Epidemiological Studies

An accessible practical introduction to epidemiology in medical research.

Part I. Introduction: 1. Scope of epidemiological enquiry and overview of main problem areas; Part II. Measuring the Occurrence of Disease: 2. Which measure of disease occurrence?; 3. Comparing rates: between and within populations; Part III. Studying Associations between Risk Factors and Disease: 4. Which type of study?; 5. Which measure of association?; Part IV. Selection of Populations and Samples to Study: 6. Studies of disease occurrence I: identification of the population; 7. Studies of disease occurrence II: assessing disease status in study populations; 8. Studies of disease causation I: Selection of subjects for case-control studies; 9. Studies of disease causation II: Selection of subjects for cohort (longitudinal) studies; Part V. Information from Epidemiological Studies: 10. Collecting information; 11. Obtaining valid information; 12. Repeatability; 13. Maximising participation; 14. Conducting a pilot study; Part VI. Analysis and Interpretation of Epidemiological Data: 15. Preparation of survey data for statistical analysis; 16. Introductory data analysis I: descriptive epidemiology;17. Introductory data analysis II: analytical epidemiology; 18. Confounding; 19. Bias; Part VII. Other Practical Issues: 20. Ethical issues in epidemiology; 21. The costs of epidemiological studies; Index.