What is an epidemiological investigation?
The purpose of the epidemiologic investigation is to identify a problem, collect data, formulate and test hypotheses. It involves the collection and analysis of more facts or data to determine the cause of illness and to implement control measures to prevent additional illness.
How will you conduct an epidemiological investigation?
Determine the existence of an outbreak. Identify and count cases (i.e., create a case definition and develop a line listing). Tabulate and orient the data in terms of time, place, and person (i.e., descriptive epidemiology). Consider whether control measures can be implemented now.
What are the 10 steps of an outbreak investigation?
Identify investigation team and resources.
What are the 4 steps of an outbreak investigation?
Verifying the diagnosis and establishing the existence of an outbreak. Establishing a case definition and finding cases. Conducting descriptive epidemiology to determine the personal characteristics of the cases, changes in disease frequency over time, and differences in disease frequency based on location.
What are the 5 epidemiological determinants?
The difference is that epidemiologists tend to use synonyms for the 5 W’s: diagnosis or health event (what), person (who), place (where), time (when), and causes, risk factors, and modes of transmission (why/how).
What are the 3 basic types of epidemiological investigations?
Three major types of epidemiologic studies are cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies (study designs are discussed in more detail in IOM, 2000).
What are the three basic types of epidemiological investigation?
The three major epidemiologic techniques are descriptive, analytic, and experimental. Although all three can be used in investigating the occurrence of disease, the method used most is descriptive epidemiology.
What is the first step in an epidemiological investigation?
The first step in an investigation is to determine whether the reported number of cases is unusual. Baseline surveillance data is a useful resource for making this decision. Verifying the diagnosis through laboratory testing is also important, especially for new or uncommon pathogens.
What are the three key components of an outbreak investigation?
Outbreak investigations have essential components as follows: 1) establish case definition(s); 2) confirm that cases are “real”; 3) establish the background rate of disease; 4) find cases, decide if there is an outbreak, define scope of the outbreak; 5) examine the descriptive epidemiologic features of the cases; 6) …
What are the steps involved in epidemic investigation?
Confirmation of the existence of an epidemic; counting the number of cases, reported and searched and then comparison with previous years’ records 3. Defining the population which is exposed; using census data, voters list etc. 4. Rapid search for cases 5. Analysis of initial data: Description of the cases in terms of time, place and person
What is an epidemiological summary and why is it important?
An epidemiological summary (“epi summary”) is a useful tool to share information about an outbreak investigation, and to ensure that all individuals involved are using the same information to guide response activities such as public communications or food recalls. Outbreak investigations may evolve quickly and involve large volumes of information.
What happens during an outbreak investigation?
Outbreak investigations may evolve quickly and involve large volumes of information. Communication is very important during an outbreak, not only among the investigation team, but also with other internal and external partners and/or stakeholders (which may include the media and the general public).
Can epidemiologists afford to conduct “quick and dirty” investigations?
Once the decision to conduct a field investigation of an acute outbreak has been made, working quickly is essential — as is getting the right answer. In other words, epidemiologists cannot afford to conduct an investigation that is “quick and dirty.” They must conduct investigations that are “quick and clean.”