, who they affect among populations and why, and how to prevent or control them. Learn more about this diverse field, which is the cornerstone of public health, here.

What is Chapter 1 of Epidemiology?

Chapter 1. What is epidemiology? Epidemiology is the study of how often diseases occur in different groups of people and why. Epidemiological information is used to plan and evaluate strategies to prevent illness and as a guide to the management of patients in whom disease has already developed.

What are the distinctive characteristics of the epidemiological approach?

This introduction will indicate some of the distinctive characteristics of the epidemiological approach. A key feature of epidemiology is the measurement of disease outcomes in relation to a population at risk. The population at risk is the group of people, healthy or sick, who would be counted as cases if they had the disease being studied.

How is epidemiology defined?

Epidemiology has been defined in several ways. One definition is the study of the nature, cause, control, and determinants of the frequency and distribution of disease, disability, and death in human populations. Epidemiology is the study of disease occurrence in human populations.

What are some publications about the definitions of Epidemiology?

Publications about the definitions of epidemiology exist. The fields and the aim are for example: introductory epidemiology textbooks [ 10 ]; description of definitions epidemiology over 50 years [ 9 ]; epidemiology and the methods needed for public health assessments [ 100 ]; evolution of epidemiological methods and concepts [ 11 ].

Where did epidemiology come from?

Epidemiology has its origins in the idea, first expressed over 2000 years ago by Hippocrates and others, that environmental factors can influence the occurrence of disease. However, it was not until the nineteenth century that the distribu tion of disease in specific human population groups was measured to any great extent.

Epidemiology References

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