Disease Clusters
Johns Hopkins University
Do a lot of people in your neighborhood all seem to have the same sickness? Are people concerned about high rates of cancer? Your community may want to explore the possibility of a disease cluster, which happens when there is a higher number of cases of disease than expected. When communities hear about cases of disease in their neighborhood, they are rightfully concerned. However, the results of investigations by the health department often find no evidence of a cluster. This course will h
About this Course
Do a lot of people in your neighborhood all seem to have the same sickness? Are people concerned about high rates of cancer? Your community may want to explore the possibility of a disease cluster, which happens when there is a higher number of cases of disease than expected. When communities hear about cases of disease in their neighborhood, they are rightfully concerned. However, the results of investigations by the health department often find no evidence of a cluster. This course will h
What You'll Learn
- Explain how disease is studied.
- Describe what happens during a disease cluster investigation.
- Assess the two main parameters of a disease cluster investigation: time and space.
- Explain challenges in studying disease clusters, including why they often yield inconclusive results.
Instructors
Dr. Megan Weil Latshaw, PhD
Bloomberg School of Public Health
Dr. Ellen Silbergeld
Environmental Health and Engineering