Encyclopedia of Epidemiology

Sarah E. Boslaugh, Ph.D., M.P.H., has over 20 years of experience in statistical analysis, grant writing, and teaching; her employers and clients have included the New York City Public Schools, Montefiore Medical Center, Kennesaw State University, Washington University School of Medicine, and Saint Louis University. She served as editor-in-chief for the Encyclopedia of Epidemiology (SAGE, 2007), and has published three additional books: An Intermediate Guide to SPSS Programming: Using Syntax for Data Management (SAGE, 2004), Secondary Data Sources for Public Health: A Practical Guide (Cambridge University Press, 2007), and Statistics in a Nutshell (O'Reilly, 2nd ed., 2012). Boslaugh received her Ph.D. in measurement and evaluation from the City University of New York Graduate Center and her M.P.H. from Saint Louis University. She is currently a technical writer and editor at Saint Louis University in Missouri. She specializes in data-based articles and explaining statistical principles to the general public. Her research interests include comparative health care delivery systems, quality of life measurement, and gender and sexuality issues in health care delivery. In her spare time, she reviews films and books for PopMatters (http://www.popmatters.com) and Playback St. Louis (http://www.playbackstl.com).

"As the chief editor states, 'epidemiology is one of the foundational sciences of public health and evidence based medicine.' These two volumes serve their purpose well: 'to describe basic epidemiologic concepts in sufficient depth for practitioners' and also nonspecialists. The set fills a niche between mere dictionaries and highly technical encyclopedias; it is directed toward students and others outside the field of epidemiology who require a working knowledge of underlying concepts. The simple alphabetical arrangement is enhanced by a categorized guide that facilitates the study of epidemiology. Under 'Epidemiologic Data,' contributors explain major health data sources such as the Framingham Heart Study, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and National Health Interview Survey. Reflecting the interrelationship with diverse fields, topics range from health psychology to health economics, ethics, and biostatistics. Some articles desribe underlying biostatistical concepts-from measures of central tendency, to kappa, to the Pearson correlation coefficient. Others explain public health research design, including community studies, and address the value and limitations of case reports and case series. Of particular note is a decision chart to help in choosing appropriate research designs. Health students and faculty will desire an online version of this gem! Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates through professional practitioners." -CHOICE -- M.K. Hartung * Choice *