Commentary: individual risk prediction, individual risk, and population risk.
Provides a background to efforts aimed at impacting developmental outcomes across society and discusses challenges and consequences resulting from such efforts. Child and adolescent clinical psychology studies health and behavior with a focus on individuals. This may or may not present an accurate picture of factors relating to the overall levels of health and behavior in a population. In contrast, epidemiology typically studies health and behavior with a focus on populations. Differences between the clinical and epidemiological approaches are most apparent when promoting policy aimed at preventing future disorders or reoccurrence of disorders in at-risk individuals. Awareness of these issues may help clinical psychologists in efforts to inform or shape public policy.
Scott
Keith G
KG
Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124-0721, USA. kscott@miami.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015340:Epidemiologic Research Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011640:Public Policy; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055502:Secondary Prevention