Epidemiology Flashcards
(7 cards)
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
