From John Snow to Sir Bradford Hill, Epidemiology Gives Us a Thrill

On this week's episode of the pod, we discuss the history of epidemiology. We kick things off with a definition of the term and clarify that epidemiology is not specific to infectious disease but rather all diseases, as well as their risk factors. We take a trip down memory lane and revisit the different eras of epidemiology including the sanitary era, the infectious disease era, the risk factor and black box epidemiology era, and what many call the eco-epidemiology era of today. We dig into some epidemiological case studies of yesteryear, including the famous case of John Snow and the Broad Street Cholera outbreak of 1854. We also highlight some other key players in the evolution of epidemiology as a science and the critical roles they played. We also briefly discuss Hill's causal criteria and their use (still today!) in strengthening our confidence in attributing a causal link to an association. We hope you enjoy!

PLEASE NOTE: The discussion and information provided in this podcast are for general educational, scientific, and informational purposes only and are not intended as, and should not be treated as, medical or other professional advice for any particular individual or individuals.  Every person and medical issue is different, and diagnosis and treatment requires consideration of specific facts often unique to the individual.  As such, the information contained in this podcast should not be used as a substitute for consultation with and/or treatment by a doctor or other medical professional.  If you are experiencing any medical issue or have any medical concern, you should consult with a doctor or other medical professional. 

Further, due to the inherent limitations of a podcast such as this as well as ongoing scientific developments, we do not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information or analysis provided in this podcast, although, of course we always endeavor to provide comprehensive information and analysis. In no event may Unbiased Science or any of the participants in this podcast be held liable to the listener or anyone else for any decision allegedly made or action allegedly taken or not taken allegedly in reliance on the discussion or information in this podcast or for any damages allegedly resulting from such reliance.

RESOURCES

• The Iorgotten History of Pre-Modern Epidemiology

• A Brief History of the Development of Infectious Disease Prevention, Control, and Biosafety Programs in China

• Epidemiology’s 350th Anniversary: 1662–2012

• Choosing a Future for Epidemiology: I. Eras and Paradigms

• Steps Towards the Discovery of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis by Robert Koch, 1882

• John Snow: Snow on Cholera

• Louis Pasteur, the Father of Immunology?

• Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health Practice

• Mortality in Relation to Smoking: The British Doctors Study

• Sir Austin Bradford Hill: Medical Statistics and The Quantitative Approach to Prevention of Disease

• The Missed Lessons of Sir Austin Bradford Hill

• Smoking and Carcinoma of the Lung

Risk Factor Epidemiology: Find statistical associations between exposures and diseases (usually chronic diseases). Specific mechanism through which the exposure causes the disease is unknown (black box epidemiology)