Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Public health research relates to the organization of the health system, from preventing illnesses and promoting health through to the organization, planning and financing of the health system. In particular, it seeks to establish relevant indicators to describe the state of health of a population and its determinants, but also to understand and assess the different levels of actions in public health.

As for epidemiology, this is specifically interested in the distribution of health problems in a population and the role of the factors that determine it. This field of research uses an essentially collective approach to studying health and illnesses, and can quantify the state of health of populations. It enables health problems to be prioritized for example.

Unisanté has specific expertise in the epidemiology of chronic diseases and their determinants, in nutritional epidemiology, and in occupational and environmental epidemiology. The institution is also active in research into the organization and transformation of health systems. Its scope of action covers the general population but also groups with specific issues such as pregnant women, adolescents, senior citizens, drug users, etc.