L1-2 Introduction to Epidemiology Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in L1-2 Introduction to Epidemiology Deck (31)
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1
Q

What is epidemiology?

A

The study of patterns, causes & effects of health & disease in defined populations.

2
Q

Name the 2 types of error?

A
  • Random error

- Systematic error

3
Q

Define Random Error.

A

An error in measurement caused by factors which vary from one measurement to another. Has a zero-mean.

4
Q

Define Systematic Error.

What can it be divided into?

A

An error having a non-zero mean, so that its effect is not reduced when observations are averaged.

  • Selection bias
  • Information bias
5
Q

Name the 4 epidemiological study designs.

A

Case-control studies

Cohort studies

Cross-sectional studies

Ecological studies

6
Q

What is genetic epidemiology?

A

The study of role of genetic factors in determining health & disease in families & populations.

7
Q

Name the genetic epidemiological study design type:

“Is there a genetic component to the disease & what are the relative contributions of genes & environment?”

A

Familial aggregation studies.

8
Q

Name the genetic epidemiological study design type:

“What is the pattern of inheritance of the disease (dominant or recessive)?”

A

Segregation studies.

9
Q

Name the genetic epidemiological study design type:

“On which part of which chromosome is the disease gene located?”

A

Linkage studies.

10
Q

Name the genetic epidemiological study design type:

“Which allele of which gene is associated with the disease?

A

Association studies.

11
Q

Name the genetic epidemiological study design type:

“Identified monogenic disorders & genes”

A

Traditional.

12
Q

Name the genetic epidemiological study design type:

“Have led to discovery of many genetic polymorphisms that influence risk of developing many common diseases”

A

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS).

13
Q

What is molecular epidemiology?

A

The use in standard epidemiologic studies of techniques of molecular biology.

14
Q

What is life course epidemiology?

A

Study of antecedent exposures & later health outcomes.

15
Q

Define health inequalities.

A

Differences in health status or in distribution of health determinants between different population groups.

16
Q

Define incidence/incidence rate.

A

A measure of the frequency with which a new case of a disease occurs in a population over a period of time.

17
Q

What is the equation for incidence?

What is the answer often expressed as?

A

= (new cases occurring during a given time period) / (population at risk during the same time period)

__ per 100,000 persons per year.

18
Q

Define prevalence.

A

A measure of the frequency of all cases of a particular disease present in a defined population at a given time.

19
Q

What is the equation for prevalence?

What is the answer often expressed as?

A

= (persons with a given disease/condition during a specified time period) / (population during the same time period)

%

20
Q

Define mortality rate.

A

A measure of the frequency with which a new deaths occurs in a population over a period of time.

21
Q

Define relative risk?

A

The ratio of the risk of disease among those exposed to a risk factor to the risk among those not exposed.

22
Q

What is the equation for rate ratio?

A

= (rate for group of interest)/(rate for comparison group)

23
Q

Rate Ratio = 1

=?

A

Identical risk in the 2 groups.

24
Q

Rate Ratio > 1

=?

A

Increased risk for numerator group.

25
Q

Define odds ratio.

A

Estimate of risk from case-control studies.

26
Q

What is the equation for odds ratio?

A

(a x d) / (b x c)

where a = no. of persons with disease & with exposure of interest

where b = no. of persons without disease, but with exposure of interest

where c = no. of persons with disease, but without exposure of interest

where d = no. of persons without disease & without exposure of interest

27
Q

In an odds ratio, a+c=?

A

Total no. of persons with disease (‘cases’).

28
Q

In an odds ratio, b+d=?

A

Total no. of persons without disease (‘controls’).

29
Q

Define a standard population.

A

A standard population is an artificial population structure that is used in the weighting of mortality or incidence data to produce age-standardised rates.

30
Q

Define age standardisation/adjustment.

A

A method used to make fairer comparisons between populations with different age distributions.

31
Q

Rate ratio is less than 1.

=?

A

Increased risk for denominator group.