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American Journal of Epidemiology May 2019In 2018, the Society for Epidemiologic Research and its partner journal, the American Journal of Epidemiology, assembled a working group to develop a set of papers...
In 2018, the Society for Epidemiologic Research and its partner journal, the American Journal of Epidemiology, assembled a working group to develop a set of papers devoted to the "future of epidemiology." These 14 papers covered a wide range of topic areas and perspectives, from thoughts on our profession, teaching, and methods to critical areas of substantive research. The authors of those papers considered current challenges and future opportunities for research and education. In light of past commentaries, 4 papers also include reflections on the discipline at present and in the future.
Topics: Big Data; Epidemiologic Methods; Epidemiology; Health Behavior; Humans; Information Systems; Periodicals as Topic; Public Health; Research; Universities
PubMed: 30877290
DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwz045 -
PloS One 2018Epidemiology is a discipline which has evolved with the changes taking place in society and the emergence of new diseases and new discipline related to epidemiology.... (Review)
Review
CONTEXT
Epidemiology is a discipline which has evolved with the changes taking place in society and the emergence of new diseases and new discipline related to epidemiology. With these evolutions, it is important to understand epidemiology and to analyse the evolution of content of definitions of epidemiology.
OBJECTIVES
The main objective of this paper was to identify new definitions of epidemiology available since 1978. Secondary objectives were to analyse the content of these definitions, to compare them with those used by Lilienfeld and to determine whether changes have taken place over the last forty years.
METHODS
A review of grey literature and published literature was conducted to find the definitions of epidemiology written between 1978 and 2017.
RESULTS
102 definitions of epidemiology were retained. They helped to highlight 20 terms and concepts related to epidemiology. Most of them were already used in the definitions used by Lilienfeld. Five terms were present in more than 50% of definitions from the period 1978 to 2017: "population", "study", "disease", "health" and "distribution". Several developments have occurred: strengthening of the terms "control" and "health" already used, the concept of "disease" was less frequently encountered whereas the concepts "infectious diseases", "mass phenomenon" are no longer used in definitions from 1978 to 2017.
CONCLUSION
This evolution of content of definition of epidemiology is absent from books on epidemiology. A thematic analysis of definitions of epidemiology could be conducted in order to improve our understanding of changes observed.
Topics: Epidemiologic Research Design; Epidemiology; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Terminology as Topic
PubMed: 30532230
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208442 -
American Journal of Epidemiology Jun 2022Nearly every introductory epidemiology course begins with a focus on person, place, and time, the key components of descriptive epidemiology. And yet in our experience,...
Nearly every introductory epidemiology course begins with a focus on person, place, and time, the key components of descriptive epidemiology. And yet in our experience, introductory epidemiology courses were the last time we spent any significant amount of training time focused on descriptive epidemiology. This gave us the impression that descriptive epidemiology does not suffer from bias and is less impactful than causal epidemiology. Descriptive epidemiology may also suffer from a lack of prestige in academia and may be more difficult to fund. We believe this does a disservice to the field and slows progress towards goals of improving population health and ensuring equity in health. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak and subsequent coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic have highlighted the importance of descriptive epidemiology in responding to serious public health crises. In this commentary, we make the case for renewed focus on the importance of descriptive epidemiology in the epidemiology curriculum using SARS-CoV-2 as a motivating example. The framework for error we use in etiological research can be applied in descriptive research to focus on both systematic and random error. We use the current pandemic to illustrate differences between causal and descriptive epidemiology and areas where descriptive epidemiology can have an important impact.
Topics: COVID-19; Disease Outbreaks; Epidemiology; Humans; Pandemics; Public Health; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 35325036
DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwac056 -
American Journal of Epidemiology Dec 2019In 1984, a large prospective study of the natural history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), was established; 10... (Review)
Review
In 1984, a large prospective study of the natural history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), was established; 10 years later, the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) was launched. Motivated by the merger and redesign of these long-standing HIV cohort studies in 2019, we review ways in which HIV epidemiology in the United States has transformed over the lives of these studies and how this evolution has influenced planning for enrollment and follow-up. We highlight changes that have occurred in the 3 major domains that are central to epidemiologic science: changes to key populations at highest risk for HIV, refinements in measurement and shifts in the outcomes of interest, and a new era in the tools and approaches that epidemiologists use to synthesize evidence from measurements made on populations. By embracing foundational principles with modern methods, the epidemiologic approach of analyzing the causes and distributions of diseases in contemporaneous populations will continue to advance HIV science over the next decade.
