Epidemiology is the branch of medicine that studies the incidence and possible control of diseases. The main goal of epidemiology is to identify risk factors for diseases and determine preventable measures to reduce the spread of the disease. These epidemiology facts help shed some light on what epidemiologists do for public health. Keep reading to learn some interesting facts about epidemiology!
Epidemiology Facts
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- John Snow is considered the father of epidemiology. (source) John Snow was an English doctor who was a leader in medical hygiene. He was able to trace an outbreak of cholera in London in 1854, which led to changes in the water and waste systems in London as well as other cities around the world.
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- The job growth of epidemiologists is expected to increase by 26% by 2031. (source) According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the role of epidemiologists is expected to grow 26% between 2021 and 2031. It ranks fifth on the list of health care careers with the highest projected growth.
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- Hippocrates was the first physician to examine the relationship between disease and environmental influences. (source) Hippocrates was a Greek physician who is known for being the father of modern medicine. He was the first doctor to categorize illnesses as acute, endemic, chronic, and epidemic.
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- Epidemiology was named the best science job in 2023. (source) U.S. News and World Report named epidemiology as the top science job of the year. Epidemiologists can work in a number of places including hospitals and governmental agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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- The biggest epidemic in the history of the world was the Black Death. (source) The most damaging epidemic by death toll in the world was the Black Death, also known as the Bubonic plague. The disease killed between 75 and 200 million people worldwide in the 14th century.
