Epidemiology Matters: A New Introduction to Methodological Foundations [Paperback]

Epidemiology Mattersoffers a new approach to understanding and identifying the causes of disease -- and with it, how to prevent disease and improve human health. Utilizing visual explanations and examples, this text provides an accessible, step-by-step introduction to the fundamentals of epidemiologic study, from design to analysis.

Across fourteen chapters,Epidemiology Mattersteaches the individual competencies that underlie the conduct of an epidemiologic study: identifying populations; measuring exposures and health indicators; taking a sample; estimating associations between exposures and health indicators; assessing evidence for causes working together; assessing internal and external validity of results.

With its consequentialist approach -- designing epidemiologic studies that aim to inform our understanding, and therefore improve public health --Epidemiology Mattersis an introductory text for the next generation of students in medicine and public health.

1. An introduction
2. What is a population and what is population health?
3. What is an exposure, what is a disease, and how do we measure them?
4. What is a sample?
5. Watching a sample, counting cases
6. Are exposures associated with health indicators?
7. What is a cause?
8. Is the association causal, or are there alternative explanations?
9. How do non-causal associations arise?
10. How can we mitigate against non-causal associations in design and analysis?
11. When do causes work together?
12. Do the results matter beyond the study sample?
13. How do we identify disease early to minimize its consequences?
14. Conclusion: Epidemiology and what matters most

An excellent overview of the uses of epidemiological methods to investigate the causal pathway to disease. The step-by-step approach to epidemiology methods is a unique contribution. Epidemiology remains the key to successful prevention of disease. --Lewis KulÓ3