Epidemiology is the study of the changing patterns of disease. It is a vital field, central to the health of society, to the identification of causes of disease, and to their management and prevention. This Very Short Introduction dispels some of the myths relating to clinical trials, vaccination campaigns, and statistics concerning disease.

Informationen zum Autor Rodolfo Saracci is Honorary Director of research in epidemiology with the Italian National Research Council and Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Arhus, Denmark. He holds postgraduate diplomas in internal medicine and medical statistics. He has worked at the World Health Organisation (WHO) for nearly thirty years and has published over 180 peer-reviewed papers. Klappentext Explains what epidemiology is and how vital it is to the discovery, control, and prevention of disease in world populations Looks at some of the health hazards identified by the study of epidemiology - such as the relationship between tobacco smoking and lung cancer, between various aspects of diet, environment, and exercise, and the origin and spread of new epidemics Explores the principles behind setting up clinical trials and explains the nature of the basic statistics concerning disease Considers the ethical and political issues related to obtaining and using information concerning patients and trials involving placebosWhat is epidemiology? What are the causes of a new disease? How can pandemics be prevented? Epidemiology is the study of the changing patterns of disease and its main aim is to improve the health of populations. It's a vital field, central to the health of society, to the identification of causes of disease, and to their management and prevention. Epidemiology has had an impact on many areas of medicine; from discovering the relationship between tobacco smoking and lung cancer, to the origin and spread of new epidemics. However, it is often poorly understood, largely due to misrepresentations in the media.In this Very Short Introduction Rodolfo Saracci dispels some of the myths surrounding the study of epidemiology. He provides a general explanation of the principles behind clinical trials, and explains the nature of basic statistics concerning disease. He also looks at the ethical and political issues related to obtaining and using information concerning patients, and trials involving placebos. Zusammenfassung What is epidemiology? What are the causes of a new disease? How can pandemics be prevented? Epidemiology is the study of the changing patterns of disease and its main aim is to improve the health of populations. It's a vital field, central to the health of society, to the identification of causes of disease, and to their management and prevention. Epidemiology has had an impact on many areas of medicine; from discovering the relationship between tobacco smoking and lung cancer, to the origin and spread of new epidemics. However, it is often poorly understood, largely due to misrepresentations in the media.In this Very Short Introduction Rodolfo Saracci dispels some of the myths surrounding the study of epidemiology. He provides a general explanation of the principles behind clinical trials, and explains the nature of basic statistics concerning disease. He also looks at the ethical and political issues related to obtaining and using information concerning patients, and trials involving placebos.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1: What is epidemiology? 2: Measuring health and disease 3: Searching for the causes of diseases 4: Establishing the causes of a disease 5: Testing how to control a disease 6: Following-up people's health 7: Enquiring back into people's lives 8: Mapping health and disease 9: From epidemiology to medicine, prevention, and public health 10: Epidemiology between ethics and politics ...

Klappentext

Explains what epidemiology is and how vital it is to the discovery, control, and prevention of disease in world populations
Looks at some of the health hazards identified by the study of epidemiology - such as the relationship between tobacco smoking and lung cancer, between various aspects of diet, environment, and exercise, and the origin and spread of new epidemics
Explores the principles behind setting up clinical trials and explains the nature of the basic statistics concerning disease
Considers the ethical and political issues related to obtaining and using information concerning patients and trials involving placebos
What is epidemiology? What are the causes of a new disease? How can pandemics be prevented?

Epidemiology is the study of the changing patterns of disease and its main aim is to improve the health of populations. It's a vital field, central to the health of society, to the identification of causes of disease, and to their management and prevention.

Epidemiology has had an impact on many areas of medicine; from discovering the relationship between tobacco smoking and lung cancer, to the origin and spread of new epidemics. However, it is often poorly understood, largely due to misrepresentations in the media.

In this Very Short Introduction Rodolfo Saracci dispels some of the myths surrounding the study of epidemiology. He provides a general explanation of the principles behind clinical trials, and explains the nature of basic statistics concerning disease. He also looks at the ethical and political issues related to obtaining and using information concerning patients, and trials involving placebos.

Inhalt

• 1: What is epidemiology?

• 2: Measuring health and disease

• 3: Searching for the causes of diseases

• 4: Establishing the causes of a disease

• 5: Testing how to control a disease

• 6: Following-up people's health

• 7: Enquiring back into people's lives

• 8: Mapping health and disease

• 9: From epidemiology to medicine, prevention, and public health

• 10: Epidemiology between ethics and politics