PRINCIPLES IN EPIDEMIOLOGY : CLASSIFICATION OF DISEASES

By: Andi Agus Mumang, S.KM

Epidemiology learn technique about distribution of characteristics on group or community in a population with the aim of identifying the characteristics of normal and abnormal (Barher, 1983). In a study about incidence of peptic ulcer disease (gastric ulcer) between cities was obtained a different frequency. For example, in India and Africa above 20% while in the UK around 1-2%. It is influenced by many factors such as the accuracy of the diagnosis. Diagnostic accuracy is affected by the virus attributes, or the difficulty of classifying the disease as patient characteristics were dubious.

Here, the role of Epidemiology to explain and provide the classification of an illness in order to obtain a clear picture of the disease that will facilitate the accurate diagnosis of an illness. An epidemiologist, typically perform classification based on the frequency distribution obtained through a variety of epidemiological studies.

Gordis (1996) is one among epidemiologists who classify the disease into six sections according to the fatality rate of the disease in the order of levels in apparent, mild, moderate, severe, and fatal recovery as described in the previous picture.

There is also the so-called iceberg concept of infectious disease (concept iceberg) categorizing phase subclinical disease and clinical phase of disease, each consisting of:

Phase subclinical disease include

• Infection without clinical illness
• Exposure without infection
• While in the clinical phase of disease consists of
• Classical and severe disease
• Moderate severity mild illness

(Gordis, 1996)

Other epidemiological experts such as Brian Mac Mahon wrote in his book, "Epidemiology Principles and Methods" that the classification of the disease is classified into two categories:

• Category manifestations, is a person suffering from a disease based on symptoms and signs or network changes and body function disorders. For example, diabetic patients, common cold, mental retardation, schizophrenia, etc. 
• Category cause is a group of diseases that rely heavily on the cause of the disease. For example poisoning, syphilis, etc.