Understanding Epidemiology: Concepts, Skills, and Applications

Understanding Epidemiology: Concepts, Skills, and Application teaches undergraduate students the skills required to think critically about public health challenges. The text takes an interdisciplinary approach to solving epidemiological problems that mirrors epidemiology in practice. Students are exposed to the foundational principles of epidemiology and practice applying these principles using multiple methods. Students learn to read and use public health and health science literature to design appropriate epidemiological studies, ultimately becoming intelligent consumers of health information able to make distinctions and connections between public health practice and clinical medicine.

The second edition includes additional case studies and examples designed to help undergraduates understand the concepts and applications of the science of epidemiology. New chapters on public health prevention and outbreak investigations, and material on emerging issues in public health have been added to illustrate the impact epidemiology has on the fields of public health and clinical medicine. Each chapter includes a set of comprehension questions to ensure that students understand the key concepts that are presented. There are also challenge questions at the end of each chapter that provide students with application opportunities.

Specifically written for undergraduate students, the book does not assume a working knowledge of biostatistics. Understanding Epidemiology can be used in introductory epidemiology courses, as well as in public health study design and health sciences research methods courses.

Laura Wheeler Poms earned her Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology and her M.P.H. in epidemiology from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, where she is now an assistant professor and undergraduate program coordinator for the B.S. in community health. Dr. Poms is a faculty fellow in the Office of Student Scholarship, Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR), which promotes undergraduate research across GMU. She is a GMU College of Health and Human Services Master Teacher Award recipient.

Rebecca Smullin Dawson holds a Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore and an M.P.H. from Emory University. She is currently an assistant professor of global health studies and biology at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. She has won several teaching awards including being named one of NerdScholar’s 40 Under 40 Professors Who Inspire. Dr. Dawson is also the former senior analyst and director of environmental health policy at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.