Topics: Epidemiology; HIV Infections; Humans; Prospective Studies; United States
PubMed: 31595945
DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwz211 -
Revista Brasileira de Epidemiologia =... 2015
Topics: Brazil; Epidemiology; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century
PubMed: 26982290
DOI: 10.1590/1980-5497201500040004 -
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology Jan 2013
Topics: Epidemiology; Humans; India; International Cooperation; Periodicals as Topic; Societies, Medical
PubMed: 23177889
DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2012.10.009 -
American Journal of Epidemiology Oct 2020We present interpretations of the idea that "epidemiologists count" in response to the current status of membership and diversity and inclusion efforts within the...
We present interpretations of the idea that "epidemiologists count" in response to the current status of membership and diversity and inclusion efforts within the Society for Epidemiological Research (SER). We review whom epidemiologists count to describe the (mis)representation of SER membership and how categorizations of people reflect social constructions of identity and biases that exist in broader society. We argue that what epidemiologists count-how diversity and inclusion are operationalized-has real-world implications on institutional norms and how inclusive/non-inclusive environments are. Finally, we examine which epidemiologists count within the field and argue that inclusion can only be achieved when we address how resources and opportunities are distributed among epidemiologists. To improve diversity and inclusion within SER and beyond, we recommend that SER strengthen its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity by: 1) integrating this priority on all agendas; 2) enhancing efforts to improve self-awareness among members and accountability within the organization; 3) supporting the growth of a diversifying workforce in epidemiology; and 4) increasing the visibility of health disparities research and researchers in epidemiology.
Topics: Cultural Diversity; Epidemiologists; Epidemiology; Humans
PubMed: 32602522
DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwaa108 -
Trends in Parasitology Mar 2020Spatial lifecourse epidemiology aims to utilize advanced spatial, location-aware, and artificial intelligence technologies to investigate long-term effects of measurable... (Review)
Review
Spatial lifecourse epidemiology aims to utilize advanced spatial, location-aware, and artificial intelligence technologies to investigate long-term effects of measurable biological, environmental, behavioral, and psychosocial factors on individual risk for chronic diseases. It could also further the research on infectious disease dynamics, risks, and consequences across the life course.
Topics: Animals; Artificial Intelligence; Communicable Diseases; Epidemiologic Methods; Epidemiology; Humans; Longevity; Research; Time
PubMed: 32044243
DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2019.12.012 -
American Journal of Epidemiology Jun 2021Interpreting the results of epidemiologic studies calls for objectivity and rigorous scrutiny, acknowledging the limitations that temper the applicability of the...
Interpreting the results of epidemiologic studies calls for objectivity and rigorous scrutiny, acknowledging the limitations that temper the applicability of the findings to public health action. Current trends have posed new challenges to balancing goals of scientific objectivity and validity with public health applications. The ongoing tension between epidemiology's aspirations and capability has several sources: the need to overpromise in research proposals, compromising methodological rigor because of public health importance, defending findings in the face of hostile critics, and appealing to core constituencies who have specific expectations from the research.
Topics: Data Analysis; Epidemiologic Research Design; Epidemiologic Studies; Epidemiology; Humans; Public Health
PubMed: 33324974
DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwaa271 -
Preventive Veterinary Medicine Feb 2018
SVEPM 2017-Recent developments and contemporary foci in veterinary epidemiology and economics, Society of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine conference Inverness, Scotland 29-31 March 2017.
Topics: Animal Diseases; Animals; Epidemiology; Scotland; Societies; Veterinary Medicine
PubMed: 29229285
DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2017.11.024