epidemiology

[ ep-i-dee-mee-ol-uh-jee, -dem-ee- ]

noun

1. the study, assessment, and analysis of public health concerns in a given population; the tracking of patterns and effects of diseases, environmental toxins, natural disasters, violence, terrorist attacks, etc.:

   Without the profiles gleaned through epidemiology, our health agencies would be at a terrible loss when something like COVID-19 emerges.

epidemiology

/ ˌɛpɪˌdiːmɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl; ˌɛpɪˌdiːmɪˈɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the branch of medical science concerned with the occurrence, transmission, and control of epidemic diseases

epidemiology

/ ĕp′ĭ-dē′mē-ŏl′ə-jē /

1. The scientific study of the causes, distribution, and control of disease in populations.

Derived Forms

• ˌepiˌdemiˈologist, noun
• epidemiological, adjective
• ˌepiˌdemioˈlogically, adverb

Other Words From

• ep·i·de·mi·o·log·i·cal [ep-i-dee-mee-, uh, -, loj, -i-k, uh, l, -dem-ee-], adjective
• ep·i·de·mi·o·log·i·cal·ly adverb
• ep·i·de·mi·ol·o·gist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of epidemiology¹

First recorded in 1870–75; epidemi(c) + -o- + -logy

Example Sentences

I was going to have a career in teaching research epidemiology.

From Salon

“In epidemiology, this is called competing risk, which is just another way of saying we have a large number of diseases that compete for our lives,” Olshansky told Salon in a phone interview.

From Salon

Another is that the claim itself has fomented a surge of attacks on science and scientists that threatens to drive promising researchers out of the crucial field of pandemic epidemiology.

From Los Angeles Times

"These biases pervade the field of alcohol epidemiology and can confuse communications about health risks."

From Salon

And University College epidemiology professor Sir Michael Marmot said the UK had entered the pandemic with "depleted" public services, leaving it less able to cope.

From BBC