This book describes the variety of direct and indirect population size estimation (PSE) methods available along with their strengths and weaknesses. Direct estimation methods, such as enumeration and mapping, involve contact with members of hard-to-reach groups. Indirect methods have practical appeal because they require no contact with members of hard-to-reach groups. One indirect method in particular, network scale-up (NSU), has several strengths over other PSE methods: It can be applied at a province/country level, it can estimate size of several hard-to-reach population in a single study, and it is implemented with members of the general population rather than members of hard-to-reach groups. The book discusses methods to collect, analyze, and adjust results and presents methods to triangulate and finalize PSEs.
Routine applications of advanced statistical methods on real data have become possible in the last ten years because desktop computers have become much more powerful and cheaper. However, proper understanding of the challenging statistical theory behind those methods remains essential for correct application and interpretation, and rarely seen in the medical literature. Modern Methods for Epidemiology provides a concise introduction to recent development in statistical methodologies for epidemiological and biomedical researchers. Many of these methods have become indispensible tools for researchers working in epidemiology and medicine but are rarely discussed in details by standard textbooks of biostatistics or epidemiology. Contributors of this book are experienced researchers and experts in their respective fields. This textbook provides a solid starting point for those who are new to epidemiology, and for those looking for guidance in more modern statistical approaches to observational epidemiology. Epidemiological and biomedical researchers who wish to overcome the mathematical barrier of applying those methods to their research will find this book an accessible and helpful reference for self-learning and research. This book is also a good source for teaching postgraduate students in medical statistics or epidemiology.
“Methods of Clinical Epidemiology” serves as a text on methods useful to clinical researchers. It provides a clear introduction to the common research methodology specific to clinical research for both students and researchers. This book sets out to fill the gap left by texts that concentrate on public health epidemiology and focuses on what is not covered well in such texts. The four sections cover methods that have not previously been brought together in one text and serves as a second level textbook of clinical epidemiology methodology. This book will be of use to postgraduate students in clinical epidemiology as well as clinical researchers at the start of their careers.
A basic textbook addressed to medical and public health students, clinicians, health professionals, and all others seeking to understand the principles and methods used in cancer epidemiology. Written by a prominent epidemiologist and experienced teacher at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the text aims to help readers become competent in the use of basic epidemiological tools and capable of exercising critical judgment when assessing results reported by others. Throughout the text, a lively writing style and numerous illustrative examples, often using real research data, facilitate an easy understanding of basic concepts and methods. Information ranges from an entertaining account of the origins of epidemiology, through advice on how to overcome some of the limitations of survival analysis, to a checklist of questions to ask when considering sources of bias. Although statistical concepts and formulae are presented, the emphasis is consistently on the interpretation of the data rather than on the actual calculations. The text has 18 chapters. The first six introduce the basic principles of epidemiology and statistics. Chapters 7-13 deal in more depth with each of the study designs and interpretation of their findings. Two chapters, concerned with the problems of confounding and study size, cover more complex statistical concepts and are included for advanced study. A chapter on methodological issues in cancer prevention gives examples of epidemiology's contribution to primary prevention, screening and other activities for early detection, and tertiary prevention. The concluding chapters review the role of cancer registries and discuss practical considerations that should be taken into account in the design, planning, and conduct of any type of epidemiological research.
Social epidemiology is the study of how social interactions—social norms, laws, institutions, conventia, social conditions and behavior—affect the health of populations. This practical, comprehensive introduction to methods in social epidemiology is written by experts in the field. It is perfectly timed for the growth in interest among those in public health, community health, preventive medicine, sociology, political science, social work, and other areas of social research. Topics covered are: Introduction: Advancing Methods in Social Epidemiology The History of Methods of Social Epidemilogy to 1965 Indicators of Socioeconomic Position Measuring and Analyzing 'Race' Racism and Racial Discrimination Measuring Poverty Measuring Health Inequalities A Conceptual Framework for Measuring Segregation and its Association with Population Outcomes Measures of Residential Community Contexts Using Census Data to Approximate Neighborhood Effects Community-based Participatory Research: Rationale and Relevance for Social Epidemiology Network Methods in Social Epidemiology Identifying Social Interactions: A Review, Multilevel Studies Experimental Social Epidemiology: Controlled Community Trials Propensity Score Matching Methods for Social Epidemiology Natural Experiments and Instrumental Variable Analyses in Social Epidemiology and Using Causal Diagrams to Understand Common Problems in Social Epidemiology. "Publication of this highly informative textbook clearly reflects the coming of age of many social epidemiology methods, the importance of which rests on their potential contribution to significantly improving the effectiveness of the population-based approach to prevention. This book should be of great interest not only to more advanced epidemiology students but also to epidemiologists in general, particularly those concerned with health policy and the