Evidence-based medicine and clinical epidemiology

Evidence-based medicine is a new philosophy of medicine where every decision made by a doctor (or other health professional) should be based on the current best scientific evidence. Clinical epidemiology is the application of epidemiological principles to clinical medicine, which seeks to integrate epidemiological methods with scientific approaches in decision-making processes. Clinical epidemiology had already largely applied the principles of evidence-based medicine, which later evolved from it, by integrating epidemiological scientific principles with the clinical expertise of the staff and by significantly emphasising the patient's position in terms of their priorities and expectations.

The book introduces the basic principles of both clinical epidemiology and evidence-based medicine, so that the reader with this knowledge is able to correctly understand new findings published in the literature and to make sound decisions based on them.

The book is intended for future and current health professionals, i.e. for students of medical and health faculties, physicians and non-medical clinical workers of all disciplines. It follows the book „ Clinical epidemiology – an integral part of clinical decision-making processes“, published by Grada in 1998, as an updated and revised edition.