What is the study of disease as it spreads among populations called?

The study of disease as it spreads among populations is called epidemiology. This field focuses on understanding how diseases affect the health of communities and populations, examining patterns of disease occurrence and transmission. Epidemiologists analyze data to identify the causes of diseases, explore risk factors, and develop strategies for disease prevention and control.

Epidemiology encompasses various aspects, including the study of infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, health statistics, and environmental health factors. This discipline plays a crucial role in public health strategy, as it helps inform policies that protect populations against outbreaks and health threats.

In contrast, pathology is concerned with the study of the nature and causes of diseases, but it typically focuses on the structural and functional changes in tissues and organs associated with diseases rather than their spread among populations. Immunology studies the immune system and the body’s response to pathogens but does not focus specifically on how diseases spread. Virology is the study of viruses and viral diseases, concentrating on the behavior and characteristics of viruses, rather than their epidemiological patterns.