Chapter 16 Flashcards
What is epidemiology?
The science underlying public health.
Includes etiology (study of causes of disease) and investigation of disease transmission.
What is morbidity?
Being in a state of illness.
What is mortality?
Death
What is the difference between morbidity rates and mortality rates?
Morbidity: Incidence per population
Mortality: Deaths per population
What is incidence?
The number of new cases (morbidity or mortality), usually expressed as a proportion, during a specified time period.
What is prevalence?
The number of individuals with a particular illness in a given population at a point in time., again usually expressed as a proportion.
What are sporadic diseases?
Only occur rarely and largely without a geographic focus.
What are endemic diseases?
Occur at a constant (and often low) level within a population.
What are epidemic diseases and pandemic diseases?
Occur when an outbreak occurs on a significantly larger than expected level, either locally or globally.
What are notifiable diseases?
Updates are published weekly regarding the morbidity and mortality rates.
What are observational studies?
Only able to measure associations between disease occurrence and possible causative agents; do not necessarily prove a causal relationship.
What are experimental studies?
Uses laboratory or clinical studies in which the investigator manipulates the study subjects to study the connections between diseases and potential causative agents or to assess treatments.
What are descriptive epidemiology studies?
Rely on case analysis and patient histories to gain information about outbreaks, frequently while they are still occurring.
What are retrospective epidemiology studies?
Use historical data to identify associations with the disease state of present cases.
What are prospective epidemiology studies?
Gather data and follow cases to find associations with future disease.
