ANTC67H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Richard Doll, Public Health, Smallpox
Document Summary
Hippocrates believed that environmental factors influenced the occurrence of disease. John snow 19th century: looked at the risk of cholera in london was related to a specific drinking pump. Comparing the rates of disease in subgroups of the human population became common practice in communicable diseases first then on to non communicable diseases. Uses quantitative methods to study diseases in human population to inform prevention and control efforts. Richard doll and andrew hill found the relationship between smoking and lung cancer. Epidemiology the study of the distribution and determinants of health related states or events in specified populations and the application of this study to the prevention and control of health problems. Epidemiologists are not only concerned with death, illness and disability but also health status and health improvement. Disease means unfavourable health changes + injuries and mental health. Focus of an epidemiological study is the population defined in geographical terms: ex] factory workers.