Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in defined populations. It is the cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evidence-based practice by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive healthcare.
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in defined populations. It is the cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evidence-based practice by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive healthcare.
What is epidemiology treatment?
Treatment epidemiology also studies the benefits and harms of treatments. These studies investigate whether medications are working in real-world clinical practice as they were intended to work, by alleviating symptoms or improving clinical measurements, without causing significant adverse events.
What epidemiology means?
By definition, epidemiology is the study (scientific, systematic, and data-driven) of the distribution (frequency, pattern) and determinants (causes, risk factors) of health-related states and events (not just diseases) in specified populations (neighborhood, school, city, state, country, global).
What is epidemiology in healthcare?
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 (1).
What is epidemiology and examples?
The term epidemiology is now widely applied to cover the description and causation of not only epidemic, infectious disease, but of disease in general, including related conditions. Some examples of topics examined through epidemiology include as high blood pressure, mental illness and obesity.
What is another word for epidemiology?
epizootiological, endemic, contagious, epizootic.
What is epidemiology and why is it important?
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 is epidemiology in nursing?
Epidemiology encompasses the identification of infectious disease, the vectors of transmission, the sources of contamination, the patient population exposed or involved, containment practices, and preventative measures to stop further transmission of the disease.
How does epidemiology differ from clinical medicine?
In what respects does epidemiology differ from clinical medicine? The unique focus of epidemiology is upon the occurrence of health and disease in the population. Clinical medicine is concerned with the individual, e.g., diagnosis and treatment of specific individuals.
How does epidemiology affect health care?
Epidemiology is a discipline that has a crucial role in describing health status, identifying risk factors, and analyzing relationships between health and different hazardous agents. The classical epidemiological triangle of host-agent-environment describes how individuals become ill.
What is epidemiology in health and social care?
Epidemiology is the science dealing with the spread and control of diseases and other factors relating to health in populations and other groups. Epidemiological information is used to identify and evaluate the risks of epidemic outbreaks of disease and to help prevent their spread or return.
What are the two types of epidemiology?
Epidemiologic studies fall into two categories: experimental and observational.
What are the benefits of epidemiology?
Epidemiology offers powerful tools to quantify the degree to which risk factors and humanitarian interventions affect population health in a crisis. These tools include surveys, surveillance, analysis of programme data, and rapid assessment.
What is epidemiology in health?
What is epidemiology? Epidemiology is the foundation of public health and is defined as the study of the “ distribution and determinants ” of diseases or disorders within groups of people, and the development of knowledge on how to prevent and control them.
What is the field of epidemiology?
Epidemiologists in this fieldwork to research the origins, treatment, and health outcomes of these diseases in the fight towards prevention. Environmental Epidemiology. Environmental epidemiology focuses on how an individual’s external ...
What is infectious disease epidemiology?
Infectious Disease Epidemiology for Public Health. This type of epidemiology is at the forefront of today’s world—as epidemiologists work on the front lines to track and trace the spread of COVID-19. In this concentration, infectious disease epidemiologists work to detect pathogens or viruses, understand their development and spread, ...
How do epidemiologists track diseases?
How epidemiologists track diseases. Epidemiology centers around the idea that disease and illness do not exist randomly or in a bubble. Epidemiologists conduct research to establish the factors that lead to public health issues, the appropriate responses, interventions, and solutions.
What is environmental epidemiology?
Environmental epidemiologists work to understand how different environments may result in physical or neurological outcomes, ranging from psychiatric to cardiovascular disorders. Violence and Injury Epidemiology. This epidemiological focus aims to address unintentional and intentional injuries across a lifespan.
Why are epidemiologists important?
Epidemiologists are crucial in mapping and understanding the effects of the coronavirus, but their work extends beyond novel viruses and pandemics.
When was epidemiology first used?
One of the earliest instances of modern epidemiology can be found during an 1854 cholera outbreak in London.
What is epidemiology in health?
