ABSTRACT
Epidemiology progresses by an accumulation of evidence about the existence and the magnitude of effects of interest, so a Bayesian approach would appear to offer a natural framework for this process. This chapter outlines some of the main epidemiological study designs, specifically the analysis of routinely collected data, case-control studies, and cohort studies and gives examples of Bayesian work in these areas. Important issues in epidemiological work include measurement error, sample size determination, and combination of evidence. The potential contribution of a Bayesian approach to these issues is illustrated. Finally, some promising directions for future Bayesian work in epidemiology are outlined.
