Epidemiology is a science that investigates the health-sickness process in populations and analyzes determinants for the risk, occurrence and aggravation of diseases in groups of people, with the aim of producing information and orientations that might help in decision-making to prevent, control or eradicate these problems.
The importance of the knowledge generated by Epidemiology, for the orientation and definition of health policies as well as their subsequent evaluation, is widely recognized.
Epidemiology has grown markedly over the last decade. Despite this, the application of epidemiological methodology in the decisions made by Brazilian health administrators, principally at a municipal level, is still incipient. As such, the challenge is to use, process, and analyze existing epidemiological information, taking advantage of modern computer based analysis techniques, in order to provide a basis for the planning of actions and the definition of health policy.
In both the fields of teaching and research, the challenges are vast. The most important task being the formation of highly qualified and competent professionals in epidemiology, who, in turn, will guarantee the effective production of knowledge and elucidation of the phenomena related to the health-sickness process.
Objectives
- Develop epidemiological studies concerning human population groups, especially those of the semi-arid region of Bahia, which propose actions that can resolve the problems detected;
- To enable the student to develop all the stages of an epidemiological investigation (planning, execution, analysis and divulgation of a study);
- To enable the student to teach epidemiology;
- To enable, through the creation of scientific knowledge, an analysis of the health needs of the Feira de Santana Municipality and the semi-arid region.