Health

Fatal opioid overdoses reduce US life expectancy by nearly a year

In the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, opioid-related deaths cut the nation's average life expectancy at birth by eight months, according to new research published in The Lancet Regional Health–Americas. The findings ...

Health

Exploring the dynamics of combating market-driven epidemics

A case definition of market-driven epidemics (MDEs) could help address critical barriers to timely, effective prevention and mitigation, according to a study published this week in PLOS Global Public Health by Jonathan Quick ...

Epidemic

In epidemiology, an epidemic (επι (epi)- meaning "upon or above" and δεμος (demos)- meaning "people"), occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience.:354 Epidemiologists often consider the term outbreak to be synonymous to epidemic, but the general public typically perceives outbreaks to be more local and less serious than epidemics:55, 354

An epidemic may be restricted to one locale, however if it spreads to other countries or continents and affects a substantial number of people, it may be termed a pandemic.:55 The declaration of an epidemic usually requires a good understanding of a baseline rate of incidence; epidemics for certain diseases, such as influenza, are defined as reaching some defined increase in incidence above this baseline. A few cases of a very rare disease may be classified as an epidemic, while many cases of a common disease (such as the common cold) would not.

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