Public Health is the science of preventing disease and focuses on the improvement of the health of all people through preventive measures. Epidemiology is the science that studies the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in defined …show more content…
The clinician and the epidemiologist have different roles, but both are focused on searching for the correct diagnosis for the disease.
Epidemiology provides data for directing public health action. Epidemiologists use the scientific methods of descriptive and analytic epidemiology in “diagnosing” the health of a community, but also must plan how to control and prevent disease in the community. The information gathered by epidemiologist is used to promote and protect the public’s health by combining both science and public health practice. The term applied epidemiology is the application or practice of epidemiology to address public health issues.
Examples of applied epidemiology:
• the monitoring of reports of communicable diseases in the community
• the study of whether a particular dietary component influences your risk of developing cancer
• evaluation of the effectiveness and impact of a cholesterol awareness program through quasi-experimental study