Epidemiologists
Epidemiologists
Epidemiologists (pronounced: /ˌepɪˌdiːmɪˈɒlədʒɪsts/) are medical professionals who study the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in defined populations. They are often considered 'disease detectives' as they work to understand the causes of diseases and injuries, identify new diseases, and track the spread of diseases.
Etymology
The term 'Epidemiologist' is derived from the Greek words 'epi', meaning 'upon', 'demos', meaning 'people', and 'logos', meaning 'study'. Thus, it literally translates to 'the study of what is upon the people'.
Roles and Responsibilities
Epidemiologists conduct epidemiological studies to reduce the risk and occurrence of negative health outcomes. They collect and analyze data, often using biostatistics, to find patterns and trends in health. They also plan and implement studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
Related Terms
- Epidemiology: The study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to control health problems.
- Public Health: The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals.
- Biostatistics: The application of statistics to a wide range of topics in biology. It encompasses the design of biological experiments, the collection and analysis of data using statistical methods and understanding of statistical results.
See Also
- Infectious Disease: Diseases caused by organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites.
- Chronic Disease: Diseases of long duration and generally slow progression.
- Healthcare Professional: An individual who provides preventive, curative, promotional or rehabilitative health care services in a systematic way to people, families or communities.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Epidemiologists
- Wikipedia's article - Epidemiologists
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