Neutra R
Environ Health Perspect. 1983 Feb;48:99-104. doi: 10.1289/ehp.834899.
Aside from the well-recognized role of documenting the extent of any health impact from exposure to environmental chemicals, epidemiology has other potential roles. Arguing by analogy from the function of epidemiology in the infectious disease field, two practical public health functions are mentioned. The first is rumor abatement: simply characterizing the population exposed and documenting the frequency of salient complaints and providing this to the affected population, so as to separate fact from fiction. Another practical public health function is to review available data bases to document the number of individuals exposed to such chemicals and a review of gross trends by place and time to set public fears in proper perspective. There are important descriptive scientific functions as well, namely, to document any syndromes or symptom patterns which may be associated with chemical exposures and to document the natural history and progression of clinical and preclinical conditions associated with chemical exposures. The sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of tests for preclinical disease are discussed.
除了记录接触环境化学物质对健康造成的影响程度这一广为人知的作用外，流行病学还有其他潜在作用。通过类比流行病学在传染病领域的功能，提到了两项实际的公共卫生功能。第一项是平息谣言：简单描述接触人群的特征，记录突出症状的发生频率，并将这些信息提供给受影响人群，以便区分事实与虚构。另一项实际的公共卫生功能是审查现有数据库，记录接触此类化学物质的个体数量，并按地点和时间审查总体趋势，以便正确看待公众的担忧。流行病学还有重要的描述性科学功能，即记录可能与化学物质接触相关的任何综合征或症状模式，以及记录与化学物质接触相关的临床和临床前疾病的自然史及进展情况。文中还讨论了临床前疾病检测的敏感性、特异性和预测价值。
