Epidemiology: An Introduction

by Kenneth J. Rothman

Overview

Across the last forty years, epidemiology has developed into a vibrant scientific discipline that brings together the social and biological sciences, incorporating everything from statistics to the philosophy of science in its aim to study and track the distribution and determinants of health events. A now-classic text, the second edition of this essential introduction to epidemiology presents the core concepts in a unified approach that aims to cut through the fog and elucidate the fundamental concepts. Rather than focusing on formulas or dogma, the book presents basic epidemiologic principles and concepts in a coherent and straightforward exposition. By emphasizing a unifying set of ideas, students will develop a strong foundation for understanding the principles of epidemiologic research.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199942671
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	05/25/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	7 MB

About the Author

Kenneth J. Rothman, DrPH, is a Distinguished Fellow at RTI International, an independent nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. He is also Professor in the Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine at Boston University. His research interests in epidemiology have spanned a wide range of health problems, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurologic disease, birth defects, injuries, environmental exposures, and drug epidemiology, but his main career focus has been the development and teaching of the concepts and methods of epidemiologic research.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Epidemiologic Thinking 2. Pioneers in Epidemiology and Public Health 3. What is Causation? 4. Measuring Disease Occurrence and Causal Effects 5. Types of Epidemiologic Studies 6. Infectious Disease Epidemiology 7. Dealing with Biases 8. Random Error and the Role of Statistics 9. Analyzing Simple Epidemiologic Data 10. Controlling Confounding by Stratifying Data 11. Measuring Interactions 12. Using Regression Models in Epidemiologic Analysis 13. Epidemiology in Clinical Settings Appendix Index

Editorial Reviews

"Is attending a nursery school riskier than piloting a fighter jet? Engaging and rigorous, the new edition of Epidemiology: An Introduction is a succinct yet comprehensive showcase of epidemiology, from big-picture themes like assessing causation to details of study design and analysis. The authors skillfully debunk our naïve ‘common-sense’ beliefs. In this post-pandemic world, students will love learning from this timely update of a timeless text, and teachers will love teaching with it."

— Professor Vera Ehrenstein, Aarhus University, Denmark

"This book opens the door to the fascinating world of modern epidemiology, with its elegant approach to causal inference. It will convince you that human, rather than artificial, intelligence is the key to epidemiologic research and public health action."

— Professor Halvor Sommerfelt, Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health, University of Bergen, Norway and Norwegian Institute of Public Health

From the Publisher