Epidemiologija u praksi novog javnog zdravlja

Abstract

Epidemiology is the scientific basis of public health. That is why it has a special place within new public health; analysis of the collected data does provide evidence about risk factors which influence health of a population. This is the foundation of the complete concept of evidence-based medicine and public health, based on the same postulates. When we talk about the state- of the- art epidemiology, we can not make a clear distinction between infectious and non-infectious diseases. Moreover, it has been proven that certain microorganisms are directly responsible for the occurrence of most frequently seen chronic non-infectious diseases. In recent years, the system of epidemiological surveillance has been based on laboratory confirmation of a disease. This type of surveillance does not refer only to infectious diseases; it encompasses non-infectious ones, injuries, and other health-related conditions, risk factor related to life styles; environmental pollution and utilization of the right to health care. Nowadays, when we have been facing global health threats, World Health Organization has innovated International Health Regulations, with the purpose of preventing, protecting, controlling and providing the response of Public Health to those threats and the threat of international spread of diseases. The importance of epidemiology in Public Health is reflected in the fact that epidemiological information is used in planning, evaluation of strategies and disease prevention processes. It is also a guide in the process of treatment of the patients in whom the disease had already developed. Additionally, epidemiology provides the tools for evaluation of health problems and policies, based on populations and their needs. Serbian reform of the system of health care has resulted in adoption of the national health policy, defined priorities and development planning strategies for health care, strategies of Public Health. The latter defines the support in realization of the social assignment of care for health and provision of conditions in which the populations may be healthy. The discussion in our paper lists the problems and difficulties in realizing this Strategy and gives conclusions from the Conference of Serbian Specialists in Epidemiology. Both stress that it is necessary to define the role and place of epidemiologists in creating and defining legal provisions and realization of public health measures in practice. .