Many definitions have been proposed, but the following definition captures the underlying principles and public health spirit of 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 ( 1 ).
What were the epidemiologic methods developed in the 20th century?
By the middle of the 20th Century, additional epidemiologic methods had been developed and applied to chronic diseases, injuries, birth defects, maternal-child health, occupational health, and environmental health.
How do epidemiologists and health care providers differ?
Although epidemiologists and direct health-care providers (clinicians) are both concerned with occurrence and control of disease, they differ greatly in how they view “the patient.” The clinician is concerned about the health of an individual; the epidemiologist is concerned about the collective health of the people in a community or population. In other words, the clinician’s “patient” is the individual; the epidemiologist’s “patient” is the community. Therefore, the clinician and the epidemiologist have different responsibilities when faced with a person with illness. For example, when a patient with diarrheal disease presents, both are interested in establishing the correct diagnosis. However, while the clinician usually focuses on treating and caring for the individual, the epidemiologist focuses on identifying the exposure or source that caused the illness; the number of other persons who may have been similarly exposed; the potential for further spread in the community; and interventions to prevent additional cases or recurrences.
What are the behaviors that epidemiologists look for?
Then epidemiologists began to look at behaviors related to health and well-being, such as amount of exercise and seat belt use. Now, with the recent explosion in molecular methods, epidemiologists can make important strides in examining genetic markers of disease risk.
What is epidemiology distribution?
Distribution. Epidemiology is concerned with the frequency and pattern of health events in a population: Frequency refers not only to the number of health events such as the number of cases of meningitis or diabetes in a population, but also to the relationship of that number to the size of the population.
What is the definition of determinants in epidemiology?
Determinant: any factor, whether event, characteristic, or other definable entity, that brings about a change in a health condition or other defined characteristic. Epidemiology is also used to search for determinants, which are the causes and other factors that influence the occurrence of disease and other health-related events.
What are the 5 W's of epidemiology?
The difference is that epidemiologists tend to use synonyms for the 5 W’s: diagnosis or health event (what), person (who), place (where), time (when), and causes, risk factors, and modes of transmission (why/how). The word epidemiology comes from the Greek words epi, meaning on or upon, demos, meaning people, and logos, meaning the study of.
How does an epidemiologist perform descriptive epidemiology?
This is done by developing a case definition. Then, using this case definition, the epidemiologist finds and collects information about the case-patients. The epidemiologist then performs descriptive epidemiology by characterizing the cases collectively ...
How does an epidemiologist determine the disease rate?
To calculate the disease rate, the epidemiologist divides the number of cases by the size of the population.
How long is a febrile illness?
A febrile illness of greater than or equal to 5 days’ duration, with at least four of the five following physical findings and no other more reasonable explanation for the observed clinical findings:
What are the components of an outbreak investigation?
Components of a case definition for outbreak investigations. A case definition consists of clinical criteria and, sometimes, limitations on time, place, and person. The clinical criteria usually include confirmatory laboratory tests, if available, or combinations of symptoms (subjective complaints), signs (objective physical findings), ...
What is section 5 of the Epidemiology?
Section 5: The Epidemiologic Approach. As with all scientific endeavors, the practice of epidemiology relies on a systematic approach. In very simple terms, the epidemiologist: Counts cases or health events, and describes them in terms of time, place, and person; Divides the number of cases by an appropriate denominator to calculate rates; and.
When did the CDC adopt the CSTE?
In 1999, to address the need for common definitions and methods for state-level chronic disease surveillance, CSTE, the Association of State and Territorial Chronic Disease Program Directors, and CDC adopted standard definitions for 73 chronic disease indicators.
What is the role of public health?
These counts, usually derived from case reports submitted by health-care workers and laboratories to the health department, allow public health officials to determine the extent and patterns of disease occurrence by time, place, and person. They may also indicate clusters or outbreaks of disease in the community.
What is epidemiology study?
Types of Epidemiological Studies. The study of disease distributions in the populations and the factors that influence this distribution is called as Epidemiology. In simple words, it is the study of the frequency with which diseases affect different groups of people and the reasons why they occur. Epidemiology has been quite helpful in determining ...
What are the two main types of epidemiological studies?
There are two main types of epidemiological studies: experimental studies and observational studies and both of them are divided into several subtypes. 1. Observational Studies. Observational studies are one of the most common types of epidemiological studies. They comprise of simple questioning, medical examinations and routine laboratory tests ...
What is an experimental study?
Experimental studies are also main types of epidemiological studies that scientists will carry out experiments where they change things in some sets and compare the outcomes. Under in Vitro studies, a piece of human or animal cell is usually removed from the body for the experiment.
What is the downside of in vitro studies?
The downside of these studies is that their findings are only applicable at a cellular level. Clinical Trials. Clinical trials are experimental studies in which a group of patients is chosen as the subjects.
Why are field trials so expensive?
Since field trials are done in the field, they are more expensive than clinical trials and require a large number of subjects too. Due to the high cost, field trials are only conducted for assessing preventives for extremely dangerous or extremely common diseases.
Why are case control studies important?
Case control studies are analytical studies which compare people that have been diagnosed with a disease with people that haven't been diagnosed with it.
What is clinical trial?
Clinical trials are experimental studies in which a group of patients is chosen as the subjects. The goal of a clinical trial is to assess a new form of treatment or cure for a disease or to discover a preventive measure for diseases like disability or death. Clinical trials are done by choosing a set of patients having a same level ...
What is a person who is infectious but has subclinical disease called?
Such persons who are infectious but have subclinical disease are called carriers. Frequently, carriers are persons with incubating disease or inapparent infection. Persons with measles, hepatitis A, and several other diseases become infectious a few days before the onset of symptoms.
What is a timeline in medical terminology?
Description: Timeline shows state of susceptibility, exposure, subclinical disease in which pathologic changes takes place, onset of symptoms, followed by usual time of diagnosis, clinical disease, followed by recovery, disability, or death. Return to text.
What is the stage of subclinical disease?
This stage of subclinical disease, extending from the time of exposure to onset of disease symptoms, is usually called the incubation period for infectious diseases, and the latency period for chronic diseases.
What is the difference between pathogenicity and infectivity?
For an infectious agent, infectivity refers to the proportion of exposed persons who become infected. Pathogenicity refers to the proportion of infected individuals who develop clinically apparent disease.
Can a disease process end in death?
This range is called the spectrum of disease. Ultimately, the disease process ends either in recovery, disability or death.
Can an undiagnosed person transmit a disease to others?
Unfortunately, persons with inapparent or undiagnosed infections may nonetheless be able to transmit infection to others. Such persons who are infectious but have subclinical disease are called carriers.
Abstract
Background: In late December 2019, a new infectious respiratory disease (COVID-19) was reported in a number of patients with a history of exposure to the Huanan seafood market in China. The World Health Organization officially announced the COVID-19 pandemic on March 11, 2020.
Background
Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that can cause respiratory infection in humans [ 1 ]. These viruses were discovered in 1966 by Tyrell and Bynoe, who cultured the viruses from common cold patients [ 2 ].
Virology
The 2002–2004 SARS-CoV is a Betacoronavirus which first emerged in China and infected >8,000 people, leading to 774 deaths in 37 countries around the world [ 13, 14 ]. The MERS-CoV was known for the first time in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and resulted in 2,494 definite cases of infection and 858 deaths since September 2012 [ 15 – 17 ].
Epidemiology
Understanding of the epidemiology of COVID-19 is evolving since its first report to the Country Office of WHO in China on December 31, 2019 [ 39 ].
