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www.vocationaltraining.org.uk HS64L5 Epidemiology explanation Issue 2 August 2014 SM What is Epidemiology? Background Epidemiology is the study of occurrences regarding diseases or other health related characteristics within the human population. The study includes the frequency of a disease but also why that frequency differs within various groups of people. All diseas ed have a cause. Sometimes this can be man ma de, whic h may su ggest tha t if the c auses identified that many diseases may have been prevented. A report based on epidemiolo gy norma lly consis ts of :- a) Name & Address of individual affected b) Date of birth, c) Sex d) Dates & duration of employment e) Date of disease (start or death) f) Diagnosis and who made it g) Employment history h) Health related factors (smoker) Obtaining this information enables you to determine:- a) Who is ill? b) How many are ill c) Where and when did they become ill Obviously you are looking for a trend. i.e. several welders who have been treated for sore throats leading to cancer could be as a result of being exposed to welding fumes – i.e. where the LEV has not performed adequately. Or bar workers contracting Weils disease from infected bottles from the cellar where rats have had access etc. Dermatitis outbreak due to new uncontrolled chemical or lack of PPE. Prevention is better than cure and therefore a risk assessment should be applied to the daily work, to help maintain the health & well being of the workforce.
