BRANCHES OF EPIDEMIOLOGY G J MOYO INTRODUCTION There
BRANCHES OF EPIDEMIOLOGY G. J. MOYO
INTRODUCTION There are three branches of epidemiology 1. Clinical epidemiology 2. Environmental Epidemiology and 3. Occupational epidemiology
CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY • Clinical epidemiology is the application of Epidemiologic principles and methods to the practice of medicine. • Clinical epidemiology is concerned with the following: -
CONCERNS OF CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 1. Definitions of normality and abnormality. That is, normal as common; abnormal as associated with disease and treatable. 2. Accuracy of Diagnostic tests 3. Natural case histories and Prognosis(Likely course of a medical condition) 4. Effectiveness of treatment and prevention
OCCUPATIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGY • Occupational epidemiology is a subdiscipline of epidemiology that focuses on investigations of workers and the workplace. Occupational epidemiology examine health outcomes among workers, and their potential association with conditions in the workplace including noise, chemicals, heat, or radiation, or work organization such as schedules. Occupational epidemiological can inform risk assessments; development of standards and other risk management activities; and estimates of the co-benefits and co-harms of policies designed to reduce risk factors or conditions that can affect human health. Occupational epidemiology methods are common to methods used in environmental epidemiology.
ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY • Environmental epidemiology is a branch of epidemiology concerned with the discovery of the environmental exposures that contribute to or protect against injuries, illnesses, developmental conditions, disabilities, and deaths; and identification of public health and health care actions to manage the risks associated with harmful exposures. • Environmental epidemiology studies external factors that affect the incidence, prevalence, and geographic range of health conditions. These factors may be naturally occurring or may be introduced into environments where people live, work, and play.
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES Environmental exposures can be categorized into those that are proximate (e. g. , directly leading to a health condition), including chemicals, physical agents, and pathogens, and those that are distal such as socioeconomic conditions, climate change, and other broadscale environmental changes. Proximate exposures occur through air, food, water, and skin contact. Distal exposures cause adverse health conditions directly by altering proximate exposures, and indirectly through changes in ecosystems and other support systems for human health.
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