Refocusing the lens: Epidemiologic transition theory, mortality differentials, and the AIDS pandemic

The epidemiologic transition theory presented first by Omran [Omram, A. R. (1971) The epidemiologic transition: a theory of the epidemiology of population change, Mildbank Quarterly 49(4), 509–538] was designed to explain global trends in the dynamic relationship between epidemiological phenomena an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Social science & medicine (1982) 1997-03, Vol.44 (5), p.609-621
Main Authors: Gaylin, Daniel S, Kates, Jennifer
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - epidemiology
AIDS
AIDS/HIV
Biological and medical sciences
Demographic Change
Demographic Characteristics
Demographic Transition Theory
Disease Outbreaks
Diseases
epidemiologic transition
epidemiologic transition mortality differentials AIDS infections
Epidemiological transition
Epidemiology
General aspects
Global Health
Humans
infections
Medical sciences
Methodology
Models, Theoretical
Morbidity
Mortality
Mortality - trends
mortality differentials
Mortality Rates
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Risk Factors
Sociodemographic Factors
Theory
United States - epidemiology
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Summary:The epidemiologic transition theory presented first by Omran [Omram, A. R. (1971) The epidemiologic transition: a theory of the epidemiology of population change, Mildbank Quarterly 49(4), 509–538] was designed to explain global trends in the dynamic relationship between epidemiological phenomena and demographic change. This paper argues that universalizing this theory only partially serves to explain mortality declines over the last century and eclipses key epidemiologic differences between population subgroups based on socioeconomic status, race, and sex. This paper examines morbidity and mortality differentials between population subgroups and demonstrates important inconsistencies with the optimistic trends implied by the epidemiologic transition theory, an argument further developed using the HIV/AIDS pandemic as a case study. The paper argues that these differences should be brought from margins to center to present a more complex and comprehensive picture of how population subgroups experience epidemiologic transitions differently.
ISSN:0277-9536
1873-5347
DOI:10.1016/S0277-9536(96)00212-2