Epidemiology is the branch of medicine which deals with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health within a population base.

Epidemiology uses evidence based processes to collect information regarding incidence of disease, population distribution, availability of resources, and other information to drive research into solutions regarding disease control. Epidemiologists have been called “disease detectives” for this reason.

The department has nurses who have undergone special training in disease investigation and epidemiology. They work in conjunction with epidemiologists at Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to investigate and provide disease surveillance in our county.

Epidemiology is especially important to public health to better understand the burden of health problems in human populations and to make changes that decrease risk and improve health.

Epidemiology can help us identify and understand the factors that influence the emergence, severity, and consequences of health problems.

Human beings have always sought to understand and explain the occurrence of disease and death. Today's approach to epidemiology is the culmination of processes that have been developed and evolved over the past 150 years.

For more information on epidemiology, click here.