Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study of factors affecting the health and illness of populations.
Throughout life everybody is exposed to a whole variety of potentially harmful agents. Some of these exposures will occur in the occupational setting, some from industrial processes and some from general day to day living. It is essential that the effects of potentially harmful exposures be well understood to ensure the well being of current and future employees, their families and the general population. Where potential harm is suspected or needs to be investigated, a properly conducted study will be able to invetigate that suspicion.
Services
For over 20 years Westlakes staff have been involved in epidemiology studies, predominantly occupational radiation, epidemiology and transgenerational epidemiology studies. This has included work with universities and US researchers on transgenerational studies and with the UK nuclear industries on workforce epidemiology studies. Presently Westlakes is working with the EU (UK, Belgian, French) and Russian Federation nuclear industries. Some further details are given below.
Over the years the staff have developed considerable expertise in:
- Setting up Studies
- identify research need
- design epidemiology studies
- write research study protocols
- establish a legal, consented and ethical basis for study
- secure funding
- Management of Studies
- collect and audit vital statistic and other information
- interact with researchrs and national tracing organisations
- develop secure IT systems
- Conduct of Studies
- undertake statistical analyses and interpretation
- develop and implement internal dosimetry methodologies
- use statistical software (eg EGRET, EPICURE, SAS, R, STATA) most appropriate for the analyses
- Dissemination of Information
- produce reviewed paper, reports, articles
- present results at conferences and meetings
- disseminate findings to representatives of study participants and stakeholders
All our activities are undertaken within a project management and quality system conforming to GEP
(Good Epidemiology Practice) and ISO 9001.