HSC 4500 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Determinant, Natural Experiment, Demographic Transition
Document Summary
Study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in a human population and application of this study to the prevention and control of health problems. Examples of health-related states: diseases, morbidity, injuries, disability, and mortality. Often considered biomedical science when it is an interdisciplinary science and observational science. Primary function: to identify determinants or determining factors of health related states or events. Analytic- involves finding and quantifying associations, testing hypotheses, and identifying causes. Occurrence of health outcomes varies within populations, some subgroups more than others. A behavior, environmental exposure, or inherent human characteristic that is associated with important health condition. Any factor that brings about change in a health condition or other defined characteristic. Examples: biological agents, chemical agents, and less specific health factors. Contact with a disease-causing factor or to the amount of the factor that affects a group of individuals. All possible results that may stem from exposure to a casual factor.
