PUBHLTH 1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Hypercholesterolemia, Bioterrorism, Tryptophan
Document Summary
Chapter 4 epidemiology: the basic science of public health. Epidemiology is used to perform public health"s assessment function. Studies patterns of disease occurrence in human populations and factors that influence these patterns. Related to epidemic - an increase in the frequency of a disease above the usual and expected rate, which is called the endemic rate. Ask who, what, when, and where questions. First use of epidemiology to study and control disease in 1853-54 by john snow. Concerned about cholera epidemic in london - observed and hypothesized cholera spread by polluted drinking water. Governments used system called epidemiologic surveillance, requiring that certain notifiable diseases be reported as soon as they are diagnosed. Allows public health authorities to detect emerging epidemic at early stage and then measures can be taken to control them. A typical epidemiological investigation -outbreak of hepatitis. Hepatitis a notifiable disease in all of u. s. Local health department able to recognize when an outbreak occurs.