Clinical Manifestation
Appropriate case definition is critical in recognizing and responding to infectious outbreaks, as well as for clinical diagnosis and public health surveillance [ 59 ]. According to WHO [ 60 ], the case definitions of COVID-19 are as follow:
Strategies in COVID-19 Diagnosis
The United States CDC recommends the collection of specimens for COVID-19 examination from the respiratory tract [ 70 ]. Other specimens such as urine or stool can also be collected for diagnostic purposes.
Treatment Approaches for COVID-19 Infection
In the current situation, controlling the infection is the best way to tackle the pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 [ 102 ]. Some non-pharmaceutical strategies, including early diagnoses, isolation, and supportive treatments and protective measures, (e.g.
What Is Epidemiology?
- Epidemiology is the foundation of public health and is defined as the study of the “distribution and determinants” of diseases or disorders within groups of people, and the development of knowledge on how to prevent and control them. Epidemiological research helps us understand not only who has a disorder or disease but why and how it was brought t...
Types of Epidemiology
- Epidemiology can cover a wide range of issues, from unintentional injuries to psychosocial stress. Here are a few areas in which Columbia Mailman faculty and students work: 1. Infectious Disease Epidemiology for Public Health This type of epidemiology is at the forefront of today’s world—as epidemiologists work on the front lines to track and trace the spread of COVID-19. In this conce…
How Epidemiologists Track Diseases
- Epidemiology centers around the idea that disease and illness do not exist randomly or in a bubble. Epidemiologists conduct research to establish the factors that lead to public health issues, the appropriate responses, interventions, and solutions. By using research—from the field and in the lab—and statistical analysis, epidemiologists can track disease and predict its future …
Degrees in Epidemiology
- By achieving a degree in epidemiology, you are poised to work in places such as local health departments, nonprofits, government organizations, academia, the pharmaceutical industry, and more. With Columbia Public Health programs ranging from MPH, MS, DrPH, and PhD, students at all levels can gain the necessary knowledge to drive public health initiatives and conduct indepe…
Study
- Epidemiology is a scientific discipline with sound methods of scientific inquiry at its foundation. Epidemiology is data-driven and relies on a systematic and unbiased approach to the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. Basic epidemiologic methods tend to rely on careful observation and use of valid comparison groups to assess whether...
Distribution
- Epidemiology is concerned with the frequency and patternof health events in a population: Frequencyrefers not only to the number of health events such as the number of cases of meningitis or diabetes in a population, but also to the relationship of that number to the size of the population. The resulting rate allows epidemiologists to compare disease occurrence across dif…
Determinants
- Epidemiology is also used to search for determinants, which are the causes and other factors that influence the occurrence of disease and other health-related events. Epidemiologists assume that illness does not occur randomly in a population, but happens only when the right accumulation of risk factors or determinants exists in an individual. To search for these determinants, epidemiol…
Health-Related States Or Events
- Epidemiology was originally focused exclusively on epidemics of communicable diseases (3) but was subsequently expanded to address endemic communicable diseases and non-communicable infectious diseases. By the middle of the 20th Century, additional epidemiologic methods had been developed and applied to chronic diseases, injuries, birth defects, maternal-child health, oc…
Specified Populations
- Although epidemiologists and direct health-care providers (clinicians) are both concerned with occurrence and control of disease, they differ greatly in how they view “the patient.” The clinician is concerned about the health of an individual; the epidemiologist is concerned about the collective health of the people in a community or population. In other words, the clinician’s “patie…
Application
- Epidemiology is not just “the study of” health in a population; it also involves applying the knowledge gained by the studies to community-based practice. Like the practice of medicine, the practice of epidemiology is both a science and an art. To make the proper diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment for a patient, the clinician combines medical (scientific) knowledge with e…
Summary
- Epidemiology is the study (scientific, systematic, data-driven) of the distribution (frequency, pattern) and determinants (causes, risk factors) of health-related states and events (not just diseases) in specified populations (patient is community, individuals viewed collectively), and the application of (since epidemiology is a discipline within public health) this study to the control o…