Dive deeper into the aspects covered in this lesson with these readings that expand on the topics discussed. Each reading includes reflective questions to help you focus on key learning points and strengthen your understanding.

Reading: John Snow, Cholera, the Broad Street Pump; Waterborne Diseases Then and Now.
By Theodore H Tulchinsky.

You’ve just learned about John Snow (not the "winter is coming" guy – the other one) and his groundbreaking work in the mid-1800s that revolutionized epidemiology. This paper dives into his pioneering research and shows how his methods paved the way for data-driven approaches in medicine. It connects his work to contemporary challenges with waterborne diseases, such as cholera outbreaks in disaster-stricken areas like Haiti and Yemen. A must-read for anyone curious about the roots of data science in healthcare.

Reading time: ~40 min

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Reflective questions

  • What were the key factors that contributed to the outbreak of a cholera epidemic in London?
  • Why was John Snow's analysis considered innovative and groundbreaking?
  • How did John Snow’s discovery influence water sanitation practices and the prevention of epidemic diseases?

Source: Tulchinsky TH. John Snow, Cholera, the Broad Street Pump; Waterborne Diseases Then and Now. Case Studies in Public Health. 2018:77–99. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-804571-8.00017-2. Epub 2018 Mar 30. PMCID: PMC7150208.  Link

Reading: Hierarchy of Evidence Within the Medical Literature.
By Sowdhamini S. Wallace, DO, MS; Gal Barak, MD, MEd; Grace Truong, MD; Michelle W. Parker, MD

The Hierarchy of Evidence is a structured framework that ranks different types of studies based on their methodological rigor and potential for bias. Understanding this hierarchy is crucial for making informed clinical decisions, ensuring that medical practice is grounded in the best available evidence.

Reading time: ~25 min

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Reflective questions

  • Which types of studies are considered to provide the lowest level of evidence in the hierarchy of evidence?
  • Which types of studies are positioned at the top of the evidence pyramid?
  • What is evidence synthesis, and why is it important in evidence-based practice?

Source: Source: Hospital Pediatrics (PMC), DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2022-006690.  Link