IJE Advance Access published online on December 17, 2008
International Journal of Epidemiology, doi:10.1093/ije/dyn266
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Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association © The Author 2008; all rights reserved.
Response: Time for species—course epidemiology?
Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University Wellington Campus, Wellington, New Zealand.
* Corresponding author. E-mail: n.e.pearce@massey.ac.nz
Accepted 2 October 2008
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There is much we agree with in the wide-ranging paper by Maziak,1 much we disagree with or find unclear, and some comments that could perhaps be best described as ‘random’. Rather than attempt to answer every point, we will discuss four particular issues.
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Is epidemiology in crisis? |
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As Maziak notes,1 the recent uncertainty surrounding the relation between hormone replacement therapy and cardiovascular disease has re-ignited debates about the value and future of epidemiology. These criticisms clearly have some validity, and there are legitimate reasons for concern about drawing strong conclusions from studies of the small risks of specific health-oriented behaviours. Usually, there are major problems of residual confounding,2,3 and behaviours and exposures are considered in isolation and ‘out of context’, so that inappropriate or even hazardous interventions can result.4 However, it is irrational to condemn a whole field of science, or to regard it as being in crisis, because of the problems with a
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Is asthma epidemiology in crisis? |
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Is an evolutionary perspective the answer? |
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Where to from here? |
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Conclusions |
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Funding |
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