Epidemiology is 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.
Incidence rate refers to the number of new cases of a disease occurring in a defined population within a specified time period. It helps in understanding the risk of developing a particular condition.
Prevalence represents the proportion of individuals in a population who have a particular disease or condition at a specific point in time or within a specific time period. It reflects the burden of the disease in the population.
A risk factor is any attribute, characteristic, or exposure of an individual that increases the likelihood of developing a disease or injury. Identifying and understanding risk factors is crucial in epidemiology for prevention and intervention strategies.
An outbreak is the occurrence of cases of a particular disease in a population greater than what is normally expected. It often implies a sudden increase in the number of cases in a localized area or among a specific group of people.
A pandemic is an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population. Pandemics often involve the spread of infectious diseases and require coordinated global responses.
A case-control study is an observational study design that compares individuals with a particular condition (cases) to those without the condition (controls) to identify factors that may have contributed to the development of the disease.
A cohort study is a type of observational study where a group of individuals with a common characteristic or exposure (cohort) is followed over time to determine the incidence of disease or other outcomes. It helps in establishing causal relationships between exposures and outcomes.
Herd immunity, also known as community immunity, is the indirect protection from infectious diseases that occurs when a large proportion of a population becomes immune to the disease, either through vaccination or prior infection, thereby reducing the spread of the disease.
Surveillance involves the ongoing systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health-related data to monitor and control the occurrence of diseases and other health-related events in a population. It serves as a fundamental tool in epidemiology for early detection and response to public health threats.