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Epidemiology (definition)

The study of distribution and determinants of health-related states in specific populations

Epidemiology (application)

To control health problems

The four basic reasons to study and research outbreaks and epidemics

Control and Prevention -- Research Opportunities -- Training -- Legal Concerns

Disease detective (2024) is more focused on classical or clinical epidemiology?

Classical epidemiology

Classical Epidemiology is ________ oriented

population

CLASSICAL epidemiology studies origins of health problems in a community related to the communities' _________. It also studies the _________ state of the population.

nutrition, environment, and human behavior --- psychological, social, and spiritual

Clinical Epidemiology is _________ oriented

person

CLINICAL epidemiology studies patients in health care settings in order to ________

Improve the diagnosis, improve the treatment, and improve the prognosis (likely progression the disease will make within the patient)

Clinical Epidemiology can be further specified by two groups:

Infectious disease epidemiology and chronic disease epidemiology

Infectious disease epidemiology is dependent on _______

Laboratory support

Chronic disease epidemiology is dependent on _______

Complex sampling and statistical methods

Cluster

Many cases over a particular period of short time and close proximity

Elimination

The deliberate reduction of a disease in a particular area. Required continued intervention.

Epidemic

Large number of cases over a large geographical area.

Etiology

The study of causes of a disease

Fomite

A physical object that transfers disease from person to person. (Ex. A comb with lice -- The comb is the fomite, lice is the agent)

Iatrogenic reaction

An illness caused in reaction to a medication or a physician (Ex. dirty doctor's office)

Incubation Period

Time between when a person comes into contact a pathogen and when first symptoms or signs of disease show.

Index Case

First patient in a epidemiological study (also called Patient Zero or Primary Case)

Morbidity

Rate of disease

Mortality

Rate of death

Outbreak

A higher frequency of cases of a disease than anticipated over a period of time

Pandemic

An epidemic occurring over several countries or continents where it affects a large proportion of the population

Plague

A serious, potentially life threatening disease usually transmitted through bites of rodent fleas.

Three major forms of plagues

Bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic

Nosocomial Disease

A disease or infection acquired during the process of receiving health care that was not present when admitted

Risk (AKA Incidence)

The probability that someone will be die or be affected by a disease in a certain time span

Case Fatality Rate (CFR)

Numbers of death due to the disease / number of people with the disease

Cause-specific Mortality Rate

Number in deaths due to a disease / total number in population

Surveillance

The systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination (spreading the knowledge) of health data.

Purpose of Public Health Surveillance

To gain knowledge of the patterns of disease, injury, and other health problems in a community so that we can work towards their prevention and control.

Symptomatic

Showing symptoms or signs of injury

Vector

A living organism that transmits the disease but does NOT cause the disease

Zoonosis

An infectious disease that is transmittable from animals to humans