Historical Explorations Of Modern Epidemiology

This volume explores the history of epidemiology from the mid-twentieth century to the present. Epidemiology has exerted major influence on the way that both infectious and chronic diseases are conceptualized and controlled, and, more generally, on the way that people in modern societies think about health, behavior, longevity, and risk. This collection consists of a series of in-depth analyses of the roots, development, and impact of epidemiological research, illuminating the complex relationship between medical research and data on the one hand, and social and cultural factors on the other. The thematical and geographical scope of the book ranges from indigenous and participant perspectives to the visualization of pandemics, and from Circumpolar North to East Africa. The book identifies significant historical changes and the driving forces behind them, charting forms of science-society interaction that characterize modern epidemiology. Chapter 1 and chapter 4 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This book marks the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the International Epidemiological Association (IEA). It is a unique compendium by the world's leading epidemiologists of how the field has developed, and how it can be (and has been) applied to the control of common conditions and threats to public health. Five distinct sections guide the reader through the wealth of material: · Gives an historical account of the concepts and ideas, and current importance of epidemiology to global health issues and to organisations such as the WHO. · Illustrates the advances and contributions to epidemiologic knowledge and the control of disease in specific areas such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, tuberculosis, maternal and child health, non-biologic disorders such as war and disasters, and new infectious diseases. · Outlines the use of epidemiology in areas such as public health, health services, occupational and environmental medicine, social epidemiology and nutrition. · Discusses methodological developments such as statistics, information sources, investigation of disease outbreaks and clinical epidemiology. · Looks at how the subject has developed internationally, with perspectives on regions such as the Americas, Poland, Spain, Eastern Mediterranean, New Zealand, China, Thailand and Japan. This remarkable insight into how epidemiology has developed is essential reading for both existing and aspiring epidemiologists.

Arranged to facilitate use and highlight key concepts, this clear and concise text also includes many practical exercises, case studies, and real-world applications. Utilizing the modern biostatistical approach to studying disease, Epidemiology Kept Simple, Second Edition will provide readers with the tools to interpret epidemiological data, understand disease concepts, and prepare for board exams. The author fully explains all new terminology and minimizes the use of technical language, while emphasizing real-life practice in modern public health and biomedical research settings.

As epidemiology expands into new areas of medicine and scientific research, professionals without specific epidemiological training and undergraduate students in a variety of health-related fields are increasingly called upon to study and assess epidemiological information. Epidemiology Kept Simple presents the first accessible treatment of the subject for non-epidemiologists. It covers both the classical approach to studying a disease, and the modern biostatistical approach, giving the reader simple yet effective tools to interpret epidemiological data, keep up with current disease concepts, or prepare for board exams. Clear and concise throughout, this book features a series of authoritative lectures arranged in a format that facilitates the indentification and comprehension of key concepts. Topics include: Elements of infectious and chronic disease epidemiology Identification of disease, and measures of its frequency Stratification and adjustment Measures of association and potential impact Analytic study design and inaccuracy in epidemiologic studies From association to causation Clusters and outbreaks Computing and epidemiology. Epidemiology Kept Simple contains chapter summaries, illustrations, and extensive references for would-be epidemiologists or for those interested in specialized areas of epidemiology. It is an ideal introductory text for public health training programs as well as for students and professionals in medicine, health education, and the biological sciences, and for all who would like to sharpen their epidemiological skills.

Methods, just as diseases or scientists, have their own history. It is important for scientists to be aware of the genesis of the methods they use and of the context in which they were developed. A History of Epidemiologic Methods and Concepts is based on a collection of contributions which appeared in "SPM International Journal of Public Health", starting in January 2001. The contributions focus on the historical emergence of current epidemiological methods and their relative importance at different points in time, rather than on specific achievements of epidemiology in controlling plagues such as cholera, tuberculosis, malaria, typhoid fever, or lung cancer. The papers present the design of prospective and retrospective studies, and the concepts of bias, confounding, and interaction. The compilation of articles is complemented by an introduction and comments by Prof. Alfredo Morabia which puts them in the context of current epidemiological research.

The first half of the book deals with fundamental epidemiologic concepts and the principles of study design. The goals of epidemiologic research are presented in the contexts of scientific philosophy and a general model of causation, followed by an elaboration of the basic measures in epidemiology. Study designs along with the strategies to enhance validity and precision are discussed in the light of cost considerations and overall scientific objectives. The second half of the book, on data analysis, will be of immeasurable use as a teaching tool for students and as a teaching tool for students and as a reference work for researchers. The primary methods for crude, stratified and matched analysis are laid out in detail. The fresh approach to the advanced topics of multivariate analysis, the study of interactions, and the evaluation of dose-response trends uncovers many fallacies and misconceptions.