HLST 1010 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: World Health Organization, William Farr, Social Epidemiology
25 Mar 2014
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Epidemiology: the study of health and its determinants in specified populations with the often unstated goal of improving health. Origin - john snow - studied people who succumbed to cholera in london 150 years ago (gordis 1996) Plotted an association between death and the sources of drinking water. He hypothesized the the disease was spread by contaminated water from evacuations of infected people. Epidemiologists mostly conducts studies and report results, action isnot usually considered part of the discipline"s domain. Another health official at the time, william farr, the registrar-general in london, recognized that poverty was an important contributor to poor health. Health as a concept differs on the level being considered. Examples provided. analogy of cells, organs, individual body. There are population level health producing factors that have no individual level counterparts, just as health advice for individuals has no cellular-level counterparts.
