Epidemiology and Local Public Health
54 Meadow St.
(203) 946-8239
What is epidemiology?
Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health problems in specified populations and applying the learned information to control the health problems.
It is the scientific method of problem solving used by "disease detectives" to get to the root of health problems in a community. For more information: http://www.cdc.gov/excite/about.htm
What is the mission of Epidemiology at the New Haven Health Department?
To collect, analyze and disseminate data that provides the New Haven Health Department and the community with information for public health action.
What are the types of things epidemiology does at the New Haven Health Department?
- Monitor reportable disease to identify clusters in space and time that might suggest an outbreak.
- Investigate disease outbreaks
- Analyze data from birth certificates to identify potential ways to improve infant health
- Write reports that summarize the health data from New Haven on topics such as the public health impact of violence.
- Conduct studies on health issues such as obesity in New Haven school children
- Provide advice and information to the public on how to control infectious diseases
For most of these tasks Epidemiology collaborates with other sections of the New Haven Health Department, the CT Department of Public Health and other organizations in New Haven (e.g., Yale School of Public Health, Yale New Haven Health System, DataHaven, and Community Foundation for New Haven).
Epidemiology Reports and Results
Resources
Links to information from CDC on enteric pathogens:
Salmonella - http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/
Campylobacter - http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/campylobacter/
Shigella - http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/shigellosis/
Giardia - http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/giardia/
E. coli - http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/
Cyclospora - http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/
Yersinia enterocolitica - http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/yersinia/
Listeria - http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/index.html
Cryptosporidium - http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/crypto/
Vital statistics information (births, deaths etc) for New Haven and other places in CT
Reportable disease for New Haven and other counties
Links to a number of different infectious and non-infectious conditions under surveillance
