Part 4 - Epidemiology Basics

Epidemiology

Study of factors and mechanisms in the frequency and spread of diseases within populations.

Etiology

The cause of a disease in a population.

Prevalence

Total number of existing cases relative to the entire population at a given time.

Incidence

The number of new cases over a specific time period.

Morbidity rate

The number of persons afflicted with infectious diseases in a population.

Mortality rate

The total number of deaths in a population due to a certain disease.

Sporadic disease

Scattered, unpredictable, and random occurrence of cases with low frequency.

Endemic disease

Continually present in a particular geographic area at a low, stable level.

Epidemic disease

A sudden higher-than-normal incidence of a disease in a population.

Pandemic

An epidemic that spreads worldwide.