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Epidemiology of Illness

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Geriatric Medicine

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Abstract

Epidemiology is the study of the occurrence of disease and disability in human populations. Groups of persons in communities or nations are studied rather than individuals. Epidemiologists describe disease events to determine their cause and to effect their treatment and prevention.1,2 Their work is applied in both patient care and health policy. This chapter presents the epidemiologic study of disease and illness in older persons. The epidemiology of aging is a related topic that deals with the causes and effects of normal aging and its occurrence in a given population.3

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Authors
  1. Michael McCally M.D., Ph.D.
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geriatrics, Mt. Sinai Medical Center, 1 Gustave Levy Place, New York, New York, 10029, USA

    Christine K. Cassel M.D.

  2. Section of Geriatric Medicine, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Portland, Oregon, 97201, USA

    John Richard Walsh M.D.

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© 1984 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.

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McCally, M. (1984). Epidemiology of Illness. In: Cassel, C.K., Walsh, J.R. (eds) Geriatric Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5232-0_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5232-0_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-9749-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-5232-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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