Epidemiology Flashcards
what is meant by epidemiology?
the study of populations in order to determine the frequency and distribution of disease
what are the three main types of epidemiology studies?
- descriptive
- analytic
- intervention/experimental
what is meant by prevalence of disease?
a measurement of all individuals affected by the disease within a particular period of time or point in time
how do you work out the prevalence of a disease?
number of affected individuals (cases) divided by total number of persons in population
what is meant by incidence of disease?
a measurement of the number of new individuals who contract a disease during a particular period of time
what are the advantages of using a sample, instead of surveying whole population?
- reduces cost
- higher response rate
- less time
what is important when selecting a sample for a study?
sample must be representative of the population being investigated
