Stephanie P.

Bragat

Medicine 2-B
Epidemiology Assignment

1. Why are subclinical (also called inapparent) diseases significant in Epidemiology and Public
Health?
- Subclinical diseases are diseases that do not have clinical findings. They exist without
clinical signs and symptoms or manifestations.
- These kinds of diseases are important in Epidemiology and Public health because it is
usually these diseases that cause an increased morbidity and mortality among a certain
population, those who usually live in proximity to each other.
- These silent killers, because of the lack of signs and symptoms, are usually difficult to
identify and eradicate. That is why epidemiology is important since it helps determine the
causative agent or causes of the disease by gathering information about the affected community.
2. In your opinion, why are there so many worldwide deaths caused by vaccine preventable
diseases? What would you do in order to reduce the death toll? Give specific plans and programs.
- Vaccine preventable diseases cause so many worldwide deaths since these diseases usually
attack children. Childrens immune systems are very weak especially without vaccination.
Another reason is that the common causative agent of these diseases are usually viruses. Viruses
are self-limited, and are difficult to eradicate, and so the only way to make the persons condition
stable is to alleviate signs and symptoms.
-In order to reduce the death toll, I, as a future doctor, would disseminate information to my
patients and to the public, especially in those areas where these diseases are common. Educating
the public about these diseases and their treatments would surely decrease the mortality rate.
-A specific plan or program by the government is the Extended program of Immunization. This is
a program that aims to eradicate vaccine preventable disease by means of vaccination of the
children below two years of age. Included vaccines are the BCG, DPT, OPV, HPB and MMR.
3. Name 5 individuals who contributed to the history of Epidemiology?
A. Hippocrates

-The first person who examined the relationships between the occurrence of disease and
environmental influences. He also coined the terms endemic and epidemic.
B. John Graunt
- quantified the patterns of disease in a population for the first time.
C. William Farr
- A physician who established a tradition of careful application of statistical data

to

the

evaluation of health problems of the general public.

D. John Snow
- A physician that was able to formulate ad test hypothesis concerning the origins of an epidemic
of cholera in London.
- First investigator to draw together all three components of the definition of epidemiology.
E. James Lind
- designed the first experminets to use a concurrently treated control group
F. Thomas Sydenham
-recognized as the founder of clinical medicine and epidemiology. He also emphasized detailed
observations of patients and accurate record keeping
G. Edward Jenner
-pioneered clinical trails for vaccination to control spread of small pox.