EXAM 1: Epidemiology Flashcards
(27 cards)
What is an endemic
Adjective, means natural to, native to, confined to or widespread within a place or population of people
What is an epidemic
Disease is one affective many persons at the same time and spreading from person to person in a locality where the disease is not permanently prevalent
What is epidemiology
The study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events (including disease) and the application of this study to the control of diseases and other health problems
What is distribution
Frequency and pattern of health events in a population
What is determinant
Any factor, whether event, characteristic or other definable entity, that brings about a change in a health condition or other defined characteristic
What is a pandemic
Epidemic of a disease that spreads over a wide geographic area and affecting a proportion of the population worldwide
What is risk
The probability or likelihood of an event occuring
What is risk factors
Any factor associated with increased likelihood of experiencing a disease or condition
How does risk fit in?
The risk disease in one group of people may not be the same as risk of disease in another group
The level (or likelihood) of risk can be compared between two groups
What is relative risk (RR)
Risk of event for “exposed” people/risk of event for “unexposed” people
RR = 1, then risk is equal between exposed and unexposed groups
RR > 1 then risk is greater in exposed groups
RR < 1, risk is lower in exposed groups vs. unexposed group
What is prevalence
Frequency of a disease/condition (proportion)
- count all cases in a whole population
What is incidence
Risk of developing a condition over time (rate)
- count new cases in a population at risk
What are the types of epidemiological studies
Observational and experimental
What happens in an observational study
We measure or survey members of a sample without trying to affect them
What happens in a controlled experiment
We assign people or things to groups and apply some treatment to one of the groups, while the other group does not recieve the treatment
What happens in a controlled experiment
We assign people or things to groups and apply some treatment to one of the groups, while the other group does not recieve the treatment
Examples of observational studies
Cross-sectional
Cohort
Case-control
Correlational/ecological
Examples of experimental studies
Randomized
Non-randomized
Example of cross sectional design
Nutrient intake and status in inflammatory bowl disease patients
Example of a cohort study
Nutritional factors and endometrial cancer
Example of a case-control study
Two groups, one with the disease and one without. Compare their dietary patterns or blood levels
Example of a correlational study
Correlation between nutritional status and comprehensive physical performance measures among older adults with undernourishment in residential institutions
What is a cofounder
a ‘hidden’ factor or characteristic may cause an association that the researchers attribute to the other factors
What is a cross sectional study
‘Snapshot in time’
- exposures and outcomes measured at the same time point
Can tell you: prevalence of population that has a disease or condition, and association between exposure and outcome, NOT causation
