Epidemiology

2nd year medical students

 Learning objectives
• Understand the definition and application of
epidemiology
• Understand the definition and relationship
between incidence and prevalence
• Understand the meaning of key concepts in
epidemiology
 Epidemiology
• Epidemiology is the basic science of
preventive and social medicine
• The study of the distribution and
determinants of health –related states or
events in specified populations, and the
application of this study to the control of
health problems
 Definition
• The study of the occurrence and distribution
of health-related states or events in specified
populations, including the study of
determinants influencing such states, and the
application of this study to control health
problems
 The five Ws
• What: ddiagnosis or health event
• Who: person
• Where: place
• When: time
• Why (how): causes, risk factors, and modes of
transmission
Uses/importance of epidemiology
– To study historically the rise and fall of disease in
the population
– Community diagnosis
– Planning and evaluation
– Evaluation of individuals risks and chances
– Completing the natural history of disease
– Searching for causes and risk factors
 Incidence
• This is the number of new cases in a particular
time period
• How many people with the disease are newly
diagnosed
• No. of 𝐍𝐄𝐖 cases of a disease
in a particular time period X 1000
Total population at risk during
the same time period
 Points to remember about incidence

• Refers only to new cases

• Not influenced by duration of disease

• Refers to a particular time period

• Denominator is people at risk 

 Prevalence

• Prevalence measures the frequency of existing

diseases

= no. of 𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐄𝐖 cases of a disease

in a particular time point/period X 1000
Total population at risk during
the same time period
 Types of prevalence
• 2 types of prevalence measures

– Point prevalence
• Refers to the proportion of the population that is
diseased at a single point in time.

– Period prevalence
• Refers to the proportion of the population that is
diseased during a specified duration of time
 Uses of prevalence
• It tells us how many cases of a disease there are in a
given population at a specified time
• It measures the burden of the disease but does not
measure risk.
• Identify potential high-risk population.
• Administrative and planning purposes eg hospital beds,
manpower needs, rehabilitation facilities
Points to remember about prevalence

• Refers to new and old cases

• Influenced by duration of disease

• Refers to a particular time period

• Denominator is people at risk 

Relation between incidence & prevalence

• Prevalence = Incidence x duration

• Incidence = 15 cases/1000 population/year

• Mean duration of disease = 5 years

• Prevalence = 15 x 5 = 75 per 1000 population

 Factors that increase prevalence

• Longer duration of disease

• Prolongation of life with treatment
• Increase in incidence
• Immigration of new cases
• Better reporting of cases
• Emigration of healthy people 
 Factors that decrease prevalence

• Shorter duration of diseases

• Improved cure rate
• Decrease in incidence
• Emigration of new cases
• Under reporting of cases
• Immigration of healthy people
Assignment
Write a brief note on the following
• Epidemic
• Endemic
• Pandemic
• Outbreak
• Communicable disease
• Non-communicable disease