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In-ves-ti-ga-ting epi-de-mio-lo-gy

By etavares On 30 June, 2011 Science Space | 2011 Comments Off on In-ves-ti-ga-ting epi-de-mio-lo-gy No tags

Abstract: The author searches for the roots of the act of researching in order to establish routes and apply them to the field of epidemiology, from an applied viewpoint and from the stance of the health professional. Quotes are used to increase the dialectic capacity of the discourse.

PARTIDAS 
It is interesting how the word ‘investigate’ is used to solve crimes, to describe meditative insights, artistic creations, journalistic inquiries and applications of the scientific method. I believe that to investigate, ‘to look out for traces’, endeavour to discover the truth (external, interior), a language, a social representation or knowledge, answers a call: disquiet.

This call may even be socially driven; however, in terms of research, it is informed by profoundly personal reasons. It may stem from the awareness that the rules and knowledge according to which we act are constantly changing, ‘based on evidence’, as part of a dynamic we wish to be part of; it may originate in the questions, concerns, individual theories, the ‘maybes’ and the ‘why nots’, or in personal observations about situations we experience in different ways and which are poorly explained; perhaps it is the result of our awareness that our role in the world may be leaving it slightly better than when we found it.

If I begin this text with an existentialist approach, it is because I  believe that the best reason to go along and sail the seas and currents of research, including learning about it, is to acknowledge that call. As a creative, uncertain, little institutionalized, poorly valued and quite lonely process (even when working as part of a team), research has everything to be a demanding and daunting exercise, was it not for the fact that it is a fascinating journey.

ROUTES 
There are generally two routes for this journey, and they are not mutually exclusive. Actually, they see each other and they often intertwine, building their own viewpoints on the same objects, in their own way.

The first route concerns content. By mastering the conceptual models of a particular field and understanding the evolution of those models, we become interested about how they are developed, and start to note their inconsistencies and discrepancies, as well as to advance alternative hypotheses.

The second route concerns methods. Whether from a more epistemological stance (how do we know what we think we know?), or from a more practical one (for instance, in order to carry out a small project: what can we know with the information at our disposal?), we begin wishing to understand the building processes of scientific knowledge. We then understand the opportunities, constraints, vulnerabilities and potential of the various research methods applied to a more or less specific situation. We also understand that, like cooking ingredients, they can be mixed to produce new recipes, as long as we understand their properties and ‘intrinsic mechanics’.

In order to build knowledge, these courses not only intertwine, but stem from each other. Possibly, many of the discrepancies and constraints that explain a given phenomenon can be attributed to distinct methods used in its study. To explore and test hypotheses also makes us look into research methodologies. On the other hand, the intrinsic mechanics and the properties of methods require an action field and a context. Mathematical formulae and study designs alone are one-dimensional: without a field for action, they do not possess the relevance to enable us to understand the richness of their application. 

Methods and content are like two legs of the same body: moving just one leg will not take us very far. It is acknowledged that this body has other parts that can be individual routes: ethics, management, communication, politics, and education (the list could be extended). These parts make the route richer and the journey truly a fascinating one.

ITINERARIES
Epidemiology offers a language for the construction of knowledge applied to human health. It is not the only one, for which reason it goes hand in hand with biology, sociology, and all the health knowledge fields outside epidemiological methods (for instance, health policies).
However, it establishes a dialogue and builds with the remaining areas, as part of its mission to understand and describe health phenomena and apply that knowledge to control health issues.

Accordingly, epidemiology forms a body of instruments and representation processes of health knowledge which enables critical analysis, the construction of knowledge and support to decision-making [individual, abstract (for instance, clinical guidelines), population, and political]. In the struggle for knowledge, epidemiology deals with the art of combat. It is not sufficient on its own, but it grows by serving other human health fields and establishes links with similar areas (economics, management, ecology, sociology, etc.)

 

GUIDES
Returning to the travelling analogy and to the ‘act of moving about’, there are gradients in the quality of that experience: we may be just passing by, choose a more or less short route, use a guide, benefit from the fact of having a friend living in the area, or even live there on a temporary basis. The possibility of understanding those other realities depends on that quality.

