In: Nursing
EPIDEMIOLOGY :
Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health related states or events in specified populations and the application of this study to the control of health problems.
epidemiologic methods tend to rely on careful observation and use of valid comparison groups to assess whether what was observed such as the number of cases of disease in a particular area during a particular time period or the frequency of an exposure among persons with disease, differs from what might be expected. However, epidemiology also draws on methods from other scientific fields, including biostatistics and informatics, with biologic, economic, social, and behavioral sciences.
Epidemiology is mostly described as the basic science of public health and for good reason. First, epidemiology is a quantitative discipline that relies on a working knowledge of probability, statistics and sound research methods. Second, epidemiology is a method of causal reasoning based on developing and testing hypotheses grounded in such scientific fields as biology, behavioral sciences, physics and ergonomics to explain health-related behaviors, states, and events. However, epidemiology is not just a research activity but an integral component of public health, providing the foundation for directing practical and appropriate public health action based on this science and causal reasoning.
Epidemiology is connected incidenc, rrisk, frequency and pattern of health events in a population:
Incidence in epidemiology is a measure of the probability of occurrence of a given medical condition in a population within a specified period of time. Although sometimes loosely expressed simply as the number of new cases during some time period it is better expressed as a proportion or a rate with a denominator.
epidemiology the definition of risk is purely one of probability or chance as measured by the occurrence of new cases of disease in a defined population over a defined period.
Frequency refers not only to the number of health events such as the number of cases of meningitis or diabetes in a population, but also to the relationship of that number to the size of the population. The resulting rate allows epidemiologists to compare disease occurrence across different populations.
Pattern refers to the occurrence of health-related events by time, place and person. Time patterns may be annual, seasonal, weekly, daily, hourly, weekday versus weekend or any other breakdown of time that may influence disease or injury occurrence. Place patterns include geographic variation, urban/rural differences, and location of work sites or schools. Personal characteristics include demographic factors which may be related to risk of illness, injury, or disability such as age, sex, marital status, and socioeconomic status as well as behaviors and environmental exposures.
DETERMINANTS which generally includes the causes (including agents), risk factors (including exposure to sources) and modes of transmission is the most important measure of epidemiology.
RATIONALE :
Protecting People,Saving Money Through Prevention of diseas. Epidemiology is the study of the origin and causes of diseases in a community.thus the ongoing patterns of disease occurrence and disease potential is identified in epidemiology so that investigation, control, and prevention measures can be applied efficiently and effectively.