title: Chronobiology and epidemiology.
abstract: Epidemiology and chronobiology are two emerging scientific disciplines of the 20th century. In the United States and certain European and Asian countries, epidemiology is a well-developed science; however, in many countries the field is not yet well practiced. Too, in several European countries and certain centers in the United States, chronobiology is quite well known and respected as a science. Yet, in many countries this field is just now being recognized. Although epidemiologists are concerned with temporal patterns in illnesses, primarily in terms of the prevalence and incidence of human disease, for the most part they do not consider biological rhythmic phenomena relevant to their pursuits. The symptoms, signs and tests which document illness and determine prevalence and incidence all may be influenced by when evaluations are conducted with respect to the staging of biological rhythms. Chronobiologists, on the other hand, have in too many instances been overly concerned with the elucidation and quantification of human bioperiodicities without regard to their relevance to temporal patterns in the occurrence of exacerbation of illness and matters of particular importance to epidemiologists. Herein, the topic of epidemiology and chronobiology is discussed in terms of the relevance of each field to the other.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Smolensky
mesh_terms: D001683:Biological Clocks; D002909:Chronobiology Phenomena; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004813:Epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D010507:Periodicity; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000378:metabolism; D012306:Risk; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations