Neuroepidemiology involves the study of chronic and acute neurological disorders, which are of major importance to clinical medicine, public health, and health care delivery. Neurological diseases are one of the most burdensome health conditions in western countries with a globally increasing prevalence.
The neuroepidemiology research at Department of Clinical Epidemiology helps identify short-term and long-term risk factors and prognostic factors for neurological diseases. The aim of the projects is to study the impact of acute and chronic conditions, medication use, and social risk factors on prognosis of neurological diseases.
At DCE, a main research area within neuroepidemiology is stroke, a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. In collaboration with colleagues at Stanford University, we actively research the clinical course of stroke with particular emphasis on identifying prognostic factors of importance. We are also involved in a large project on assessing the impact of stroke on family members. Finally, we recently started a collaboration with the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology at Brigham/Women’s Hospital, Boston, with the aim to examine the pharmacoepidemiologic aspects of stroke using both US and Danish data.
Another research area is neurodevelopmental outcomes following infectious diseases in early childhood. Neurological conditions in children represent a significant proportion of the global burden of disease since they contribute to premature mortality and years lived with disability. In close collaboration with London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK, we have initiated several projects investigating both neurological and neuropsychiatric outcomes. The studies comprise both epidemiological and public health topics identifying high-risk populations, prioritizing actions in health care, suggesting preventive measures, and the assessment of possible interventions.
