Epidemiological Studies: A Practical Guide

by Silman, Alan J.; Macfarlane, Gary J.; Macfarlane, Tatiana

• ISBN13: 9780198814726
• ISBN10: 0198814720
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2018-12-18
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Author Biography

Alan J. Silman, Professor of Musculoskeletal Health, Botnar Research Institute, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, UK,Gary J. Macfarlane, Professor of Epidemiology and Deputy Director of the Institute of Applied Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, UK,Tatiana Macfarlane, Honary Reader, Epidemiology Group, Institute of Applied Health Sciences (Research), School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, UK

Alan Silman is an epidemiologist and rheumatologist. He was Director of Arthritis Research UK's Epidemiology Unit at the University of Manchester from 1988-2006, before moving on to become that organisation's first Medical Director from 2007-2014. Since 2015 he has been Professor of Musculoskeletal Health at the University of Oxford working in the fields of comorbidity and big data.


Gary Macfarlane trained in statistics and then medicine at the University of Glasgow before undertaking a PhD in epidemiology at the University of Bristol. He was a cancer epidemiologist at the European Institute of Oncology, Milan, held the Chair in Epidemiology at the University of Manchester and currently holds the same position at The University of Aberdeen (as well as being a Consultant in the Department of Public Health at NHS Grampian) with a research focus on musculoskeletal conditions.


Tatiana Macfarlane trained in mathematics at Lomonosov Moscow State University. She was a cancer epidemiologist at the Blokhin Cancer Research Centre in Moscow, the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyons and the European Institute of Oncology in Milan. She undertook a PhD in epidemiology at The University of Manchester Dental School where she was Lecturer then Senior Lecturer. She was a Reader in Epidemiology at The University of Aberdeen and is currently an epidemiologist at The University of Dundee.

Table of Contents

Part A: Introudction
1. Scope of epidemiological enquiry and overview of main problem areas
Part B: Measuring the Occurrence of Disease
2. Which measure of disease occurrence?
3. Comparing rates: between and within populations
4. Studies of disease occurrence: the population
5. Studies of disease occurrence: assessing disease status in study populations
Part C: Studying Associations between Exposures and Disease
6. Which type of epidemiological study?
7. Quantifying the association between exposures and diseases: which measure?
Part D: Selection of Populations and Samples to Study in studies of disease aetiology
8. Studies of disease causation
9. Use of secondary data
Part E: Information from Epidemiological Studies
10. Collecting information
11. Obtaining valid information
12. Repeatability
13. Participation in epidemiology studies
14. Feasibility and pilot studies
Part F: Analysis and Interpretation of Epidemiological Data
15. Preparation of collected primary data for statistical analysis
16. Introductory data analysis: descriptive epidemiology
17. Introductory data analysis: analytical epidemiology
18. Confounding
19. Bias
20. Association or causation
Part G: Coherence of evidence across studies
21. Reviews of evidence
22. Meta-analysis
Part H: Other Practical Issues
23. Ethical issues in epidemiology
24. The costs of an epidemiological study