What are the three basic types of epidemiological investigation?

What are the three basic types of epidemiological investigation?

Here are three of the most basic types: a case report, a case series, and an inci- dence study. These types of study involve no comparison group. They are merely descriptive. A case report is a detailed description of the person, place, and time information of a specific case of disease or condition.

What are the main characteristics of epidemiology?

Descriptive epidemiology searches for patterns by examining characteristics of person, place, & time . These characteristics are carefully considered when a disease outbreak occurs, because they provide important clues regarding the source of the outbreak.

How do you explain epidemiology?

By definition, epidemiology is the study (scientific, systematic, and data-driven) of the distribution (frequency, pattern) and determinants (causes, risk factors) of health-related states and events (not just diseases) in specified populations (neighborhood, school, city, state, country, global).

What are the limits of epidemiology?

Of course, epidemiology depends on valid data. Often in emergencies, the ability to gather data is severely restricted. This may be due to insecurity preventing survey workers from carrying out data collection or lack of resources preventing health workers from submitting surveillance data.

What is the purpose of epidemiology?

Epidemiology identifies the distribution of diseases, factors underlying their source and cause, and methods for their control; this requires an understanding of how political, social and scientific factors intersect to exacerbate disease risk, which makes epidemiology a unique science.

Do epidemiologists find cures?

For example, an epidemiologist might study demographic data to determine groups at high risk for a particular disease. They also may research trends in populations of survivors of certain diseases, such as cancer, to identify effective treatments.