Epidemiology is the scientific, systematic and data-driven study of the distribution (who, when, where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population.
Using this approach, public health professionals can glean important information to help inform prevention and control strategies. As a result, the field is experiencing an influx of new opportunities and a positive career outlook.
What is Epidemiology?
Epidemiology is the study of how diseases and other health conditions spread in a population. Public health epidemiologists use this knowledge to identify causes of disease, identify populations at high risk for disease and develop preventative methods.
The discipline is based on sound methods of scientific inquiry and relies on a systematic and unbiased approach to data collection, analysis and interpretation. It uses analytical methods drawn from the fields of biostatistics and informatics, as well as biologic, economic and social sciences.
Basic epidemiologic methods typically rely on careful observation and the use of valid comparison groups to assess whether what is observed, such as a change in the number of cases of disease in a specific area or the frequency of an exposure among people with disease, differs from what might be expected. However, the accuracy of comparisons can be compromised by unequal ascertainment of cases and exposure levels in different groups.
Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of diseases.
Epidemiology is the study of the distribution (who, when and where), patterns and determinants of diseases and health conditions within a defined population. Often, epidemiologists work with other fields in public health to develop data-driven interventions that improve the population’s health.
To be effective, these public health actions must be formally evaluated and implemented. This requires data surveillance, collection and analysis that epidemiologists do best.
Traditionally, epidemiologists have conducted non-experimental studies, which aim to understand disease occurrence without seeking specific outcomes. These methods include cohort studies, case-control studies and ecological studies.
A major part of the field is clinical epidemiology, which combines medical knowledge with experience and epidemiologic judgment in "diagnosing" diseases in communities and proposing appropriate public health interventions. The field also employs analytic epidemiology to evaluate the relationship between a disease and its determinants, such as risk factors, agents or modes of transmission. This is the basis for many public health initiatives. It is a complex and demanding discipline, but it has an important role in protecting the population.
Epidemiology is the study of outbreaks.
Epidemiology is the study of diseases and other health issues that affect groups of people, often globally. The goal is to identify the source of the disease and its effects, estimate how many people are exposed to it and determine how to control the spread of the illness.
Epidemics are a common part of public health work, and it is the job of an epidemiologist to monitor them, find their origin, and prevent them from spreading. Their work helps communities, whether they are local neighborhoods or global nations, stay healthy.
Epidemiologists also study social structures, living conditions, and other factors that influence the health of a community. They use this information to create policies that help the population live healthier lives.
Epidemiology is the study of risk factors.
The study of risk factors, or determinants, can be a powerful approach to understanding and explaining both infectious disease and non-infectious diseases. However, in contrast to infectious disease research, where agents, hosts and environmental factors offer useful explanations for outbreaks, a deeper knowledge of epidemiology requires identifying causal relationships between exposures to these factors and health outcomes.
Using this method, epidemiologists can identify health determinants that drive both the frequency of cases and the incidence rates in a population, as well as the underlying causes. This may be done through epidemiologic investigation, statistical analysis, and the development of data-driven strategies for public health intervention.
Epidemiologists often study chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. They also investigate lifestyle risk factors, such as tobacco use, diet, and physical activity.