Includes bibliographical references and index.

What is epidemiology? The nature, scope, variables, principal measures, and designs of a biological, clinical, social and ecological science -- The epidemiological concept of population -- Variation in disease by time, place, and person: background and a framework for analysis of genetic and environmental effects -- Error, bias and confounding in epidemiology -- Cause and effect: the epidemiological approach -- Interrelated concepts in the epidemiology of disease: natural history and incubation period, time trends in populations, spectrum, iceberg, and screening -- The concept of risk and fundamental measures of disease frequency: incidence and prevalence -- Summarizing, presenting and interpreting epidemiological data: building on incidence and prevalence -- Epidemiological study designs and principles of data analysis: a conceptually integrated suite of methods and techniques -- Epidemiology in the past, present and the future: theory, ethics, context, and critical appraisal.

Epidemiology is a population science that underpins health improvement and health care, by exploring and establishing the pattern, frequency, trends, and causes of a disease. Concepts of Epidemiology comprehensively describes the application of core epidemiological concepts and principles to readers interested in population health research, policy making, health service planning, health promotion, and clinical care.