Understanding Pharmacoepidemiology

Description

This book attempts to explain what pharmacoepidemiology is, how pharmacoepidemiology studies are conducted, and how to interpret pharmacoepidemiology findings. In Chapters 1 to 6, we explain the importance of pharmacoepidemiology, basic terminology used in pharmacoepidemiology research, and the data sources, study designs, and statistical analyses often employed in pharmacoepidemiology research. Chapter 7 provides examples of evaluating a pharmacoepidemiology study. Two chapters provide detailed descriptions of the use of pharmacoepidemiology to understand medication utilization (Chapter 8) and medication safety issues (Chapter 9). The final chapter discusses the perspective of the FDA on medication safety, the importance of health care professionals to the process of improving medication safety, and the ways in which pharmacoepidemiology will be a key component of future medication safety initiatives. After reading the book, the reader should have a better understanding of how to evaluate the associations between medication utilization and outcomes.