Intro to Epidemiology
Class 1 Lecture Notes*
What is Epidemiology?
-Epidemiology literally means "the study of what is upon the people"
-Epidemiology is the study of the causes of and the prevention of disease
-Epidemiology is part of the larger field of Public Health
What do Epidemiologists Do?
-Epidemiologists collect data (ex: reports about the number of cases of an illness) and analyze that data
-Epidemiologists conduct studies to test hypotheses about disease
-Epidemiologists work in programs which educate the public about health-related information
Some Examples of Epidemiology in the News
-Food poisoning (recently, e. coli contamination of spinach)
-Concern about avian flu
-Diseases traveling quickly because of air travel (recently, the story about the man with tuberculosis who flew out of the country)
History of Epidemiology
-At one time, people were mostly in the dark about how disease spreads
-"Germ Theory" refers to the (once radical!) idea that tiny organisms (germs) can make you sick.
-Anton van Leeuwenhoek was the first scientist to observe microorganisms (c. 1676)
-In the mid-19th century, Dr. John Snow of London was able to gather data during a cholera epidemic which led to his discovery that one particular water pump was to blame. By closing this water pump, he was able to end the epidemic.
-Also during the mid-19th century, Dr. Joseph Lister advocated sterile surgical techniques, as well as hand-washing as a way to prevent the spread of illness.
-Although many developments in epidemiology sound like common sense to us today, at the time they were revolutionary ideas - one hundred years from now, people will probably find some of the things we do today just as dangerous or disgusting as we find the idea that once doctors didn't wash their hands!
What is a Disease?
A disease is something which disrupts the normal functioning of the body. In common speech, disease usually refers to an illness caused by viruses, bacteria or other microorganisms. In the broadest sense of the word however, injuries or even behaviors can be studied in much the same way.
*Many of the topics we discussed during the first class will be covered in more detail later in the course and will be included in future notes
Homework: Week 1 homework is to clip out or print out an article about an epidemiology-related topic. Also, start thinking about your final project topic!