Epidemiology: Measurement, Design and Public- Health Interpretation

Epidemiology: Measurement, Design and Public-Health Interpretation provides a systematic introduction to the concepts and methods used to describe health in populations, compare groups and periods, and interpret epidemiological evidence in public-health practice.The volume begins with the definition of populations, events, outcomes and denominators, then develops the principal measures of disease frequency, association and population impact. It examines comparability and standardization, description by person, place and time, data sources and measurement quality, observational study designs, bias, confounding and validity. Later chapters address screening and diagnostic testing at population level, public-health surveillance, field epidemiology and outbreak investigation, the measurement of health inequalities, and the use of epidemiological evidence in priority setting.Throughout, emphasis is placed on interpretation rather than calculation alone. Measures and study results are considered in relation to their source population, observation process, assumptions, uncertainty and intended decision context.Written as an educational and methodological reference, the book is intended for graduate and postgraduate students, researchers, public-health professionals and other readers who require a rigorous foundation in epidemiological reasoning and population-health measurement.