Basic epidemiology

Basic epidemiology was originally written with a view to strengthening education, training and research in the field of public health. Since the book was published in
1993, more than 50 000 copies have been printed, and it has been translated into more than 25 languages. A list of these languages and contact addresses of local
publishers is available on request from WHO Press, World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland

Basic epidemiology starts with a definition of epidemiology, introduces the history of modern epidemiology, and provides examples of the uses and applications of
epidemiology. Measurement of exposure and disease are covered in Chapter 2 and a summary of the different types of study designs and their strengths and limitations
is provided in Chapter 3. An introduction to statistical methods in Chapter 4 sets the scene for understanding basic concepts and available tools for analyzing data and evaluating the impact of interventions.
A fundamental task of epidemiologists is to understand the process of making causal judgements, and this is covered in Chapter 5. The applications of epidemiology to broad areas of public health are covered in the following chapters: chronic noncommunicable disease (Chapter 6), communicable disease (Chapter 7), clinical epidemiology (Chapter 8) and environmental, occupational and injury epidemiology (Chapter 9); the process of health planning is outlined in Chapter 10. The final chapter, Chapter 11, introduces the steps that new epidemiologists can take to further their education and provides links to a number of current courses in epidemiology and public health.