book epidemiology

Basic
epidemiology
2nd edition
▲
R Bonita
R Beaglehole
T Kjellström

WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Bonita, Ruth.
Basic epidemiology / R. Bonita, R. Beaglehole, T. Kjellström. 2nd edition.
1.Epidemiology. 2.Manuals. I.Beaglehole, Robert. II.Kjellström, Tord. III.World Health Organization.
ISBN 92 4 154707 3 (NLM classification: WA 105)
ISBN 978 92 4 154707 9
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Printed in China.

Contents
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1 What is epidemiology?
Key messages
The historical context
Origins
Recent developments in epidemiology
Definition, scope, and uses of epidemiology
Definition
Scope
Epidemiology and public health
Causation of disease
Natural history of disease
Health status of populations
Evaluating interventions
Achievements in epidemiology
Smallpox
Methyl mercury poisoning
Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease
Iodine deficiency diseases
Tobacco use, asbestos and lung cancer
Hip fractures
HIV/AIDS
SARS
Study questions
References
Chapter 2 Measuring health and disease
Key messages
Defining health and disease
Definitions
Diagnostic criteria
Measuring disease frequency
Population at risk
Incidence and prevalence
Case fatality
Interrelationships of the different measures
Using available information to measure health and disease
Mortality
Limitations of death certificates
Limitations of vital registration systems
Towards comparable estimates
Death rates
Infant mortality
Child mortality rate
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Maternal mortality rate
Adult mortality rate
Life expectancy
Age-standardized rates
Morbidity
Disability
Health determinants, indicators, and risk factors
Other summary measures of population health
Comparing disease occurrence
Absolute comparisons
Relative comparisons
Study questions
References
Chapter 3 Types of studies
Key messages
Observations and experiments
Observational studies
Experimental studies
Observational epidemiology
Descriptive studies
Ecological studies
Ecological fallacy
Cross-sectional studies
Case-control studies
Cohort studies
Summary of epidemiological studies
Experimental epidemiology
Randomized controlled trials
Field trials
Community trials
Potential errors in epidemiological studies
Random error
Sample size
Systematic error
Selection bias
Measurement bias
Confounding
The control of confounding
Validity
Ethical issues
Study questions
References
Chapter 4 Basic biostatistics: concepts and tools
Key messages
Summarizing data
Tables and graphs
Pie charts and component band charts
Spot maps and rate maps
Bar charts
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