Epidemiological methods

Texts and literature in epidemiology often make use of jargon related to epidemiological methods without reference to their actual definition.

A number of basic concepts recur with particular frequency:

• Hazard ratio, also known as the Incidence Rate Ratio
• Odds ratio
• Risk ratio
• Relative risk, a generic term for Rate Ratio, Risk Ratio, and sometimes the Odds Ratio.

1. Measures of frequency/occurrence
   1. Incidence measures
      1. Incidence rate, where cases included are defined using a case definition
      2. Hazard rate
      3. Cumulative incidence
   2. Prevalence measures
      1. Point prevalence
      2. Period prevalence
2. Measures of association
   1. Relative measures
      1. Risk ratio
      2. Rate ratio
      3. Odds ratio
      4. Hazard ratio
   2. Absolute measures
      1. Risk/rate/incidence difference
      2. Attributable risk
         1. Attributable risk in exposed
         2. Percent attributable risk
         3. Levin’s attributable risk
3. Other measures
   1. Virulence and Infectivity
   2. Mortality rate and Morbidity
   3. Case fatality
   4. Sensitivity (tests) and Specificity (tests)

• Study design
• Epidemiology

• Epidemiologic.org Epidemiologic Inquiry online weblog for epidemiology researchers
• Epidemiology Forum A discussion and forum community for epi analysis support and fostering questions, debates, and collaborations in epidemiology
• The Centre for Evidence Based Medicine at Oxford maintains an on-line “Toolbox” of evidence based medicine methods.
• Epimonitor has a comprehensive list of links to associations, agencies, bulletins, etc.
• Epidemiology for the Uninitiated On line text, with easy explanations.
• North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness Training On line training classes for epidemiology and related topics.

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