P H 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Odds Ratio, Cohort Study, Beta-Carotene
Document Summary
Epidemiology: study of distribution and determinants of disease frequency in human population. Major part of public health assessment function. Evaluates effectiveness of medical and public health interventions. Goal: is to use their knowledge to control and prevent the spread of disease. Major line of defense in protecting public against disease. Important terms are: endemic vs epidemic, notifiable diseases, shoe leather epidemiology. System created to control spread of known disease and aids in recognizing new diseases. First example to use of epidemiology to study and control disease. London had cholera epidemics in mid 1800s: dr. Snow suspected there was an association between disease and recent change in the way sewage was handled where it was dumped into the. Ask who, where, and when questions to describe the epidemic by person, place, and time: consider the incubation period. Epidemiologic studies of chronic disease are complicated and difficult that those for infectious diseases or toxic contamination.
