On this week's episode of the pod, we discuss the history of epidemiology. We kick things off with a definition of the term and clarify that epidemiology is not specific to infectious disease but rather all diseases, as well as their risk factors. We take a trip down memory lane and revisit the different eras of epidemiology including the sanitary era, the infectious disease era, the risk factor and black box epidemiology era, and what many call the eco-epidemiology era of today. We dig into some epidemiological case studies of yesteryear, including the famous case of John Snow and the Broad Street Cholera outbreak of 1854. We also highlight some other key players in the evolution of epidemiology as a science and the critical roles they played. We also briefly discuss Hill's causal criteria and their use (still today!) in strengthening our confidence in attributing a causal link to an association. We hope you enjoy!
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