Sociology 2140 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Epidemiological Transition, Infant Mortality, Prevalence
8 Apr 2015
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Document Summary
Health = a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. Epidemiology = the study of the distribution of disease within a population. Different disciplines within this field such as public health, medicine, biology and sociology. Epidemiologist = a scientist who studies the social origins and distribution of health problems in a population and how patterns of illness and disease vary between and within societies. Morbidity =the amount of disease, impairment and accidents in a population. Acute condition = a health condition that can last no more than 3 months. Chronic condition = a long term health problem, such as disease or impairment. Morbidity may be measured according to the incidence and prevalence of specific illnesses and diseases. Incidence = the number of new cases of a specific health problem within a given population during a specified period. Prevalence = the total number of cases of a condition within a population that exist at a given time.