translation of epidemiologic findings into public health practice. The cause of achieving a ‘more complete’ epidemiology envisaged by the editors has been significantly advanced by this excellent textbook." —Moyses Szklo, professor of epidemiology and editor-in-chief, American Journal of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University "Social epidemiology is a comparatively new field of inquiry that seeks to describe and explain the social and geographic distribution of health and of the determinants of health. This book considers the major methodological challenges facing this important field. Its chapters, written by experts in a variety of disciplines, are most often authoritative, typically provocative, and often debatable, but always worth reading." —Stephen W. Raudenbush, Lewis-Sebring Distinguished Service Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Chicago "The roadmap for a new generation of social epidemiologists. The publication of this treatise is a significant event in the history of the discipline." —Ichiro Kawachi, professor of social epidemiology, Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, Harvard University "Methods in Social Epidemiology not only illuminates the difficult questions that future generations of social epidemiologists must ask, it also identifies the paths they must boldly travel in the pursuit of answers, if this exciting interdisciplinary science is to realize its full potential. This beautifully edited volume appears at just the right moment to exert a profound influence on the field." —Sherman A. James, Susan B. King Professor of Public Policy Studies, professor of Community and Family Medicine, professor of African-American Studies, Duke University
Disaster Epidemiology: Methods and Applications applies the core methods of epidemiological research and practice to the assessment of the short- and long-term health effects of disasters. The persistent movement of people and economic development to regions vulnerable to natural disasters, as well as new vulnerabilities related to environmental, technological, and terrorism incidents, means that in spite of large global efforts to reduce the impacts and costs of disasters, average annual expenditures to fund rebuilding from catastrophic losses is rising faster than either population or the gross world product. Improving the resilience of individuals and communities to these natural and technological disasters, climate change, and other natural and manmade stressors is one of the grand challenges of the 21st century. This book provides a guide to disaster epidemiology methods, supported with applications from practice. It helps researchers, public health practitioners, and governmental policy makers to better quantify the impacts of disaster on the health of individuals and communities to enhance resilience to future disasters. Disaster Epidemiology: Methods and Applications explains how public health surveillance, rapid assessments, and other epidemiologic studies can be conducted in the post-disaster setting to prevent injury, illness, or death; provide accurate and timely information for decisions makers; and improve prevention and mitigation strategies for future disasters. These methods can also be applied to the study of other types of public health emergencies, such as infectious outbreaks, emerging and re-emerging diseases, and refugee health. This book gives both the public health practitioner and researcher the tools they need to conduct epidemiological studies in a disaster setting and can be used as a reference or as part of a course. Provides a holistic perspective to epidemiology with an integration of academic and practical approaches Showcases the use of hands-on techniques and principles to solve real-world problems Includes contributions from both established and emerging scholars in the field of disaster epidemiology
This is a rigorous introduction to the concepts and tools of epidemiologic research. It offers clear descriptions of key concepts, rich examples, and instructive exercises (with answers). The book is well-suited for use in graduate-level courses on epidemiologic methods.
Intermediate Epidemiology: Methods That Matter provides masters-level public health students with a solid foundation in the epidemiologic methods necessary for implementing successful public health programs. This book stands apart from other intermediate texts in that it focuses on conceptual learning of basic methods without relying on extensive jargon. The book uniquely uses a self-learning approach, with exercises embedded in each page to reinforce concepts and application. The book creates a bridge from student to professional with lively descriptions of career paths for the MPH-level epidemiologist. Complete chapters on program evaluation and implementation and analysis of studies are also provided. Key Features: • Examines the methodological skill set unique to epidemiology at an intermediate level • Provides practice problems, case studies, discussion sections, and datasets in which to practice the methods learned • Offers boxed examples from sources such as peer reviewed literature, governmental resources, and lay sources
This book examines statistical methods and models used in the fields of global health and epidemiology. It includes methods such as innovative probability sampling, data harmonization and encryption, and advanced descriptive, analytical and monitory methods. Program codes using R are included as well as real data examples. Contemporary global health and epidemiology involves a myriad of medical and health challenges, including inequality of treatment, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its subsequent control, the flu, cancer, tobacco control, drug use, and environmental pollution. In addition to its vast scales and telescopic perspective; addressing global health concerns often involves examining resource-limited populations with large geographic, socioeconomic diversities. Therefore, advancing global health requires new epidemiological design, new data, and new methods for sampling, data processing, and statistical analysis. This book provides global health researchers with methods that will enable access to and utilization of existing data. Featuring contributions from both epidemiological and biostatistical scholars, this book is a practical resource for researchers, practitioners, and students in solving global health problems in research, education, training, and consultation.
