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Given the worldwide focus on a possible pandemic, epidemiology is a common topic in the news. In addition to reports about widespread outbreaks of communicable diseases, news media frequently address obesity, heart disease, mental illness, and other chronic health problems. Occasionally, more obscure topics, such as cancer clusters, danger from electromagnetic fields, and radiation from cell phones, receive media coverage.
Occupational health nurses are often asked their opinions about epidemiologic issues. They must sufficiently understand epidemiology to assist workers in interpreting media reports. Additionally, nurses in occupational settings must recognize situations in the workplace that warrant further investigation and intervention. This article provides the basics of epidemiology and its application to occupational and environmental health nursing practice.
EPIDEMIOLOGY DEFINED
Traditionally, epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of disease and death in populations (Aschengrau & Seage, 2003; Friis & Sellers, 1999; Last, 2001; Szklo & Nieto, 2000). Over time, the definition of epidemiology has expanded to include the study of the distribution and determinants of injuries and disability. Any health phenomenon can be included in epidemiology studies. Epidemiology explores the distribution of health conditions in human and other populations, and the causes of specific health conditions. Epidemiological studies focus on specific populations (e.g., inmates in a state prison system, children attending daycare centers, patients in Veterans Administration hospitals, residents of a specific geographic region, or employees in a defined industry).
The aim of epidemiology is to describe the health status of populations, explain the etiology (i.e., causal factors and modes of transmission) of diseases, and predict the occurrence of diseases in the future, including where and under what circumstances the diseases (deaths or injuries) may occur and who will be affected. To achieve such goals, epidemiologists must gather substantial information and compare diseased or exposed individuals with healthy individuals.
The era of modern epidemiology began more than 100 years ago when John Snow, a British physician, plotted an outbreak of cholera on a map of London to identify the source of contamination. When Dr. Snow removed the handle from a pump that was providing contaminated water, the cholera outbreak ended (Hennekens & Buring, 1987; Friis & Sellers, 1999). Since then, the science and practice of epidemiology continue to...