Introduction

What is Epidemiology?
Epidemiology is the scientific study of factors affecting the health and illness of populations, and it serves as the foundation and logic of interventions made in the interest of public health and preventive medicine. It is considered a cornerstone methodology of public health research, and is highly regarded in evidence-based medicine for identifying risk factors for disease and determining optimal treatment approaches to clinical practice.

What Do Epidemiologists Do?
Epidemiologists work on issues ranging from the practical, such as outbreak investigation, environmental exposure, and health promotion, to the theoretical, including the development of statistical, mathematical, philosophical, biological, and psychosocial theory. To this end, epidemiologists employ a range of study designs from the observational to experimental, with the purpose of revealing unbiased relationships between exposures such as tobacco, nutrition, biological agents, stress, or chemicals to outcomes such as disease, wellness and other health indicators. Defining the diseases, drawing disease causal chains, and formulation of health strategy are important aspects of epidemiology. Modern epidemiologists use disease informatics as a tool.

Epidemiologists work in a variety of settings. Some work in the community, commonly in a public health service, and are often at the forefront of investigating and combating disease outbreaks. Others work for non-profit organizations, universities, and larger government entities like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The term 'epidemiologic triangle' is used to describe the intersection of Host, Agent, and Environment in analyzing an outbreak or disease investigation.

LSU SPH Epidemiology Mission Statement
The mission of the Epidemiology Program at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Public Health is to study disease distribution and the determinants of health and disease risk in human populations and to develop the means for prevention and control, with a special emphasis on  underserved populations and health disparities in Louisiana.  This is accomplished through research, education and service.