Concepts Of Epidemiology

First edition published in 2002. Second edition published in 2008.

"Concepts in Epidemiology explains and illustrates the language, principles, and methods underlying the science of epidemiology, and its applications to policy making, health service planning and health promotion. Illustrated, there are exercises to help readers deepen their understanding, with detailed material captured in tables. Each chapter ends in a summary, and all technical and specialized terminology is explained and defined in a glossary. The book places particular emphasis on integrating the ideas of epidemiology."--BOOK JACKET.

The book is organized so as to address in separate sections first the preparatory topics of medicine (clinical and epidemiological), science in general, and statistics (mathematical); then topics of epidemiological research proper; and, finally, topics of ‘meta-epidemiological’ clinical research. In those two main sections, a further grouping is based on the distraction between objects and methods of study. In this framework, the particular topics are addressed both descriptively and quasi-prescriptively, commonly with a number of explicatory annotations. This book is intended to serve as a handbook for whomever is, in whatever way, concerned with epidemiological or ‘meta-epidemiological’ clinical research. But besides this, it is also intended to serve as a textbook for students in introductory courses on ‘epidemiological’ research – to which end there is a suggested hierarchy of the concepts that might reasonably be covered.

Comprehensive in its coverage and suitable for graduate or upper-division undergraduate students in a wide range of health-related disciplines, this latest offering by William A. Oleckno is a full-scale, pedagogically rich introduction to fundamental ideas and procedures in epidemiology. The text covers the major concepts, principles, methods, and applications of both conventional and modern epidemiology using clear language and frequent examples to illustrate important points and facilitate understanding. While Oleckno provides thorough treatment of the more customary aspects of conventional and modern epidemiology, he also introduces several important design and analytical issues that are only rarely approached in fundamental epidemiology textbooks. Concepts as diverse as competing risks, maturation, futility, and the prevalence and bias effects in the context of screening are just a few examples of the broad range of concepts covered in this text. A comprehensive glossary contains detailed definitions of over 700 terms used throughout the 14 chapters comprising the textbook. Aspiring public health professionals will appreciate the solid basis they gain from Epidemiology: Concepts and Methods and will want to keep a copy close by as a valuable reference throughout their careers.

Hardly a day goes by without news headlines concerning infectious disease threats. Currently the spectre of a pandemic of influenza A|H1N1 is raising its head, and heated debates are taking place about the pro’s and con’s of vaccinating young girls against human papilloma virus. For an evidence-based and responsible communication of infectious disease topics to avoid misunderstandings and overreaction of the public, we need solid scientific knowledge and an understanding of all aspects of infectious diseases and their control. The aim of our book is to present the reader with the general picture and the main ideas of the subject. The book introduces the reader to methodological aspects of epidemiology that are specific for infectious diseases and provides insight into the epidemiology of some classes of infectious diseases characterized by their main modes of transmission. This choice of topics bridges the gap between scientific research on the clinical, biological, mathematical, social and economic aspects of infectious diseases and their applications in public health. The book will help the reader to understand the impact of infectious diseases on modern society and the instruments that policy makers have at their disposal to deal with these challenges. It is written for students of the health sciences, both of curative medicine and public health, and for experts that are active in these and related domains, and it may be of interest for the educated layman since the technical level is kept relatively low.

In examining the relationship between nutritional exposure and disease aetiology, the importance of a carefully considered experimental design cannot be overstated. A sound experimental design involves the formulation of a clear research hypothesis and the identification of appropriate measures of exposure and outcome. It is essential that these variables can be measured with a minimum of error, whilst taking into account the effects of chance and bias, and being aware of the risk of confounding variables. The first edition of Design Concepts in Nutritional Epidemiology presented a throrough guide to research methods in nutritional epidemiology. Since publication of the 1st edition, we now have a much better understanding of the characteristics of nutritional exposure that need to be measured in order to answer questions about diet-disease relationships. The 2nd edition has been extensively revised to include the most up-to-date methods of researching this relationship. Included are new chapters on qualitative and sociological measures, anthropometric measures, gene-nutrient interactions, and cross-sectional studies. Design Concepts in Nutritional Epidemiology will be an essential text for nutritionists and epidemiologists, helping them in their quest to improve the quality of information upon which important public health decisions are made.

This book contains a Foreword by Allyson Pollock, Professor and Head, Centre for International Public Health Policy, University of Edinburgh. Healthcare students, practitioners and researchers need a sound basis for making valid statistical inferences from health data. To make the best use of statistical software, it is necessary to understand how probabilistic inference works. This book explains that, along with the various ways statistical data can be described and presented. It is designed to develop insight rather than simply the mechanical skills found in other textbooks. This book is specifically designed to underpin the concepts of statistics and epidemiology. It is practical and easy to use and is ideal for people who can feel uncomfortable with mathematics. 'Excellent. A great primer for all students and research workers engaged in learning how to use statistical ideas in public health. It sets out the core concepts and explains them clearly, using worked examples as illustration. If followed carefully, the engaged reader should be able to use the standard statistical software packages intelligently and sensitively. It will stimulate the public health student, in whatever context, and new researchers, to approach the enterprise with enhanced confidence in interpreting and coherently explaining their findings.' - Allyson Pollock, in the Foreword.

Principles of Epidemiology: A Self-Teaching Guide consists of a series of problem-solving exercises designed to introduce and guide readers toward an understanding of the principles and methods of epidemiology, rather than the epidemiology of specific diseases or subject areas such as ""infectious disease"" or ""chronic disease"" epidemiology. The guide has been formulated to be used by itself or as a supplement to standard textbooks. It illustrates and illuminates the principles and concepts of epidemiology and provides the reader an opportunity to practice the application of these principles in a logical sequence. The guide is divided into 14 exercises. Each exercise will help readers to understand principles or methods used by epidemiologist. Topics covered include the patterns of disease, populations at risk and risk assessment, screening for disease, investigation of an epidemic, etiology of disease, principles of causation, study design in epidemiologic investigation, data interpretation, and the uses and applications of epidemiology.