It is through training that guidance, preparation, follow-up and accomplishment of this journey takes place. The Postgraduate Programme in Epidemiology (http://edu.uepid.org), whose backbone is the Master Degree in Epidemiology, aims to be the place where the learning, practice and integration of epidemiology occurs, with a view to promoting critical competence, autonomy and networked teams within a research community, regardless of the field of research.

The door is wide open. Come in to know us.

 

Paulo Jorge Nicola
Guest Assistant
Institute of Preventive Medicine
pnicola@fm.ul.pt

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Index - News # 21 | mai/jun. 2011
 Editorial Note
 Tomada de posse dos Órgãos Sociais da AEFML
 Interview with Professor José Pereira Miguel – Director of the Institute of Preventive Medicine
 Interview with Dr. Luis Fernandes, from the Sports, Culture and Wellbeing Centre of the U. of Lisbon
 Celebrations of the 100 years of the Faculty of Medicine of the Unv. of Lisbon–Evocative exhibition
 Faculty to Help Project – AMI Campaign
 Celebrations of the Centenary of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon (1911/2011)
 There is sport at the Olympiads! – A view of the event before and after CODM
 Professor Pulido Valente Prize Ceremony – Teaching Award 2010
 Harvard Medical School Program – Portugal, Information Session, 25 May 2011
 100 places – routes within the university
 Neuroscientists hope that the future will allow early diagnosis of Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s disease
 Studying medicine at FMUL – Candidate’s day 2011
 Marking Examinations By Optical Reading (OCR)
 MOVE-TE (MOVE YOURSELF) PROJECT
 Food Bank Campaign 29 May 2011 Food Bank Campaign 29 May 2011
 Blood Collection Campaign at the FMUL
 The University of Lisbon celebrates Environment Day
 Arraial UL 2011
 Postgraduate Education – Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon
 Experience in participating in a project of the Institute of Preventive Medicine
 IMM researchers found that a pre-existing malaria infection can prevent a second infection
 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funds Portuguese research project on HIV/AIDS
 NEDAI/MSD Award distinguishes IMM researchers
 Academic Examinations at the Faculty Of Medicine of The University Of Lisbon
 Publications FMUL/HSM/IMM
 Quaternary prevention
 Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in Employment Strategies
 Clinical Epidemiology – The epidemiological method in clinical practice and research
 Tobacco or Health. The added responsability of Medical Schools
 Early detection and brief interventions for harmful alcohol consumption in Primary Health Care
 Pharmacovigilance in Public Health Protection
 The ÍCARO (ICARUS) PROJECT: 15 years of research and surveillance
 Impact Assessment on Health in Times of Crisis
 Health Communication
 Drugs and Public Health
 Health Policy
 In-ves-ti-ga-ting epi-de-mio-lo-gy
 Environmental and Occupational Health at the Institute of Preventive Medicine
 FCT Research Unit of the Institute of Preventive Medicine
 Evaluation of Children’s Food Consumption
 Amsterdam, a city without prejudice
 Interview with Maria Manuela Lopes – the artist in residence at the IMM
 Science and Health Research
 Desporto, Cultura e Bem-estar da Universidade de Lisboa – Actividades em Julho
 Indicators of the 14th Programme “Education through Science” – 2010/2011
 “MEETINGS – ANATOMY PUZZLE” – Museum of Medicine
 UNIVERSITY OF LISBON / AMADEU DIAS FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS (2011/2012)
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100 AnosPropriedade e Edição: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa NIPC: 502662875  Periodicidade: Mensal  Diretor: Prof. Doutor Fausto J. Pinto Conselho Editorial: Prof. Doutor Fausto J. Pinto, Profª. Doutora Ana Sebastião, Prof. Doutor Mamede de Carvalho, Prof. Doutor António Vaz Carneiro, Prof. Doutor Miguel Castanho, Dr. Luís Pereira  Equipa Editorial:  Ana Raquel Moreira, Cristina Bastos, Isabel Varela, Joana Sousa, Maria de Lurdes Barata, Rui Gomes, Sónia Teixeira  Colaboração:  Gabinete de Relações Públicas, Internacionais e Comunicação  Versão Inglesa: AP|PORTUGAL- Language Services  Conceção: Metatexto, Lda. e-mail: news@medicina.ulisboa.pt  Sede do Editor e Sede da Redação: Avenida Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa Estatuto Editorial Anotado na ERC 

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