HSC 4201 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Reproductive Health, Environmental Health, Community Health Worker
Document Summary
Epidemiologists are concerned with the health of a population: physician is concerned with the health of an individual. Monitoring health at a population level is important to determine when unexpected or unacceptable levels of health events occur. Was originally applied to infectious diseases, its application has been expanded to other areas including: chronic diseases, reproductive health issues, environmental health concerns, occupational health hazards. Epidemiology the study of the distribution and determination of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to control health problems. Derived from greek words that are translated into the study of that which is upon the people. Goal of epidemiology limit undesirable health events in a community: example illness can be limited by identifying the food that is making people sick or determining modifiable risk factors for heart disease. This is accomplished by describing the distribution and determinants of health events to validate new approaches to prevention, control, and treatment.
