Public Health Epidemiology (ePub)

This text provides an introduction to the social and behavioral sciences in public health, basic behavioral measurement methods, and basic knowledge of epidemiologic application in the area of social and behavioral science. The text will emphasize the relationship between behavior and disease, the determinants of behavior, and research methods for studying health and disease in relation to behavior. Epidemiological approaches to measurement, research design, and analytic methods will also be covered.
Learners will get an overview of the determinants of health and how health status is measured. Learners will also review the burden of disease, who is most affected by different disease burdens, risk factors, and key measures to address the burden of disease in cost-effective ways. Special attention will be paid throughout the text to health systems issues; specifically, those health care issues dealing with the most recent COVID-19 pandemic will be discussed in great detail and used as a prime example of public health epidemiology in practice.
The text will cover key concepts and frameworks while being practical in orientation. The text will be global in coverage but with a focus on low- and middle-income countries, the health of the poor, equity, and inequality. Moreover, this text examines how race, ethnicity, and health intersect. The text will explore the nature of racial and ethnic categories, the patterns of United States demography, and the role of social environmental factors such as social class, racial and spatial segregation, healthcare inequalities, and systemic racism in contributing to racial and ethnic inequalities in health. Additionally, the text will examine the fundamental social and behavioral theories that drive research and practice in public health. The text covers a number of social and behavioral theories commonly used in public health education interventions at the individual, group, and community levels.
Lastly, learners will gain an increased awareness of the healthcare needs of our nation and existence of disparities in patient care and health quality among minority and rural underserved populations. Learners will be able to demonstrate competence in applying their knowledge to formulate possible solutions to close the gap between health disparities. Most importantly, learners will have a heightened awareness of the pivotal role they have to make a difference in the lives of the communities they belong to.