Epidemiology: A Manual for South Africa

A comprehensive introduction to epidemiology with a unique South African flavor, this book features local examples and highlights local issues throughout. Its straightforward style and practical approach make it accessible even to non-specialists with an interest in the topic. Contributions from a wide range of South African experts cover the key concepts and the philosophy of epidemiology; the steps of the research process and protocol development; data presentation, analysis and interpretation; the alternative approaches that mau be used in epidemiology; and epidemiology's application in different content areas, such as outbreak investigations, psychiatric epidemiology, and health economics. The book's user-friendly format is structured to include specific formulas for key epidemiological rates, listings of routinely available data, case studies, and flow charts. Minimal use of formulas has been employed throughout.