This glossary was created with input from members of PICNet, PHAC Infection Control Guidelines and the BC Ministry of Health. A list of references is available here. Definitions will be updated frequently and may change or be removed. Please send us your comments and feedback by email to picnet@phsa.ca.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Emergency responders: Ambulance paramedics, police, firefighters. (10)
Empirical: based directly on experience rather than on reasoning alone. (11)
Enabling factors: those that facilitate the manifestation of the disease, disability, ill-health, or the use of services or conversely those that facilitate recovery from illness, maintenance or enhancement of health status, or more appropriate use of health services. These factors may be necessary but are rarely sufficient to cause the phenomenon under study. (11)
Environmental Health Officer(EHO) (Public Health Inspectors): Enforces the BC Public Health Act and the BC Community Care and Assisted Living Facility Act in regard to disease control and protection of the public. Works with the MHO in conjunction with the facility ICP management and staff to ensure that appropriate outbreak mitigation measures will be put into place in the event of an outbreak. Acts as a consultant and provides support/resources prior to and during an outbreak; Communicates/liaises promptly with Infection Control and/or the MHO when outbreaks are suspected and/or have been declared. Provides expertise in determining the source and means of spread of the agent, especially where food, or waterborne spread may be involved. (3)
Epidemic Disease: the constant presence of a disease or infectious agent within a given geographic area of population group; may also refer to the usual prevalence of a given disease within such area or group. (11)
Epidemiology: The study of the occurrence and distribution of health related states or events in specified populations, including the study of the determinants influencing such states, and the application of this knowledge to control the health problems. (20)
Evidence: Information such as analyzed data, published research findings, results of evaluations, prior experience, expert opinions, any or all of which may be used to reach conclusions on which decisions are based. (19)
Evidence-based Medicine: The consistent use of current best evidence derived from published clinical and epidemiologic research in management of patients, with attention to the balance of risks and benefits of diagnostic tests and alternative treatment regiments, taking account of each patient's unique circumstances, including baseline risk, comorbid conditions and personal preferences (11).
Evidence-based Public Health: Application of the best available evidence in setting public health policies and practices. The evidence may be derived from epidemiologic, demographic, sociologic, economic, and many other relevant sources, preferably published, peer-reviewed, and critically appraised articles and reports. Implementation of public health policies, programs and practices requires good evidence on feasibility, efficacy, effectiveness, efficiency, cost, acceptability to the target population, and consideration of ethical and political implications. Valid evidence on all these criteria can be obtained from many sources, including demographic and vital statistics data, epidemiologic studies, and focus groups (11).
Exogenous Infection: An infection that results from organisms acquired from a source other than the individual (2)
Exposure: The condition of being subjected to a microorganism or an infectious disease in a manner that enables transmission to occur (10).
« back to top
