Epidemiology of Disability

The study of how disease is distributed in a population and of the factors that influence or determine this distribution.

1. Identify the etiology(cause) of a disease and its associated risk factors2. Determine extent of a disease found in a community3. Study the natural history and prognosis for disease development4. Evaluate how current healthcare services and their delivery affect the course of a disease5. Provide information upon which public health policy will be based

1. Can identify similar characteristics of those people which will bring about possible risk factors2. Determine preventative efforts such as screening for early detection, devise a treatment for those at risk, and target prevention efforts

1. prevent development of disease in a person who is well2. identification of a people who already have a disease through screening to provide early intervention3. Limit disability

1. the characteristics of person2. cause of illness or disease3. promotes exposure4. carrier of the agent

1. Direct2. Indirect (some vector between you and person effected)

Interval from receipt of an infection to the time of onset of clinical illness
Iceberg Concept: only clinical illness is readily apparent, however, infections without clinical illnesses are important, particularly in disease transmission

1. no disease but exposed2. risk factors; age, race, gender, family history, smoker, etc.3. antibodies present (evidence of exposure or vaccination) not destined to develop disease4. pathological changes have started to occur5. disease state6. chronic disease state7. an infection with no active multiplication of the agent8. when an individual harbors the organism but is not infected as measured by serologic study (presence of antibodies) nor displays signs or symptoms

1. relating to a disease or pathogen that is found in or confined to a particular location, region or people (Ex: Malaria confined to tropical locations)2. occurrence of more cases of a disease than would be expected in a community or region during a given time3. epidemic over a wide geographic area and affecting a large proportion of the population

Small Pox

In 1700's smallpox killed 400,000 each year and 1/3 survivors became blind, survivors later immune to disease.

Healthy were infected by placing smallpox material in wounds, some died or developed smallpox

Noticed milkmaids who developed cowpox and did not develop smallpox, took cowpox pustule and inoculated young boy, then exposed him to smallpox. The boy did not develop any symptoms and Jenner's idea was eventually accepted as a vaccine.

Cholera

Cholera killed 600 people in the first week at London