Abstract
The development of epidemiology is described with particular emphasis on the role of the founders of the lEA. The purposes of the subject are outlined and comments on recent concerns discussed. The importance of strategic designs and questions in epidemiologic studies are high- lighted with an example from an international study on chronic respiratory disease. Examples are given form recent studies on the need for proper design of a study in order to provide worth while answers for the application of the findings to the development of policy.
J Epidemiol, 1996 ; 6 : S21-S28.
