The Changing Disease-Scape in the Third Epidemiological Transition

doi:10.3390/ijerph7020675

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2010, 7(2), 675-697; doi:10.3390/ijerph7020675

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The Changing Disease-Scape in the Third Epidemiological Transition

Kristin Harper ¹^,* and George Armelagos ²

¹ Robert Wood Johnson Health & Society Scholar Program, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA ² Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30309, USA

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: 30 December 2009 / Accepted: 16 February 2010 / Published: 24 February 2010

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Epidemiology)

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Abstract: The epidemiological transition model describes the changing relationship between humans and their diseases. The first transition occurred with the shift to agriculture about 10,000 YBP, resulting in a pattern of infectious and nutritional diseases still evident today. In the last two centuries, some populations have undergone a second transition, characterized by a decline in infectious disease and rise in degenerative disease. We are now in the throes of a third epidemiological transition, in which a resurgence of familiar infections is accompanied by an array of novel diseases, all of which have the potential to spread rapidly due to globalization.

Keywords: epidemiological transition; globalization; infectious disease; degenerative disease

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MDPI and ACS Style

Harper, K.; Armelagos, G. The Changing Disease-Scape in the Third Epidemiological Transition. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2010, 7, 675-697.

AMA Style

Harper K., Armelagos G. The Changing Disease-Scape in the Third Epidemiological Transition. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2010; 7(2):675-697.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Harper, Kristin; Armelagos, George. 2010. "The Changing Disease-Scape in the Third Epidemiological Transition." Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 7, no. 2: 675-697.

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health EISSN 1660-4601 Published by MDPI Publishing, Basel, Switzerland RSS E-Mail Table of Contents Alert