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Epidemiology and Biostatistics > Intro to Epidemiology > Flashcards

Intro to Epidemiology Flashcards

1
Q

Definition of epidemiology

A

Study of the distribution and determinants of health events and health related risk factors in specified populations
This knowledge is used to plan and evaluate strategies to prevent/manage disease in specified populations

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2
Q

Definition of epidemiologist

A

Public health scientist who analyses patterns, causes, effects of health and disease in populations

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3
Q

Definition of ecological epidemiology

A

Ecology of disease
Interaction between hosts and pathogens
Includes population and community level studies

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4
Q

Definition of molecular epidemiology

A

Contribution of genetic and environmental risk factors at the molecular level

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5
Q

Definition of descriptive epidemiology

A

Examination of frequency/geography of disease over time

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6
Q

Definition of etiological epidemiology

A

Study the causes of a disease

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7
Q

Definition of evaluative epidemiology

A

Study effects of preventative measures on outcomes

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8
Q

Definition of health service epidemiology

A

Study effects of outcomes and effectiveness of health services

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9
Q

Definition of clinical epidemiology

A

Study of the natural course of a disease and the effects of diagnostics and procedures

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10
Q

Definition of target populations

A

Total group of individuals from which the sample is drawn

Conclusions from study made on this population

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11
Q

Definition of the study population

A

Group of individuals in a study

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12
Q

Definition of sample population

A

Subjects that provide data

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13
Q

Definition of prevalence

A

No of existing and new cases of a disease in a time frame

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14
Q

Definition of incidence

A

No of new cases of a disease in a time frame

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15
Q

What is epidemiology

A

Study of the distribution and determinants of health events and risk factors in specified populations
Knowledge applied to plan/evaluate strategies to prevent/manage disease in specific populations

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16
Q

What did Hippocrates do in 400BC

A

Made the link between disease and environmental influences

Father of epidemiology

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17
Q

What did Nightingale, Koch and Snow pioneer in 1800

A

Infectious disease epidemiology

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18
Q

What was the new type of epidemiology being investigated in 1900 before WWII

A

Non infectious disease epidemiology

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19
Q

What considerations were being made in epidemiology in 1900 after WWII

A 
Consider deliberate spread as well as natural spread
Chronic diseases
Emergence of new diseases
Eco epidemiology
Molecular epidemiology
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20
Q

Describe the use of John Snow’s spot map

A

Locations of water pumps and incidences of cholera plotted on a map
Most cases around Pump A => most likely cause of epidemic
Handle removed => prevented further spread

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21
Q

What are the 5 main applications of epidemiology

A 
Community diagnosis
Measure risk
Assessment, evaluation, research
Identify syndrome
Find causes
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22
Q

What are the 5 main areas in epidemiology

What do they do

A

Descriptive
-examination of frequency/geographical areas over time

Aetiological
-study causes of disease

Evaluative
-effect of preventative measures on outcomes

Health services
-effect of outcomes and effectiveness of health services

Clinical
-natural course of disease and effects of diagnostic and procedures

23
Q

What are the 3 main factors that relate to the causation of a disease

A

Based on the assumption that events => other events

Multicausality

  • genetic
  • environmental

Strength of cause
-when 1 cause has a greater effect than another

Induction time
-period of time between receipt of exposure and first presence of disorder

24
Q

What is Rothman’s causal pie

A

Each contributory factor = pie slice

When the pie is complete => disease occurs

25
Q

What are the 3 types of population considered in an epidemiological study

A

Target population

  • total group of individuals from which the sample is drawn
  • conclusions on population made from studies

Study population
-group of individuals in a study

Sample population
-subjects that provide data

26
Q

What are the 3 measures considered in an epidemiological study

A

Measures of frequency

  • prevalence
  • incidence

Measures of association

Measures of impact

27
Q

What 3 considerations do you have to make when measuring the prevalence of a disease

How do you measure prevalence

A

Existing cases
Population at risk
Time period where prevalence applies

(New and pre existing cases of diseases in given timeframe/Total population during same timeframe ) x 10^n

28
Q

What 3 considerations do you have to make when measuring the incidence of a disease

How do you measure incidence

A

New cases
Population at risk
Timeframe

(Total no of new cases of a disease in a time frame/Total population at risk in same timeframe
0 x 100^n

