Epidemiology is defined as the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations. It aims to describe disease distribution and size in human populations, identify causative factors, and provide data to plan, implement and evaluate health programs. Some key aspects of epidemiology include infectious disease epidemiology, cardiovascular epidemiology, cancer epidemiology, and environmental epidemiology. Epidemiology is used to search for disease causes, describe population health status, discover natural disease histories, and help control diseases.

1. INTRODUCTION
TO
EPIDEMIOLOGY
MR.J.C.FRANKLIN
Asst.professor

2. DEFINITION:
Epidemiology is derived from Greek word
“epidemic”
EPI – up on
DEMOS – people
LOGOS – study
Epidemiology means the study of disease in
human population.

3. DEFINITION
“EPIDEMIOLOGY IS DEFINED AS THE STUDY
OF THE DISTRIBUTION AND DETERMINANTS OF
HEALTH RELATED STATES OR EVENTS IN
SPECIFIED POPULATIONS AND THE
APPLICATION OF THIS STUDY TO CONTROL THE
HEALTH PROBLEMS”.
- LAST-

4. HISTORY OF EPIDEMIOLOGY

5. ADAM AND EVE

6. HIPPOCRATES

7. FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE

8. CONCEPT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY

9. PLATO AND ROUSEAU:
“FAULT OF HUMAN LUXUARY”

10. HIPPOCRATES:
“ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES”

11. LOUIS PASTEUR
“INFECTIOUS DISEASES”

12. IBN KHATIMA:
“SMALL MINUTE BODIES”

13. AIMS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY

14. AIMS:
 TO DESCRIBE THE DISTRIBUTION AND SIZE OF
DISEASE PROBLEMS IN HUMAN POPULATION.
 TO IDENTIFY THE AETIOLOGICAL FACTORS.
 TO PROVIDE THE DATA ESSENTIAL TO THE PLANNING,
IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION.

15. SCOPE OF EPIDEMIOLOGY

16. ACCORDING TO DISEASE GROUP
 INFECTIOUS DISEASE EPIDEIOLOGY

17. CARDIO VASCULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY

18. CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY

19. ACCORDING TO GROUP OF FACTORS
 NUTRITIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY

20. REPRODUCTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY

21. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY

22. CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY

23. MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY

24. GENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY

25. COMPUTATIONAL
EPIDEMIOLOGY

26. USES
OF
EPIDEMIOLOGY

27.  Search of cause / causes of diseases
 Helps to describe the health status of
population
 Helps to discover and bridge gaps in
natural history of diseases.
 Helps in controlling diseases
 Helps in better management of health
services

28. 1. IDENTIFY THE CAUSES OF
DISEASES.

29. 2. HELPS TO DESCRIBE THE HEALTH STATUS OF THE
POPULATION.

30. 3.TO CONTROL THE DISEASE
TRANSMISSION.

31. 4.PLANNING, IMPLEMENTING AND
EVALUATING HEALTH PROGRAMMES
ON EVIDENCE BASIS.

32. TERMINOLOGIES USED
IN
EPIDEMIOLOGY

33. INFECTION:
The entry and development or
multiplication of an infectious agent in the
body of man or animal.

34. ENDEMIC
 The constant presence of a disease or
infectious agent within a given
geographical area or population group,
without importation from outside. Eg.
Common cold.

35. EPIDEMIC
 AN OUT BREAK OF
DISEASE IN A
COMMUNITY IN
EXCESS OF NORMAL
EXPECTATION AND
DERIVED FROM A
COMMON OR
PROPAGATED SOURCE.

36. SPORADIC
 The cases occurs
irregularly, haphazardly
from time to time and
generally infrequently.
E.g.. Polio

37. PANDEMIC
 An epidemic
which spreads
from country to
country or over the
whole world. Eg.
AIDS

38. ZOONOSES
 Diseases or
infections which are
naturally transmitted
between vertebrate
animals and men.
eg. Rabies, plague

39. INCUBATION PERIOD
 This is the time interval
between the entry of the
disease agent into the
body and the appearance
of first sign and
symptom of the disease.

40. CARRIER
 A person who
harbors the disease
agent without having
any outward signs
and symptoms.

41. ISOLATION
 A separation of a
person with
infectious disease
from contact with
other human beings
for the period of
communicability.

42. PATHOGENICITY
 Ability to cause
the disease.

43. CONTAGIOUS
A disease that is
transmitted through
contact.
Eg. STD and Leprosy.

44. RESERVOIR
 The habitat ( place
for living) where an
infectious agent
living, grows and
multiplies.

45. VIRULENCE
 Measure the severity
of disease.

46. FOMITES
 Inanimate articles
other than food or
water contaminated
by the infectious
discharges.

47. VECTOR
 Usually an arthropod
eg. Mosquito which
transfers an
infectious agent from
an infected person to
a healthy person.

48. CONCLUSION
 INTRODUCTION
 HISTORY
 DEFINITION
 AIMS
 SCOPE
 USES
 TERMINOLOGIES