The COVID-19 pandemic has made it especially visible that mortality data are a key component of epidemiological models, being a single indicator that provides information about various health aspects, such as disease prevalence and effectiveness of interventions, and thus enabling predictions on many fronts. In this paper we illustrate the interrelation between facts and values in death statistics, by analyzing the rules for death certification issued by the World Health Organization. We show how the notion of the underlying cause of death can change in view of public health goals. This brings us to a general point about how non-epistemic factors, such as values and goals, are reflected in the choice of different measures in epidemiological models. We finally argue that this analysis is not only relevant from a theoretical point of view but also has important practical consequences.

Amoretti, M. (2021). Non-epistemic factors in epidemiological models. The case of mortality data. MEFISTO, 5(1), 65-79.

Non-epistemic factors in epidemiological models. The case of mortality data

Lalumera E.
Co-primo
2021

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it especially visible that mortality data are a key component of epidemiological models, being a single indicator that provides information about various health aspects, such as disease prevalence and effectiveness of interventions, and thus enabling predictions on many fronts. In this paper we illustrate the interrelation between facts and values in death statistics, by analyzing the rules for death certification issued by the World Health Organization. We show how the notion of the underlying cause of death can change in view of public health goals. This brings us to a general point about how non-epistemic factors, such as values and goals, are reflected in the choice of different measures in epidemiological models. We finally argue that this analysis is not only relevant from a theoretical point of view but also has important practical consequences.
2021
Amoretti, M. (2021). Non-epistemic factors in epidemiological models. The case of mortality data. MEFISTO, 5(1), 65-79.
Amoretti, M.C, Lalumera, E.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/828487
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