Basics of Epidemiology
Epidemiology studies the distribution and determinants of health and disease in populations, guiding prevention and control strategies.
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What you must know about Epidemiology Basics
Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of disease in populations.
Incidence is the number of new cases in a population over a period of time.
Prevalence is the total number of existing cases at a point (or period) in time.
Endemic: the constant presence of a disease in a population/area (e.g., malaria in Nigeria).
Epidemic: occurrence of cases clearly in excess of what is expected; pandemic crosses countries/continents.
The epidemiological triad is agent, host, and environment.
NMCN Exam Tips
How this topic appears in the NMCN exam
Incidence = new cases; prevalence = all existing cases.
Endemic (constant) vs epidemic (excess) vs pandemic (widespread).
Malaria is endemic in Nigeria — a common example.
Know the agent-host-environment triad.
Practice Question
Test yourself
The constant presence of a disease within a given geographic area or population, such as malaria in Nigeria, is described as:
Explanation
Endemic refers to the constant or usual presence of a disease within a particular area or population. Epidemic means cases in excess of normal expectancy, and pandemic refers to an epidemic spread across countries or continents.
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