Unit 199: Fundamentals of Epidemiology

1. Introduction to Epidemiology

1.1 Definition and Scope

• What is epidemiology?
• Importance in public health

1.2 Key Concepts and Terminology

• Incidence and prevalence
• Morbidity and mortality
• Risk factors and determinants of health

1.3 Role of Epidemiologists

• Studying disease patterns
• Informing public health decisions

2. Epidemiological Study Designs

2.1 Cross-Sectional Studies

• Definition and characteristics
• Strengths and limitations
• Appropriate use cases

2.2 Case-Control Studies

• Design and methodology
• Strengths and weaknesses
• Matching and selection of controls

2.3 Cohort Studies

• Prospective vs retrospective
• Advantages and disadvantages
• Calculation of risk and rates

2.4 Experimental Studies

• Randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
• Ethical considerations
• Intervention assessment

3. Measures of Disease Frequency

3.1 Prevalence

• Point and period prevalence
• Calculation and interpretation

3.2 Cumulative Incidence

• Concept and calculation
• Use in closed populations

3.3 Incidence Rate

• Person-time denominator
• Interpretation in dynamic populations

4. Descriptive Epidemiology

4.1 Distribution of Disease

• Person: age, sex, ethnicity
• Place: geographic patterns
• Time: trends and seasonality

4.2 Data Presentation

• Tables and frequency distributions
• Graphs: histograms, line graphs
• Maps and spatial analysis

4.3 Interpretation of Descriptive Data

• Identifying patterns and hypotheses

5. Analytical Epidemiology

5.1 Purpose and Approach

• Identifying determinants and causes

5.2 Measures of Association

• Risk Ratio (Relative Risk)
• Odds Ratio
• Attributable Risk

5.3 Interpretation and Causality

• Strength of association
• Temporality and confounding

6. Outbreak Investigation

6.1 Steps in Outbreak Investigation

• Preparation and verification of diagnosis
• Case definition and case finding
• Descriptive epidemiology
• Hypothesis generation and testing
• Implementing control and prevention measures

6.2 Communication and Reporting

• Stakeholder engagement
• Documentation and dissemination

7. Surveillance in Epidemiology

7.1 Purpose and Importance

• Monitoring disease trends
• Early detection of outbreaks

7.2 Types of Surveillance Systems

• Passive vs active surveillance
• Sentinel surveillance
• Syndromic surveillance

7.3 Data Collection and Analysis

• Sources of surveillance data
• Data quality and timeliness

7.4 Use in Public Health Decision-Making

• Informing interventions and policy

8. Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions

8.1 Translating Epidemiological Findings

• Evidence-based practice

8.2 Designing Interventions

• Target populations
• Intervention strategies (primary, secondary, tertiary prevention)

8.3 Policy Development

• Role of epidemiological data in policy
• Evaluation of intervention effectiveness