Uriel Kitron Th: 3:00-4:00, Spring 2007
The following is a list of epidemiological issuesthat may be relevant wheen
preparing your presentation or when reading papers for other presentations.
The list is by no means comprehensive, nor is it binding. For most presentations,
parts of this list will not be relevant while other unlisted issues may be very
important.
Type of study: risk factor identification; evaluation of treatment; evaluation of preventive measures.
Method of study: experimental or non-experimental; case control, cohort, or cross-sectional; historical review.
Case definition: separation of cases from non-cases; gold standard vs. relative standard.
Population at risk: temporal and spatial characterization of population from which cases are drawn (e.g. dairy cows in Illinois, UI vet students).
Cause: etiologic agent, susceptibility, environmental factors, how proven?
Source: time and place of exposure, environment, carriers and other infected reservoirs.
Transmission: direct, indirect, airborne, intermediate hosts and vectors.
Measures of frequency: incidence, prevalence, attack rate, death/fatality rates.
Risk factors: absolute, relative and attributable risks.
Prevention, control, eradication: herd management, vaccination, drug therapy, surgery, environmental modification.
Bias/problems with the study: study size, case/control selection, publicity.
Economic considerations: cost of disease/health hazard, cost and benefit of control, who pays/gains.
Political/social/ethical considerations: