Skip to ContentGo to accessibility pageKeyboard shortcuts menu
OpenStax Logo
Population Health for Nurses

Introduction

Population Health for NursesIntroduction
Two public health professionals stand near a table under an awning that says City of Pasadena Human Services and Recreation Department. The table has papers and medical supplies on it. A community member stands in front of the table filling out a document on a clipboard.
Figure 12.1 Public health professionals often bring vaccine clinics to the community as a primary method to prevent disease and improve the health of the community. (credit: modification of work “Public Health at Work” by Thad Zajdowicz/Flickr, Public Domain)

Chapter Outline

12.1 Epidemiology Defined
12.2 Historical Perspective
12.3 Epidemiological Approaches
12.4 Types of Study Design
12.5 Epidemiologic Measures
12.6 Communicating Inferences from Epidemiologic Data
12.7 The Role of Epidemiology in Scientific Decision-Making and Policy Development

Did you ever wonder where clinical guidelines originate? For example, screening for lung cancer with computed tomography is recommended for adults 50–80 years of age who have a 20-pack-a-year smoking history. On what evidence is this recommendation based? Recommendations like this one are the result of epidemiological study. This chapter will introduce basic concepts of epidemiology, how it has evolved, and how it is used today, focusing on the application of epidemiology to public health practice.

PreviousNext
Citation/Attribution

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/population-health/pages/1-introduction
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/population-health/pages/1-introduction
Citation information

© May 15, 2024 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.