Epidemiology

Now, an unrelated note epidemiology review

Prevalence all cases of a disease in a population = total # of existing cases / number in total population Incidence all NEW cases of a disease in a susceptible population (not susceptible population in both) = number new cases / susceptible population
What decreases/increasese prevalence?
Cures (common cold)? High mortality rate? (pancreatic cancer) Good treatment but not cures (AIDS)?

Sensitivity and Specificity

Sensitivity ability of a test to identify individuals who have the disease; Specificity ability of a test to identify individuals who do not have the disease;

Risk Reduction
Relative Risk the ratio of risks b/w 2 groups (usually a control and experimntal); = incidence therapy group (It) / incidence control group (Ic) Relative Risk Reduction the percent decrease of risk b/w 2 groups = 1-RR = (Ic It) / Ic Absolute Risk Reduction difference in risk between two groups = Ic-It Number Needed to Treat- number of patients that must be treated to prevent one occurrence of the disease = 1/ARR Thinking about them in terms of pharmaceuticals is really helpful in understanding why you need these terms!

 Sensitivity refers to the # of true positives divided by the total number of patients w/ the disease.
Sensitivity = a/(A+C) Screening tests need to have HIGH sensitivity in order to pick up all cases of the disease (decrease false negatives)

False negative ratio: 1- sensitivity

Not affected by disease prevalence

Calclate Odds Ratio

ratio, all values were not given in tables, u have to make ur own table and understand where in the q stem u have to pick the valuesvery imp!! Lots of qsthis is not difficult and worth knowing this..of coursefor everything sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV etc

Power

 Q about Chlamydia in students, prevalence decrease /increase of what? (options incl they treat more pts, less awareness (dontremember exactlyso they described u several situations that might cause these changesso u need to understand what they r talking about, very HY epidemiology/stats!)

 Probability
Total probability always = 1.0 or 100% Probability (at least 1 positive) = 1- Probability (all negative)

Prevalence = Incidence x Time

Incidence is NOT changed by treatment Treatment that PROLONGS survival but does not cure disease will Prevalence due to an number afflicted

Incidence = new cases diagnosed over period of time Prevalence total cases at a particular point in time

Stats Tests
Means (between 2 groups): T-tests Means (between more than 2 groups): ANOVA % or proportions (between 2 or more groups): Chi Square