Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dr Harry Tagbor
What is Epidemiology
The study of the distribution and
determinants of health-related states or
events (including disease) in human
populations, and the application of this
study to the control of diseases and other
health problems.
What is Epidemiology
growth
intelligence
multiple pregnancy
fertility
Role of epidemiology
The first of these functions is to describe
differences in the distribution of health and
disease within and between populations.
With descriptive epidemiology, we can
measure the burden of illness within a
population.
Role of epidemiology
For example, we may use descriptive
epidemiology to
examine how the birth-weight of babies has
changed in Ghana over the last 10 years,
or to describe differences in the prevalence of
hypertension between men and women,
or to compare the incidence of tuberculosis in
different regions of Ghana.
Role of epidemiology
The second function is to interpret the
differences we have described.
With analytical epidemiology, we can
investigate risk factors for a disease or an
outcome.
Here we ask the question "does the pattern of
exposure to certain risk factors among
individuals with or without a specific disease
help us to work out the cause of the disease?"
Role of epidemiology
For example, we might look at the effect of
different levels of dust exposure on the risk of
developing of industrial lung disease.
However, be careful in how you interpret your
findings:
In analytical epidemiology, we measure
associations between exposures and outcomes.
If we demonstrate an association, that does
NOT necessarily mean that the exposure
caused the outcome.
Role of epidemiology
For example
The rate of heart attack varies considerably by
geographical region, even within a single country.
The rate of heart attack is higher in Scotland than
in England. This does not necessarily mean that
living in Scotland causes heart attacks: it is more
likely that people living in Scotland are exposed to
other factors which are more direct causes of heart
disease.
Role of epidemiology
In some cases we can suggest appropriate
public health action even if we do not know the
precise biological cause of a disease.
Suggest reducing the risk of lung cancer by not
smoking cigarettes, even if we do not know exactly
what it is in cigarettes that causes cancer.
Sample selection
This refers to the criteria used to choose study
subjects; it can be based on exposure or outcome or
other criteria.
Axes of Epidemiologic Research
Design
Timing
Descriptive study
A study in which the distribution of an
exposure and/or an outcome are examined
without any attempt by the investigator to
influence them.
Interventional Study
A study designed to test a hypothesis by
modifying an exposure within the study
population.
Basic epidemiologic research
Descriptive
designs
Observational Explanatory Experimental
Document Seek causes, Examine Evaluate efficacy
experience, predictors, aetiology, of therapeutic
observations, risk factors. efficacy or cause and other
unusual Researcher using strategy interventions.
events, observes of comparison
programmes, phenomenon
treatments without
intervention.