Description
This set of university notes provides a foundational introduction to epidemiology, authored by Dr. Andrew Kumwenda, a medical professional with multiple qualifications including from the University of Zambia (UNZA). The material is designed for tertiary-level students in the MBChB VI Research Methods course within the School of Medicine at UNZA, delivered on February 3, 2021. It defines epidemiology as the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states in populations, distinguishing between descriptive, analytical, and experimental approaches. The notes cover key concepts such as causation, risk factors, levels of disease determinants, and the critical framework of prevention, including primordial, primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. This resource is essential for medical, public health, and nursing students seeking to understand the principles that link population health data to clinical practice and public health interventions in Zambia. Download these comprehensive notes to build a solid foundation in epidemiological methods crucial for academic success and evidence-based healthcare.
What's inside
Introduction to Epidemiology Dr. Andrew Kumwenda BSc.(HB), MBChB (UNZA), MPhil.(Stellenbosch), MPH (University of Western Cape), MMed. (OBGYN) (UNZA), PhD candidate (Witwatersrand) MBChB VI Research Methods Course, School of Medicine, UNZA. Wednesday 3rd February, 2021. Introduction Epidemiology is very much part of our lives Regularly, media reports describe results of epidemiological investigations Stories of new strains of serious viral diseases e.g. covid-19 catch the headlines because of the interest and anxiety they inspire in readers Introduction Political battles are also sometimes fought over hospital mortality statistics e.g. over maternal deaths, etc For your level of training, the focus is largely on what is called observational epidemiology i.e. case control, cohort and cross-sectional studies What is epidemiology? Epidemiology is “the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to control health problems”. Why does a disease develop in some people and not in others? Each of us has certain characteristics that predispose us to, or protect us against a variety of different diseases What is epidemiology? The premise underlying epidemiology is that disease, illness and ill health are not randomly distributed in humans Key words to note from the epidemiology definition: 1. Distribution 2. Determinants 3. Control or intervention of health problems What is epidemiology? We need to distinguish between the epidemiology of a specific disease and epidemiology, the discipline. Epidemiology of a disease is the description of what is known about the distribution & determinants of that disease e.g. 25% of HIV exposed babies will be infected Epidemiology, the discipline is a methodology for gaining valid information about the distribution & causes of disease & about effectiveness of control methods The objectives of epidemiology 1. To identify the aetiology or cause of a disease and the relevant risk factors - wanting to know how the disease is transmitted 2. To determine the extent of disease found in the community - question crucial for planning purposes 3. To study the natural history and prognosis of the disease e.g. certain diseases are more severe than others The objectives of epidemiology 4. To evaluate both existing and newly developed preventive and therapeutic measures and modes of health care delivery Example, does screening men for prostate cancer using the PSA test improve survival in people found to have prostate cancer? Types of epidemiological approaches Descriptive epidemiology - This describes the occurrence of disease and other related characteristics in the population with respect to: The person (i.e. ‘the who’, such as age, gender, social class) The place (i.e. ‘the where’, such as region) and The time (i.e. the ‘when’, such as season or year) Types of epidemiological approaches Analytical epidemiology This investigates the association between various factors and disease or health status to try to establish if those factors are causative or protective Experimental epidemiology Here, the researcher introduces a treatment or intervention to determine effectiveness The detail of these approaches will be discussed under the topic ‘Study designs’ Types of epidemiological approaches Note: While the term ‘disease’ is often used for simplicity, in public health, a wide range of outcomes may be studied including: Injury, Health behavior, Health knowledge, Good health Key concepts in epidemiology Causation What is a cause? – A large part of epidemiology focusses on the search for associations between various factors and disease outcomes Consistent associations can be useful for predicting the likelihood of disease from the presence of predictive factors The term ‘risk factor’ is frequently used to describe predictive factors
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