INTRODUCTION TO EPIDEMIOLOGY
I. INTRODUCTION
Epidemiology, an ambiguous term, with varied meanings, whose definition has continued to change throughout history; A multidisciplinary science, with uncertain contours, practiced by specialists of all kinds; (doctors, veterinarians, pharmacists, biologists, nurses, sanitary engineers, statisticians, demographers, geographers, economists, public health officials, etc.).
According to (Monson) “epidemiology is the study of the distribution of diseases and the factors that determine their frequency.”
Epidemiology therefore goes beyond the simple framework of the study of epidemics and contagious diseases. It extends its scope to more complex morbid phenomena, taking into account factors of dispersion in time and space and the multifactorial nature of the phenomena studied.
II. HISTORY
At the time of Hippocrates: epidemiology corresponded to any event affecting a human community : natural disasters, wars…
Little by little: meaning limited to pathological phenomena.
In the Pasteur era (discoveries in microbiology): epidemiology ↔ infectious diseases.
This reduction of epidemiology to infectiology has persisted in people’s minds and even now epidemiology is often understood as being the study of epidemics…
III. THE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL APPROACH
The essential characteristic of epidemiology compared to clinical medicine is its interest in groups of individuals and not in individuals themselves. This specificity implies a way of thinking, an approach to health events and tools of description and measurement different from those of clinical medicine. It is another way of conceiving and perceiving illness and health. However, clinicians and epidemiologists have in common the fact that they seek to determine why a “disease” has occurred in a patient or in a community, by applying assessment techniques.
IV. MASS PHENOMENA
• Epidemic: This is the occurrence of a number of cases of a disease (infectious or not) greater than the number of cases usually expected, e.g. (measles, etc.).
• Endemic: habitual persistence, in a region or within a community, of a specific disease which manifests itself there constantly or periodically (malaria, etc.).
• Pandemic: form of epidemic extending to an entire continent, or even to all of humanity (plague, Spanish flu, etc.).
• Sporadic cases : rare and isolated cases.
INTRODUCTION TO EPIDEMIOLOGY
V. EPIDEMIOLOGY Definition(1) Science that studies the causes and risk factors for the occurrence of diseases in the human population . This definition opens the fields of study of epidemiology:
- Pathology approach
- Population approach
- The search for causes or better risk factors
| FIELDS OF STUDY OF EPIDEMIOLOGY | ||
| Approach | Object | Examples |
| by pathology | improve health conditions, extend healthy life span | Infectious, psychiatric or mental diseases, genetics, pollution, AVP, violence, etc.) |
| Population | study human groups or even the entire population in order to draw common points | Women and perinatality, Elderly people and dependency, Workers and occupational risks, Risk group: Young people and risky behavior,… |
| by searching for causes or risk factors. | measure impact prevent educate | |
| RISK FACTORS | ||
| Definition | Risk = probability | |
| Risk factor : characteristics of an individual or their environment that may be associated with the occurrence of a particular disease or event. Examples: Age, Sex, Genetics, Behaviors, Living environment, etc. | ||
| Example | ||
| Cardiovascular Disease : | Risk factors: Smoking, HBP, Diabetes, Hypercholesterolemia, Excess weight, Obesity, Sedentary lifestyle, etc. | |
Definition(2)
Science that studies “the distribution of health phenomena in the population and the (determining) factors that condition their frequencies”
Epidemiology can be of different types:
Descriptive / Analytical / Predictive or Evaluative
VI. THE OBJECTIVES OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
- Understanding health conditions of diseases,
- Measuring the health status of a population,
- Measure individual and collective risks,
- Identify pathogens, modes of transmission and risk factors,
- Prevent the occurrence of diseases and pathological phenomena,
- Evaluate intervention methods.
Dental crowns are used to restore the shape and function of a damaged tooth.
Bruxism, or teeth grinding, can cause premature wear and often requires wearing a retainer at night.
Dental abscesses are painful infections that require prompt treatment to avoid complications. Gum grafting is a surgical procedure that can treat gum recession. Dentists use composite materials for fillings because they match the natural color of the teeth.
A diet high in sugar increases the risk of developing tooth decay.
Pediatric dental care is essential to establish good hygiene habits from an early age.