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Semin Hear 2021; 42(01): 003-009
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1725996
Review Article

Interpreting Results from Epidemiologic Studies

Jennifer A. Deal
1   Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
2   Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
3   Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
,
Joshua Betz
3   Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
4   Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
,
Frank R. Lin
1   Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
2   Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
3   Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
,
Nicholas S. Reed
1   Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
2   Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
3   Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
› Author Affiliations Funding J.A.D. was supported by NIH/NIA grant K01AG054693. N.S.R. was supported by NIH/NIA grant K23AG065443.
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Abstract

Epidemiology is the science of public health. The focus of this discussion is to present a brief overview of how epidemiology approaches questions of disease causation, including why it sometimes gets things wrong, and so to provide a framework for how we consume and use this type of research, particularly when it comes to patient care.

Keywords

epidemiology - causal inference


Publication History

Article published online:
15 April 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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