Introduction to Epidemiology

Epidemiology

Heide Cygan
Epidemiology
What Is Epidemiology?

The study of the distribution and determinants of

health-related states and events in specified
populations
Incidence
New cases

Time

People at risk
Formula: Incidence

New cases
= Incidence
People at risk
 Example: Incidence
3 new cases

1 year

3
= = 0.015 = 1,500 per 100,000
200

200 people at risk

Example: Incidence
Faucet

Sink

Drain
Example: Incidence

Incidence
 Prevalence
Existing cases

Population at given time

Formula: Prevalence

Existing cases
= Prevalence
Population at
given time
 Example: Prevalence
3 recently 2 living
diagnosed with disease

5
= = 0.025 = 2,500 per 100,000
200

200 population at given time

Example: Prevalence

Incidence

Prevalence
 Incidence vs. Prevalence
Numerator of incidence Numerator of prevalence
 Incidence vs. Prevalence

New cases Existing cases

Time

People at risk Population at given time

Example: Incidence vs. Prevalence
 Example: Incidence vs. Prevalence

Improvement in the community's overall HIV experience

 Morbidity

?
 Example: Prevalence
3 recently 2 living
diagnosed with disease

Morbidity

5
= = 0.025 = 2,500 per 100,000
200

200 population at given time

 Mortality

Deaths due to disease

= Mortality
Total population
Example: Mortality

25 _
= 0.83 = 83 per 100,000
30,000
 Mortality and Social Determinants of Health

Healthcare
access and quality

Education Neighborhood and

access and quality built environment

Social and
Economic stability
community context
Example: Mortality

Incidence

Prevalence

Mortality
Relationship: Incidence, Prevalence and Mortality

Incidence

Prevalence

Mortality
Mortality
 Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY)

Disease/ Expected
Healthy
disability Early life years
death