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Roots and Future of Epidemiology

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Epidemiology: Principles and Practical Guidelines

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Abstract

The first purpose of this chapter is to outline the roots of epidemiology as a metho­dological discipline, using a multiple-threads historical approach. We unravel what we see as the main historical threads relevant to the development of current health research methods involving human subjects, giving attention to the ethical, scientific-theoretical, and practical aspects. Roots of epidemiological concepts and methods go back a long time, to before epidemiology became a named discipline and before formal statistical comparisons of occurrence frequencies started being made. We take the stance that ancient thinkers, dating back at least as far back as Aristotle, formed early concepts that have been essential to the development of modern epidemiology as we know it. We therefore treat such critical developments as directly relevant to the history of epidemiology. As an introduction, we begin with a discussion of belief systems. We then discuss a series of historical threads, starting from health research topics, over ways of causal thinking about health, to the design of empirical information, research ethics and stakeholder participation. Other threads relevant to epidemiology such as history of data management, analysis, and study reporting, are not covered. Finally, we explore some possible and desirable future developments in epidemiological research.

Study the past if you want to define the future.

Confucius

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for International Health, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

    Jan Van den Broeck M.D., Ph.D.

  2. Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Jonathan R. Brestoff MPH

Authors
  1. Jan Van den Broeck M.D., Ph.D.
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  2. Jonathan R. Brestoff MPH
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Correspondence to Jan Van den Broeck M.D., Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

    Jan Van den Broeck

  2. Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Jonathan R Brestoff

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Van den Broeck, J., Brestoff, J.R. (2013). Roots and Future of Epidemiology. In: Van den Broeck, J., Brestoff, J. (eds) Epidemiology: Principles and Practical Guidelines. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5989-3_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5989-3_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-007-5988-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-5989-3

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