医学英语教程综合教程第六单元

【单元6】

Epidemiology and Its Applications

The word epidemiology comes from the Greek words epi, meaning on or upon, demos. meaning people . and logos . meaning the study of . in other words , the word epidemiology has its roots in the study of what befalls a population. Epidemiology is a scientific discipline with sound methods of scientific inquiry at its foundation. It is data-driven and relies on a systematic and unbiased approach to the collection.analysis. and interpretation of data. Basic epidemiologic methods tend to rely on careful observation and use of valid comparison groups to assess whether what was observed. such as the number of cases of disease in a particular area during a particular time period or the frequency of an exposure among persons with disease.

differs from what might be expected.流行病学epidemiology一词来源于希腊词，epi-，意为“在……之上”，demos意为“人群”，logos意为“关于……的研究”。换言之，epidemiology植根于某个人群有关的疾病研究。流行病学从根本上是一门有着严密科学方法的学科。它是数据驱动，用系统、客观的方法收集、分析和解释数据。基本的流行病学研究方法依靠仔细的观察，运用有效的对照组来衡量观察对象，比如在一个特定时间段，一个特定的区域疾病的发病数量或是和一种疾病发病人群的接触频率，和你预测的有何不同。

Epidemiologists assume that illness does not occur randomly in a population, but happens only when the right accumulation of risk factors or determinants exists in an individual. To search for these determinants, epidemiologists use analytic epidemiology or epidemiologic studies to provide the .'Why" and .'How" ot such events. They assess whether groups with different rates of disease differ in their demographic characteristics. genetic or immunologic make-up. behaviors, environmental exposures. or other so-called potential risk factors. ideally. the findings provide sufficient evidence to direct prompt and effective public health control and prevention measures.

Epidemiology and the information generated by epidemiologic methods have been used in many ways. Some common uses are described below, been used in many ways. Some common uses are described below.

流行病学家认为疾病不会随意地在某个人群中发生，但存在与个体中的风险因子或决定因素累积到一定程度才可能发生。为了查明这些影响因素，流行病学家运用分析流行病学或流行病学研究方法来解释流行病的形成原因和传播原因。他们评估有不同发病率的人群是否在诸如人口学特征、基因及免疫构成、行为特点、环境接触或是其他所谓的潜在风险因素等方面有所不同。理想的话，这些发现将会提供充足的证据来指导直接、迅速、有效地公共卫生控制及防御措施。流行病学及其研究方法所带来的信息已经被广泛运用。常见的用途有

Assessing the community's health评估人群的健康

Public health officials responsible for policy development. Implementation, and evaluation use epidemiologic information as a factual framework for decision making. To assess the health of a population or community. relevant sources of data must be

identified and analyzed by person. place, and time. Sometimes, more detailed date may need to be collected and analyzed to determine whether health services are available. accessible. effective, and efficient.

负责政策制定、实施和评价的公共卫生官员将流行病学信息作为决策的事实框架。为了评估某个人群或社区的健康状况，相关的数据来源必须经过人口、地点和时间的认定和分析。有时，为了确保医疗服务适当、充足、有效和高效，需要收集和分析更多的详细数据。

Making individual decisions影响个人的选择

Many individuals may not realize that they use epidemiologic information to make daily decisions affecting their health. When persons decide to quit smoking. climb the stairs rather than wait for an elevator, eat a salad rather than a cheeseburger with fries for lunch, or use a condom. they may be influenced consciously or unconsciously, by epidemiologists' assessment of risk. Many epidemiologic findings are directly relevant to the choices people make every day. choices that affect their health over a lifetime. 许多人没有到他们利用率流行病学的信息来做出影响自身健康的日常决策。当人们决定戒烟、选择爬楼梯而不是等电梯、中餐吃沙拉而不是薯条加面包或使用避孕套的时候，他们有意或无意地受到了流行病学家对风险评估的影响。许多流行病学上的发现和人们每天做出的选择或影响他们一生健康的选择直接相关。Completing the clinical picture填补临床拼图

When investigating a disease outbreak. epidemiologists rely on health-care providers and laboratorians to establish the proper diagnosis of individual patients, But epidemiologists also contribute to physicians' understanding of the clinical picture and natural history of disease. For example, in late 1989, a physician saw three patients with unexplained eosinophilia ( an increase in the number of a specific type of white blood cell called an eosinophilia) and myalgia (severe muscle pains. Although the physician could not make a definitive diagnosis. he notified Public health authorities. Within weeks, epidemiologists had identified enough other cases to characterize the spectrum and course of the illness that came to be known as eoslnophilia-myalgia syndrome.研究疾病的爆发时，流行病学家以来医护人员和实验室工作人员来确立对病人的正确诊断。但流行病学家也会帮助内科医生了解疾病的临床表现和历程。例如在1998年后期，一位医生接触到三个有着不明原因的嗜酸性粒细胞过多（被称为特定的一种嗜曙红血球数量的增加）和肌痛的病例。尽管医生不能确诊，但他知会了公共卫生机构的权威。几周内，流行病学家已经找到了足够的其他病例来明确后来被称为嗜酸性粒细胞过多肌痛综合症的范围和历程。

Searching for causes寻求病因

Much epidemiologic research is devoted to searching for causal factors that influence one's risk of disease. leally. the goal is to identify a cause so that