Why epidemiology?

Quick summary:
Epi-whatever
I have a talent for making cool things boring.
Epidemiology has scientific power.
Siddhartha Mukherjee wrote a brilliant book about cancer. Read it.
WashYourHandsingTon
Libertarians might hate epidemiology.

So just what is epidemiology anyway?

Most people I've told about my wanting to go into epidemiology react in one of three ways. Most frequently people say "What the hell is epi-whatever?" I've been surprised by the number of people who take a stab at what epidemiologists do. "So that's like... some kind of skin doctor?" The least common reaction is "Epi is so cool." Well, okay.

Epidemiology is about tracking disease incidences over time and space. The idea is to quantify data having to do with when, where, and how diseases spread in the hopes of developing measures to slow, stop, and prevent diseases from occurring. There's research and data gathering. There's a lot of statistical analysis involved. I have a talent for making things sound boring.

The power of epidemiology is what fascinates me. The ability to use quantitative data to devise methods and policies to slow infections or incidences of disease or death is incredible. Epidemiology is a fantastic mix of mathematics, biology, and social sciences that can and has allowed for enormous strides in reducing the impact of some of the world's deadliest diseases. The reason for this is the epidemiological emphasis on prevention.

It should be known that prevention of disease has had a far greater global impact on human survival than has treatment. Siddhartha Mukherjee describes well the impact of preventive medicine in his brilliant book The Emperor of All Maladies:

"If one plotted the decline in deaths from tuberculosis, for instance, the decline predated the arrival of new antibiotics by several decades. Far more potently than any miracle medicine, relatively uncelebrated shifts in civic arrangements -- better nutrition, housing, and sanitation, improved sewage systems and ventilation -- had driven down TB mortality in Europe and America."

Think, too, of seat belt and helmet laws, food labeling (for trans fats and the like), vaccines for all children, and shifts in public policy to encourage balanced diets and regular exercise. Remember those ads in our state (Washington), "Wash-your-hands-ington!" Brought to you by the state Dept of Health... based on epidemiologic knowledge. Of course hygiene is basically common knowledge now, but we have epidemiology to thank for that knowledge in a broad sense. Epidemiological studies play an important role in public policy, and as the cornerstone of public health, have shaped many aspects of our modern lives, both overtly and covertly.

So you can see that the power of epidemiology lies not only in the analytical and scientific heft of the study, but in advocacy and social health issues as well. There are some who undoubtedly shift uncomfortably in their seats reading about this, feeling that no institution or field should hold such sway. The ethical and moral sway of public health policy is yet another captivating aspect of the field for me. I wonder what Drew Carey thinks of epidemiology?

Good luck and good health, everyone.