Introduction to Epidemiology

These flashcards cover fundamental concepts and definitions within the field of epidemiology, based on the provided lecture notes.

What are the seven uses of epidemiology?

1. Study history of the health of populations 2. Diagnose the health of the community 3. Examine the working of health services 4. Estimate the individual risks and chances 5. Identify syndromes 6. Complete the clinical picture 7. Search for causes

What is the definition of endemic disease?

Endemic disease is defined as the habitual presence of a disease within a given geographic area.

What does pandemic mean?

A pandemic is the occurrence of a group of illnesses in a community or region that is clearly in excess of normal expectancy and is derived from a common or propagated source.

What are health disparities?

Health disparities are differences in health outcomes that are closely linked with social, economic, and environmental disadvantage.

What does the epidemiologic transition describe?

The epidemiological transition is a theory that describes how population patterns change over time in terms of fertility, life expectancy, mortality, and leading causes of death.

What are the key factors that affect population size?

The three factors that affect population size are births, deaths, and migration.

What is primary prevention in epidemiology?

Primary prevention occurs during the period of pre-pathogenesis and includes health promotion and specific protection against diseases.

Define correlation in the context of epidemiology.

Correlation refers to a relationship between two variables, but does not imply causation.

What is the importance of disaggregated data in epidemiology?

Disaggregated data is important to examine disease risk among specific populations, as not all diseases present the same way across different age groups and demographics.

What was Typhoid Mary's significance in epidemiology?

Typhoid Mary was a healthy carrier of typhoid fever who infected 50 people, highlighting the implications of asymptomatic carriers in the spread of infectious diseases.