Oxford Handbook of Epidemiology for Clinicians

About this Book

• Combines the trusted format of the Oxford Handbooks with a comprehensive guide to the clinical application of epidemiology
• Encourages discussion on such topics as controversies in prevention intervention with the authors posing pertinent questions throughout
• Focuses on the use of clinical evidence in everyday practice
• Outlines how to undertake research, conduct reviews of evidence, write-up publications

The Oxford Handbook of Epidemiology for Clinicians provides all the information required by students and junior doctors who need to understand and translate key epidemio logical concepts into medical practice. Unlike standard textbooks in this area, the focus throughout is on clinical applications of epidemiological knowledge. Divided into four sections, the handbook begins with the basics of epidemiology in the clinic, moving on to the theories behind evidence-based practice, discussions of optimum methods and studies, and then ends by looking at the epidemiology of common diseases. The material is presented in a logical manner, from problems to the most appropriate solutions or tools to be applied. Interesting topics such as controversies in prevention intervention encourage discussion and thought, and the authors pose sensible and important questions throughout. This handbook is a must for all junior doctors, medical students, and clinicians who need to apply epidemiological concepts to day-to-day practice or who want a practical step-by-step guide to undertaking research, conducting reviews of evidence, or writing up publications.

Readership: This book is essential reading for clinicians and junior doctors in all clinical specialties, and medical students for use during their clinical attachments; it will also serve as a revision guide for those taking postgraduate courses in clinical epidemiology.

Reviews

"More than ever clinicians need to understand evidence. This handbook is an invaluable means for grasping the principles of epidemiology as applied to everyday clinical practice. It also makes the case for integrating evidence-based prevention into our work, and includes an excellent guide to the epidemiology of diseases."
- From the Foreward by Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham PC, KBE

Table of Contents

Section 1: Epidemiology in the clinic

• 1:  The diagnostic process
• 2:  Clinical management decisions
• 3:  Risk communication and promoting health

Section 2: Evidence-based practice

• 4:  Finding and summarising evidence
• 5:  Preventive medicine and screening
• 6:  Evaluating clinical practice

Section 3: Epidemiological methods

• 7:  Types of study
• 8:  Sources of data
• 9:  Statistical concepts
• 10: Statistical techniques in clinical medicine

Section 4: Epidemiology of common diseases

• 11: Chronic disease
• 12: Infectious disease

Author Information

Helen Ward works as clinical senior lecturer at the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College, London and Honorary Consultant at the Department of Genitourinary Medicine at St Mary's NHS Trust in London. She has been principal investigator, co-investigator and collaborator on a number of project grants since 1988, as well as coordinator and project leader of a European initiative to promote health and reduce HIV/STI risks in the sex industry. She has been public Health lead for a Sexual Health Improvement and Protection (SHIP) team in West London, coordinating partner notification, outbreak investigation and health promotion for local population. She has worked in outpatient clinics in Genitourinary Medicine at St Mary's, and lead clinician for the Praed Street Project and Working Men's Project, two innovative clinical, health promotion and outreach services for sex workers in London.

Mireille Toledano is an epidemiologist who has published in international journals and presented to a wide variety of audiences including national and international academic groups, scientific bodies, data registries, and industry. She has a particularly strong interest in the exposure assessment and reproductive epidemiology of disinfection by-products in drinking water, the potential adverse health effects of mobile phone use, the epidemiology of liver tumours, and current trends in male reproductive health in the light of the endocrine disrupter hypothesis.

Paul Elliott is Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health Medicine and Head of the Division of Epidemiology at the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London. Since 1991 Paul has been Director of UK Small Area Health Statistics Unit, since 1995, he has been Honorary Consultant in Public Health Medicine at the Kensington & Chelsea Primary Care Trust, since 1990 he has been Honorary Consultant Physician at the Department of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, and since 1998 he has been Honorary Consultant at St Mary's Hospital Trust.

Gavin Shaddick is senior lecturer in statistics at the Department of Mathematical Sciences at University of Bath. He has previously held positions as a lecturer at the University of Bath, a research assistant at the Department of Epidemiology at Imperial College, London, and a research assistant and fellow at the Environmental Epidemiology Unit, London, School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Bethan Davies studied Medicine at Cambridge University and is training in Public Health. She is currently working as a Clinical Research Fellow at Imperial College London.