Lecture 1

Question 1

The definition of Epidemiology is (now)

Answer 1

The study of the occurrence and distribution of health-related events, states and processes in specified populations, including the study of the determinates influencing such processes, and the application of this knowledge to control the relevant health problems. (This definition has been expanded on many times)

Question 2

The first definition of Epidemiology

Answer 2

The Science of Epidemics

Question 3

What does the Attack Rate tell us?

Answer 3

% of people who got sick when exposed
Calculated from % of ppl who got sick
% of ppl who were exposed
eg. 202/385=77%

Question 4

What does relative risk tell us?

Answer 4

The risk of sickness in something in exposed relative to unexposed
343 ate chicken, 156 sick = 45.5% Attack rate
231 didn’t eat, 74 sick = Attack rate 32%
45.5/32= 1.4. People who ate 1.4 times more likely to be sick than those who didn’t

Question 5

5 Simple Questions related to Epidemiology

Answer 5

• What disease/ conditions is present in excess
  -Who is ill?
  -Where did they live?
  -When did the become ill?
  -Why did they become ill?

Question 6

What does epidemiology offer?

Answer 6

-Description of the health status of populations (what, who, where, when, how)
-Causation (important to know which factors cause it)
- Evaluation of interventions (want to know if reducing a pop’s exposure prevents the occurrence of the health outcome, ALSO evaluation of different treatments)
-Natural history and prognosis

Question 7

What’s the difference between Natural Experiments compared to regular

Answer 7

Not planned, just happens, then studied after