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Basic Epidemiology and
Clinical Biostatistics
CHAPTER 64
Mary C. Naglak, PhD, RD
The purpose of this chapter is to familiarize the reader with the basic principles of descriptive and analytic epidemiology,
as well as basic clinical biostatistics.
❍ Define epidemiology.
Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of disease in human populations. There are two
types of epidemiology: descriptive and analytic.
❍ How is epidemiology applied to obstetrics and gynecology?
Epidemiology can be used for descriptive purposes, such as surveillance of the occurrence (incidence) of a
particular illness. It can also be used for analytic purposes, such as studying risk factors for disease development.
Epidemiologic methods can be used to assess the performance of diagnostic tests, determine the progression or
natural history of a disease, study prognostic factors, and evaluate treatments for a disease.
❍ What are risk factors?
Risk factors are attributes or agents suspected to be related to the occurrence of a particular disease.
❍ Define epidemic.
An epidemic is a sudden and great increase in the occurrence of a disease within a population.
❍ Define pandemic.
A pandemic is a rapidly emerging disease outbreak that affects a wide range of a geographically distributed
population.
❍ What does the phrase “sentinel cases” refer to?
The first few affected patients identified in a disease outbreak are referred to as sentinel cases.
❍ What does it take for a disease outbreak to occur?
A pathogen of sufficient quantity, a susceptible population, and a mode of transmission.