Epidemiology involves the study of the occurrence of diseases in global populations, providing a body of knowledge which informs daily clinical evaluations. This book covers all the material considered to be essential for the teaching of epidemiology to medical and dental undergraduates, providing a sound introduction for the early undergraduate years, and also for studying pure epidemiology and related subjects. The underlying thrust of the book is to summarise the natural history of the major disease groups, to highlight the opportunities for prevention of disease, and to flag up issues of epidemiological and public health importance. The book captures the considerable momentum in current epidemiology and preventative health endeavours, enlivening their relevance for every student of medicine. Clinical case scenarios with questions are included at the end of respective chapters encouraging students to link theory with practice. Studying epidemiology often involves epidemiological assignments in which students are required to conduct original web-based searches of referenced material, the references provided on the Online Resource Centre form a springboard to this activity.

Online Resource Centre

The Online Resource Centre hosts the full list of references cited in the book. Many of these are provided as active web links, often directing to an abstract of an original journal article, where available electronically. Subject to individual or institutional subscriptions, readers may then be able to click straight through to the full article. Compiled in this way, the references and active web links provide a gateway to a core collection of landmark epidemiological literature and sources, to guide onward reading and provide a starting point for literature searches and project work.

Section 1 - Epidemiological Enquiry and Methods

1. Epidemiology: From Hippocrates to the Human Genome, John Yarnell and Alun Evans

2. Basic epidemiological tools, John Yarnell, Peter McCarron, Alun Evans, Michael Donnelly and Dermot O'Reilly

3. Epidemiological studies, John Yarnell

4. Data Analysis in Epidemiology, Gordon Cran and Christopher Patterson

5. Screening for disease, Anna Gavin, Helen Dolk, William Moore, and John Yarnell

Section 2- Systems-based Epidemiology

6. Circulatory system, John Yarnell

7. Respiratory system, John Yarnell

8. Nutritional, endocrine and metabolic diseases, John Yarnell

9. Digestive system, Liam Murray and Brian Johnston

10. Renal system, Elizabeth Reaney, Frank Kee and Peter Maxwell

11. Nervous system, Peter McCarron, Stanley Hawkins, James Morrrow and Jackie Parkes

12. Mental disorders, Michael Donnelly and Sinead McGilloway

13. Musculoskeletal system, Liam Murray, Peter McCarron and Frank Kee

14. Maternal and child health, Maureen Scott, Helen Dolk and Anna Gavin

15. Neoplasms, Anna Gavin, Karen Bailie, Liam Murray and John Yarnell

16. Infectious diseases, Brian Smyth, Frank Kee and John Yarnell

17. Social and behavioural factors in disease, Dermot O'Reilly, John Yarnell and Brian Gaffney

18. Genetic epidemiology, Peter McCarron, Alun Evans, Frank Kee, Christopher Patterson and John Yarnell

 19. Oral health, Ruth Freeman, Gerard Linden, Jacqueline James and James Briggs

Section 3- Clinical and Public Health Applications

20. Clinical epidemiology and evidence-based medicine, Karen Bailie, Liam Murray, John Yarnell and William Moore

21. Epidemiology in public health practice, William Moore, Dermot O'Reilly, David Stewart, Frank Kee and John Yarnell