29
Q

What 3 considerations do you have to make when measuring the associations in a disease

What is association

A

Relative risk
Risk ratio
Odds ratio

Assess strength between variables

30
Q

What 2 considerations do you have to make when measuring the impact of a disease

What is impact

A

Attributable risk
Vaccine efficacy and effectiveness

Impact of disease in population
Impact of eliminating risk factors

31
Q

What are the 8 disease frequency components

A
  1. Categorise disease
  2. What is considered a true case of disease
  3. How to ascertain cases
  4. Define population at risk
  5. Define timeframe at risk
  6. Consent to study people
  7. Measure disease frequency
  8. Relate frequency to population and time at risk
32
Q

How do you measure the cumulative incidence of disease in a group

A

(No of people with disease + factor)/(No of people with factor) x 100

33
Q

How do you measure the risk ratio / cumulative incidence ratio

A

(Cumulative incidence of disease in people with factor)/(Cumulative incidence of disease in people without factor)

34
Q

How do you measure the risk difference

A

(Cumulative incidence of disease in people with factor) - (Cumulative incidence of disease in people without factor)

35
Q

How do you measure the odds ratio

A

(Disease and factor) x (No disease and no factor)/(No disease and factor) x (Disease and no factor)

AD/BC

36
Q

How do you measure the potential impact

What is the significance of this value

A

Attributable risk/Incidence exposed x 100 = AR%

Attributable risk = Incidence exposed - Incidence unexposed

Gives you a percentage of how many cases are attributable to 1 cause
If not 100%, other factors are responsible

37
Q

What are the 2 types of epidemiological investigtaion

A

Descriptive

Analytical

38
Q

Describe the 3 characteristics of a descriptive investigation
Name the 6 applications

A

Patterns of disease occurrence
By person, time, place
Data easily accessed

Vital stats
Periodic surveys
Comparisons
Program planning
Hypotheses generation
Future research
39
Q

Describe the 3 characteristics of an analytical investigation
Name the 4 applications

A

Disease etiology focused
Resource intensive
Use comparison groups

Determinants of disease
Find risk factors
Hypotheses testing
Modes of transmission

40
Q

What is the epidemiological triad

What is the significance of it

A

Place
Person
Time

Helps us understand distribution of disease

41
Q

What are the 2 types of epidemiological study designs

A

Experimental
-shows that A=>B

Observational
-No manipulation of factors

42
Q

What are the 4 properties of experimental epidemiological study designs
What are the 2 concerns of this design

A

Manipulation
Control
Randomization
Blinding

Unethical to cause disease
Not always feasible

43
Q

What are the 4 properties of observational epidemiological study designs
What are the 3 concerns of this design

A

Non experimental
Non controlled
Natural grouping
Concept of time

Confounders
Selection bias
Measurement errors

44
Q

How does the cost of a study relate to the validity

A

The greater the cost => the greater the validity

-Interventional trials are generally the best

45
Q

What are the 3 main sources of error in studies

A

Selection bias
Information bias
Confounders

46
Q

What are the 4 forms of selection bias in study errors

A

Self selection
Non response to interviews
Attrition, not everyone continues to take part
Selection survival, healthier people generally stay

47
Q

What are the 3 forms of information bias in study errors

A

Reporting bias, memory issues
False -ve/+ve, diagnostic errors
Error and omissions in medical records

48
Q

What are the main confounders in studies

A

Differences in age, gender, health status

49
Q

What can confounders cause

A

False associations
False lack of an association
Under/overestimate of an effect

50
Q

How do you reduce the effect of confounders

A

Randomising individuals
Filter out groups
Stratify analysis

51
Q

What are the 2 main types of data source

A

Aggregate data
-generally easier to obtain

Individual level data

  • can be obtained but not as easily
  • generally needs consent
52
Q

What are 4 examples of aggregate data

A

Vital stats
Census
Disease registries
Monitoring systems

53
Q

What are 5 examples of individual level data

A 
Vital events
Disease registries
Medical records
National surveys
Questionnaire data
54
Q

What are the 4 main ethical issues regarding epidemiological research

A

Confidentiality
-need consent to gather info except in public emergency

Autonomy

Justice
-people being tested must benefit themselves

Beneficence

  • minimise harm
  • maximise benefit

Epidemiology and Biostatistics (16 decks)

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