Epidemiology
iQuantitative
Research Synthesis (meta-analysis)
Case Study
Single subject Design
Epidemiology (Case control and Cohort)
Experimental
Historical (Archival)
Epidemiology Research
What is Epidemiology?
“the study of the distribution and determinants of health related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to the control of health problems” (Last, 1988)
Epidemiology Research Terminology
Distribution—relates to the frequency and patterns of disease occurrence in a population Frequency Prevalence or how often the disease occurs. (e.g., ., in 1996 the prevalence of all cardiovascular diseases in the US was estimated to be 58,800,000 people/or 25% of the population—American Heart Association, 1998) Incidence/occurrence—rate of new disease or health events (e.g., the mortality rates for cardiovascular disease were 304 per 100,000 in the US in 2001(Centre for Disease Control and Prevention,
2004)
Epidemiology Research Terminology
Distribution—relates to the frequency and patterns of disease occurrence in a population
Pattern Refers to characteristics related to: person (e.g., age, gender, ses) place (e.g., urban-rural) time (e.g., annual, seasonal, daily patterns) that are often useful in developing hypothesis about risk factors for the disease.
Why is Epidemiological Research Important?
It is virtually the only way in which a quantitative understanding of the exposuredisease/health risk relationship can be obtained.
E.g., It would be unethical to randomize a group of individuals to either a drinking or nondrinking condition, wait 10 years and then see how much death and disease, drinking causes.
Epidemiological Research
Epidemiological research is observational not experimental. E.g., A portion of the population chooses to drink while others do not. Epidemiologists use these naturally occurring differences in a population to
Research Synthesis (meta-analysis)
Case Study
Single subject Design
Epidemiology (Case control and Cohort)
Experimental
Historical (Archival)
Epidemiology Research
What is Epidemiology?
“the study of the distribution and determinants of health related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to the control of health problems” (Last, 1988)
Epidemiology Research Terminology
Distribution—relates to the frequency and patterns of disease occurrence in a population Frequency Prevalence or how often the disease occurs. (e.g., ., in 1996 the prevalence of all cardiovascular diseases in the US was estimated to be 58,800,000 people/or 25% of the population—American Heart Association, 1998) Incidence/occurrence—rate of new disease or health events (e.g., the mortality rates for cardiovascular disease were 304 per 100,000 in the US in 2001(Centre for Disease Control and Prevention,
2004)
Epidemiology Research Terminology
Distribution—relates to the frequency and patterns of disease occurrence in a population
Pattern Refers to characteristics related to: person (e.g., age, gender, ses) place (e.g., urban-rural) time (e.g., annual, seasonal, daily patterns) that are often useful in developing hypothesis about risk factors for the disease.
Why is Epidemiological Research Important?
It is virtually the only way in which a quantitative understanding of the exposuredisease/health risk relationship can be obtained.
E.g., It would be unethical to randomize a group of individuals to either a drinking or nondrinking condition, wait 10 years and then see how much death and disease, drinking causes.
Epidemiological Research
Epidemiological research is observational not experimental. E.g., A portion of the population chooses to drink while others do not. Epidemiologists use these naturally occurring differences in a population to