Customer Reviews

Epidemiology: An Introduction

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

To my knowledge, this is the best and simplest textbook in epidemiology that has been published to date. I could compare it with practically all the 'mainstream' textbooks that I have been using, more or less recent, and more or less detailed textbooks.
If a potential reader has already some familiarity with epi this is not the best reference in terms of details (R&G "Modern Epi" is far better), but it can definitely be considered the best reference available for epi concepts. Ideal to refresh a tired epi mind.
If a potential reader had no prime in epi, this is an excellent prime. A warning: if you are looking for a text 'for dummies' filled with smart tips and mechanical shortcuts, this book is probably not what you are looking for. Actually the main 'side effect' of the book is that it forces you to 'think,' furthermore with your own head.
The book is simple but never poor; it focuses on concepts through examples, what a reader needs to begin mastering the subject. One of the main ideas that I found useful is that formulas are not the goal of epidemiology: they serve the concepts & the context that frames the problem or question.
When you read a chapter a second or a third time, later in your studies, you realize how carefully thought and written this book is: I believe it is difficult nowadays (in any field) to find a textbook so sound and well constructed. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in epidemiology at any level.

As a graduate student in public health, I found this book to be a life-saver when it came time to study for my comprehensive exam. Concepts are laid out very clearly, but not over-simplified. The book progresses through the mainstays that you need to know in the proper order and at the right pace. Plus, the writing style is...friendly (no other word will do!). The book is far from intimidating for a new student, but has sufficient depth so that even a doctoral level epi student will reach new levels of insight into familiar concepts.

I especially appreciated the fact that Rothman uses social behavior examples, not only biomedical ones. (Critics who have alleged that Rothman overlooks "root" or "upstream" contributors to disease causation may be surprised to note that he draws upon domestic violence and substance abuse for this purpose.)

I would also like to address the comments of the first reviewer on this list, who woefully misrepresents Rothman as "anti statistics." In this text, Rothman provides formulas for everything from pvalues for stratified data to logits, and quiz questions at the end of each chapter so that you can test yourself as you learn to calculate.

Rothman holds a joint doctoral degree in epidemiology and biostatistics. His unerring grasp of biostatisics is precisely what allows him to out-think the average mathematician who conducts tests or follows particular procedures by rote or convention. Instead, Rothman uses artistry and originality in his practice of applying statistics to public health. As a teacher of these methods, he is unparalleled.

This book is simply the best introductory epidemiology text on the market!

"Epidemiology: An Introduction" is a pleasure to read. My introductory epidemiology class at UNC-Chapel Hill used an advanced printing for our textbook. I find Rothman's writing to be excellent: clear and concise, but not "dumbed down." He explains complex concepts in a straightforward and accessible way. If you are taking an introductory epidemiology course, purchase this book and read it, even if it is not your required text! A layperson with some background in the sciences and an interest in epidemiology would find this a good read as well.

A great cut-and-dry introduction to epidemiology. Although I would prefer to see some of the mathematical justification, for the less interested it's a good start. Examples are plentiful and clear, although some topics are handled as asides which may break up the flow of reading. Topics such as study design and measurements of association and occurence are clear-cut. Issues such as causation and confounding were sparse - helpful to supplement with Rothman & Greenland's "Modern Epidemiology".

I'm a doctoral student in epidemiology and I have become familiar with a number of introductory textbooks in epidemiology over the past few years. I think Rothman's book is one of the best of the lot. I found it particularly useful as a bridge between basic introductory textbooks such as Gordis' "Epidemiology" and Rothman & Greenland's "Modern Epidemiology". Rothman's introductory text does an excellent job of selectively covering important topics in epidemiology at a level of detail that is appropriate to its intended audience. The writing style is relaxed yet precise and lucid. His coverage of study designs and bias is particularly illuminating. Some topics such as the interpretation of diagnostic tests and screening are not covered. However, as an introduction to the principles and concepts of epidemiology, the book serves its purpose very well.

This is the best epid primer based on my growing experience with epid texts. It is concise and uses good examples. I refer to it regularly. The text also is a helpful companion to Modern Epidemiology (Rothman and Greenland).

It may be difficult to write a simple book and even more difficult to write a scientifically correct book. It takes a master, however, to combine simplicity with scientific accuracy, depth and insight in an introductory book. Ken Rothman has accomplished just this with his new textbook.

Rothman's introductory Epidemiology book is quite user friendly in that it is well organized, clear, and concise. Some students may run into some difficulties, however, if they rely solely on this book as their main resource for their graduate level work. Rothman only scratches the surface in some areas, which may be frustrating at times...The book certainly lives up to its title of being "An Introduction." Unfortunately, that means starving graduate students will have to splurge on "Epidemiology: The Body" and "Epidemiology: The Conclusion," if they want to gain a truly in-depth and comprehensive perspective. Unfortunately, these books, to my knowledge, have yet to be written. Nevertheless, Rothman's book is definitely useful for acquiring a basic understanding of the fundamental concepts in epidemiology.

I disagree with the previous reviewer. I do not find the author to be anti-statistics, rather anti-mindless use of statistics.

The previous reviewer missed the point on page 20: generalization in epidemiology. The point is that generalization is not purely within the statistical realm, but context dependent. In fact, the previous reviewer makes the author's point: if our basic understanding of the biology is that all humans are the same and that the differences between Houston and Chicago are neglible, then the study can be generalized to Houston. This conditional statement is the context and underlying biology. Changing our assumptions of the underlying biology (i.e., ethnic, age, gender composition matters and differ between the two cities) means that our belief in the generalization is different.

The point is that statistics is not interpreted in a vacuum. The author distinguishes between this concept of generalization, as opposed to a random sample of larger population, much like a sample survey. In a sample survey, it is a violation of random sampling to limit those humans to Chicago. For example, if I want to know who is going to win the next US Presidential election, I would not just survey humans in Chicago, because in this context I think that they would vote differently than humans in Houston.

Anyway, I think it is wrong to take the philosophy with a grain of salt. Attempting to train epidemiologists to think and to clarify Modern Epidemiology concepts are foci of the text.

I found the text convoluted at points. His description of case-control studies thoroughly turned me around, and I am a graduate student in epidemiology, and have been a part of several case-control studies.

I got the book hoping for some insights from a well-respected scholar, and I did get that, but I think this book could have been improved if he had someone else co-author it with him. The final product comes off as the story of epidemiology, as told by someone who is so steeped in it that he sometimes forgets how to describe it.