Definition of the field of epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study of how to distribute and determine the distribution of health-related conditions and events in a specific population, and the use of this study to solve health problems
The mission of the field of epidemiology
The last century has witnessed a major change in the pattern of public health. This change in the pattern of births and deaths in society and the change in the age pyramid, the change in life expectancy and the pattern of common diseases in society is obvious. Changes in common diseases from infectious diseases such as cholera to cardiovascular disease, cancer and metabolic disorders and the causal model of new diseases, in addition to serious attention to measuring the role of environmental, occupational and psychological factors in community health It created a new mobilization in this field and provided new fields of attention and research on the health of society and the causes affecting it. New fields in molecular and genetic fields are the product of a new tendency to investigate the cause of diseases. Also is the technological advance of recent years. The most important role of an epidemiologist is to analyze health data, monitor and monitor health programs, and determine the cost-benefit of health programs.
In this regard, by optimizing the cost at different levels and programs of health and helping to choose the best methods to promote community health help to play the infrastructure role of the health system for socio-economic development of society.