Epidemiology, one of the key disciplines in public health, is concerned with describing the patterns of diseases, identifying their causes and evaluating the effectiveness of health care and public health interventions. Such information helps to promote health and treat disease. This book introduces the key elements of epidemiological methods. The book examines:Concepts and applications of epidemiologyPopulation measures of health and disease Descriptive and analytical study designsIntervention studiesRisk assessment and preventive strategiesSurveillance and screening