What is epidemiology?
Epidemiology is a scientific discipline commonly defined as the study of the distribution and determinants of disease and injury in human populations. This broad scope includes understanding the distribution, patterns and causes of adverse health outcomes as well as those associated with their control and prevention, and the complex interaction of factors that play a role in these processes. The key element that distinguishes epidemiology from other health sciences is its focus on groups and populations, rather than individuals, and thus it can viewed as the foundation of public health research and evidence-based practice.
What do we do?
Epidemiologists observe, investigate and analyze how the distribution of disease varies by age, gender, race, behavior and lifestyle choices, occupational and environmental exposures, genetic determinants, pre- or co-existing conditions, screening and medical interventions, health protective laws and other factors. This makes epidemiology inherently multi- and cross-disciplinary, and is evidenced in the breadth of courses offered in our department such as infectious, chronic, cancer, cardiovascular, oral, environmental and occupational and managerial epidemiology, as well as by the range of research topics engaged in by our faculty and students.
What do we offer?
The Epidemiology Department in the UK College of Pubic Health, and their faculty, are committed to the practice of epidemiology in our teaching, our research and our service. We teach basic epidemiologic principles to all students in the various programs in our college, as well as to students and professionals in a wide range of disciplines, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry and veterinary sciences. The more advanced and specialty courses are usually targeted to individuals seeking a career or more in-depth training in epidemiology. Our faculty conduct research across a number of areas of interest, such as cancer prevention and survival, infectious diseases, environmental effects on health, pharmacoepidemiology and health effects of injury, trauma and abuse. Students have opportunities to work with faculty in research projects, both as research assistants and as part of their capstone requirements.
Tucker T, Huang B, Klinglesmith R, Tuckson, W. Colorectal Screening Practices in Kentucky. Journal of the Kentucky Medical Association. Vol. 3, No. 8, August 2005. [peer-reviewed]
Lengerich EJ, Tucker TC, Powell RK, Colsher P, Lehman E, Ward AJ, Siedlecki JC, and Wyatt SW. Cancer incidence in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia: Disparities in Appalachia. Journal of Rural Health, Vol. 21, No. 1, Winter 2005. [peer-reviewed]
Tucker T. 1998-2002 Cancer Incidence Report. Kentucky Cancer Registry. Lexington (KY): University of Kentucky, Markey Cancer Control Program, 2005.
Fritsch, T.A., Tarima, S. S., Caldwell, G. G., Beaven, S. Intimate Partner Violence Against Older Women in Kentucky. Journal of the Kentucky Medical Association, 2005;103:461-463.
Fritsch, T.A., Tarima, S. S., Caldwell, G. G., Beaven, S. Intimate Partner Violence Against Kentucky Women: Prevalence and Health Consequences. Journal of the Kentucky Medical Association, 2005;103:456-460.
Fritsch TA, Tarima SS, Caldwell GG, and Beaven S. Population-based Surveillance of Intimate Partner Violence Against Kentucky Women: A Comparison of State and National Definitions and Findings. Kentucky Epidemiological Notes and Reports. KY Frankfort: Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Department for Public Health; March 2005.
Tackett, J., Charnigo, R., Caldwell, G. G. Relating West Nile Virus Case Fatality Rates to Demographic and Surveillance Variables. Submitted to Public Health Reports, 2005.
Olges, Jennifer R., Brian S. Murphy, Glyn G. Caldwell, and Alice C. Thornton. Testing Practices and Knowledge of HIV among Prenatal Care Providers in Kentucky. Submitted to the Journal of the Kentucky Medical Association, 2006.
Murphy, Brian S., Orlandi, Palmer A., Caldwell, Glyn G., and Ribes, Julie A. Detection of Microsporidia and Other Parasite Infections in Haitian Children Being Treated for Malnutrition. Submitted to Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2006.
Christian WJ, Hopenhayn C, Centeno J Distribution of urinary selenium and urinary arsenic measures among pregnant women exposed to moderate arsenic levels in drinking water, In Press, Environmental Research.
Schoenberg NE, Hopenhayn C, Christian A, Knight EA, Rubio A. An in-depth and updated perspective on determinants of cervical cancer screening among central Appalachian women. In Press in Women and Health.
Hopenhayn C, Bush H, Christian A, Shelton B. Comparison of invasive cervical cancer rates in three Appalachian states. In Press in Preventive Medicine
Bunn, TL, Slavovoa S, Struttman TW, Browning SR. Sleepiness/fatigue and distraction/inattention as factors for fatal versus nonfatal commercial motor vehicle driver injuries. Accid. Anal Prev. September 37(5) 862-9, 2005
Fleming, S.T., McDavid, K., Pearce, K., and Pavlov, D. (2006) Comorbidities and the risk of late-stage prostate cancer. TSW Urology 1, 163–173. DOI 10.1100/tswurol.2006.142.
Fleming ST, Pursley HG, Newman B, Pavlov D, Chen K. 2005. Comorbidity as a predictor of stage of illness for patients with breast cancer. Medical Care 43(2):132-140.
Amit Chattopadhyay & Jayanth V. Kumar. Chapter 4: Fluoride Technology - A Global Perspective. In Fluoride Use in Dentistry, 2006, India (in press – Elsevier South Asia Publishers).
In press /Accepted
Diane C. Shugars, Margo Adesanya, Scott R. Diehl,Robert S. Redman, Kevin J. Malley, Rebeka G. Silva, Sam E. Farish, Thomas Francis, Robert M. Craig, Trina Jones-Richardson, C. Richard Buchanan, Ruth Jordan, Amit Chattopadhyay, Deborah E. Winn. Self-awareness of premalignant oral lesions among United States veterans. Journal of Special Care Dentistry.
Amit Chattopadhyay, Sharmila Chatterjee. Epidemiology of Recurrent Aphthous Ulcers among Adults in the United States. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology.
In print
E Schaff-Blass, R. G. Rozier, A. Chattopadhyay, R Quinonez, W F. Vann. Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention in Oral Health for Pediatric Residents. Ambulatory Pediatrics 2006;6.
E. Blignaut, L.L. Patton, W. Nittayananta, V. Ramirez-Amador, K. Ranganathan, A. Chattopadhyay. (A3) HIV Phenotypes, Oral Lesions, and Management of HIV-related Disease. Adv Dent Res 19:122-129, April, 2006.
Kishore Shetty, Amit Chattopadhyay, Janet E Leigh. Detection and Typing of Human Papilloma Virus in the Oral Mucosa of Patients Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Oral Oncology Extra 2005 November; 41: 311-315.
Okunseri C, Chattopadhyay A, Lugo IR, McGrath C. Pilot survey of oral health related quality of life. A cross-sectional study of adults in Benin City, Nigeria. BMC Oral Health. 2005 Jul 25;5(1):7
Chattopadhyay A, Caplan DJ, Slade GD, Shugars DC, Tien H-C, Patton LL. Risk indicators for oral candidiasis and oral hairy leukoplakia in HIV-infected adults. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2005; 33: 35–44.
Chattopadhyay A, Caplan DJ, Slade GD, Shugars DC, Tien, H-C, Patton LL. Incidence of oral candidiasis and oral hairy leukoplakia in HIV-infected adults in North Carolina. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2005;99(1):39-47.
Okunseri C, Chattopadhyay A. Self Reported Dental Visits among Adults in Benin City, Nigeria. International Dental Journal. 2005; 54:450-456.
