Abstract
Epidemiology is the core discipline underlying health research. Measuring health, identifying causes of ill health, and intervening to improve health are all key tenets of the discipline. Concerned with the “who,” “when,” “why,” and “where” of health, epidemiology is essential in informing clinical decision-making through evidence-based medicine. Traditionally the study of the occurrence and distribution of disease and determinants, epidemiology is a dynamic discipline that is increasingly being applied in differing disciplines, even beyond health. This chapter is designed as a basic introduction to epidemiology, the terminology used, and the principles in epidemiologic practice. Using public health as a framework, this chapter will also give an overview of both the traditional and more contemporary applications of epidemiology.
References
Bonita R, Beaglehole R, Kjellstrom T, World Health Organization. Basic epidemiology. 2nd ed. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2006.
Cates W. Epidemiology: applying principles to clinical practice. Contemp Obtetrics/Gynecol. 1982;20:147–61.
Dicker RC, Coronado FT, Koo D, Parrish RG. Principles of epidemiology in public health practice; an introduction to applied epidemiology and biostatistics. 3rd ed. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2006.
Doll R, Hill AB. Smoking and carcinoma of the lung; preliminary report. Br Med J. 1950;2(4682):739–48.
El-Sayed AM, Galea S. Systems science and population health. New York: Oxford University Press; 2017.
Friis RH. Epidemiology 101. 2nd ed. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2017.
Galea S, Riddle M, Kaplan GA. Causal thinking and complex system approaches in epidemiology. Int J Epidemiol. 2009;39(1):97–106.
Graham M. How do we know what we know? Epidemiology in health research. In: Liamputtong P, editor. Research methods in health: foundations for evidence-based practices. 3rd ed. Melbourne: Oxford University Press; 2017. p. 257–73.
Graunt J. Natural and political observations mentioned in a following index, and made upon the bills of mortality. In: Mathematical demography. New York: Springer; 1977. p. 11–20.
Greenland S, Robins JM. Identifiability, exchangeability, and epidemiologic confounding. Int J Epidemiol. 1986;15(3):412–8.
Hill AB. The environment and disease: association or causation? J R Soc Med. 2015;108(1):32–7.
Khan KS, Kunz R, Kleijnen J, Antes G. Five steps to conducting a systematic review. J R Soc Med. 2003;96(3):118–21.
Last JM. A dictionary of public health. New York: Oxford University Press; 2007.
Lee P. Assessing the health of populations: epidemiology in public health. In: Liamputtong P, editor. Public health: local and global perspectives. Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press; 2016. p. 188–212.
Liamputtong P. Public health: an introduction to local and global contexts. In: Liamputtong P, editor. Public health: local and global perspectives. Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press; 2016. p. 1–22.
Lilienfeld DE, Stolley PD. Foundations of epidemiology. New York: Oxford University Press; 1994.
Merrill RM. Introduction to epidemiology. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Publishers; 2015. p. 2.
Miranda JJ, Kinra S, Casas JP, Davey Smith G, Ebrahim S. Non-communicable diseases in low-and middle-income countries: context, determinants and health policy. Trop Med Int Health. 2008;13(10):1225–34.
Parascandola M, Weed DL. Causation in epidemiology. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2001;55:905–12.
Rockhill B, Newman B, Weinberg C. Use and misuse of population attributable fractions. Am J Public Health. 1998;88(1):15–9.
Rothman KJ. Causes. Am J Epidemiol. 1976;104(6):587–92.
Rothman KJ. Epidemiology: an introduction. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press; 2012.
Rothman KJ, Greenland S, Lash TL. Modern epidemiology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008.
Snow J. On the mode of communication of cholera. London: John Churchill; 1855a.
Snow J. On the mode of communication of cholera. 2nd ed. London: Churchill; 1855b.
Snow J. Cholera, and the water supply in the south districts of London. Br Med J. 1857;1(42):864.
Webb P, Bain C, Page A. Essential epidemiology: an introduction for students and health professionals. 3rd ed. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press; 2017.
Wilczynski N, McKibbon A. Chapter 3: Finding the evidence. In: Hoffman T, Bennett S, Del Mar C, editors. Evidence based practice across the health professions. 2nd ed. Chatswood: Churchill Livingstone; 2013.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this entry
Cite this entry
McBride, K.A., Ogbo, F., Page, A. (2018). Epidemiology. In: Liamputtong, P. (eds) Handbook of Research Methods in Health Social Sciences . Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2779-6_91-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2779-6_91-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-2779-6
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-2779-6
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Social SciencesReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences