What is Epidemiology?

Epidemiology is the science of public health. Epidemiologists, better known as disease detectives, study diseases in populations or groups of people. We are interested in determining what causes a disease to occur, who is at risk, who gets sick & why, how we treat people who are already sick, and (most importantly) how we prevent people from getting sick in the first place.

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My goal is to share the epidemiological news that matters most to you - in a form you can understand and apply to prevent disease spread and create healthy communities.

Renowned epidemiologist Dr. Bill Foege (former Director of CDC) has said that —

“Those in epidemiology have a window into the future most people don’t have.”

I intend to share my window into the future with you — I see how diseases spread, and I put risk factors together. I can see where vulnerabilities lie, and my goal is to use my skills as an epidemiologist to create healthy communities. And to help you make healthy decisions.

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About Me

Epi(demiology) Matters is written by me, Dr. Becky Dawson, PhD MPH. I am an epidemiologist, teacher, mom, wife, and dedicated yogi. She is a tenured professor at Allegheny College, Research Director at a community hospital, and an exclusive contributor (all things health & medicine) at Erie News Now (NBC/CBS). My goal is to create healthy communities for all. I write Epi Matters — first & foremost because epidemiology does matter (to all of us) and she hopes that each post will help to educate and empower readers to be healthy and create healthy communities.

If you’d like to hear more about me and my vision to create healthy communities and put the public back and public health, take a few minutes to watch this presentation I gave during the spring of 2023.