Epidemiology
About Us
The responsibilities of the Epidemiology Section of the Division of Public Health are managed by the following specialized branches:
- Office of Chief Medical Examiner - The North Carolina Medical Examiner System is a network of medical doctors and allied health professionals throughout North Carolina who voluntarily devote their time, energy, and medical expertise to see that deaths of a suspicious, unusual or unnatural nature are adequately investigated. In addition to functioning as a branch in the Epidemiology Section of the Division of Public Health, the OCME also functions as the Division of Forensic Pathology of the UNC School of Medicine Department of Pathology
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- Communicable Disease - This branch works with the public, local health departments and other public health agencies, healthcare professionals, educators, businesses, communities and healthcare facilities to protect and improve the health of people in North Carolina through disease detection, tracking, investigation, control, education, prevention and care activities. The Branch consists of five different units: Operations, Surveillance, Medical Consultation, HIV/STD Prevention and Care, and Field Services.
- Occupational & Environmental Epidemiology - This branch of public health deals with environmental and occupational conditions and hazards that may pose a risk to human health. OEE identifies and quantifies exposures to environmental and occupational contaminants; conducts risk assessments and risk communication; provides medical evaluation and surveillance for adverse health effects; and provides health-based guidance on levels of exposure to such contaminants.
- Public Health Preparedness & Response - This branch of Epidemiology assists public health and health care systems, communities and individuals in identifying, preventing, protecting against, responding to, and recovering from public health emergencies -- events such as disease outbreaks, severe weather damage and exposures to hazardous substances -- whose scale, scope, timing or unpredictability threatens to overwhelm routine capabilities. PHP&R collaborates with other state agencies, local health departments, hospitals, clinics and local university medical departments to ensure the well-being of North Carolina residents and visitors.
- State Laboratory of Public Health - The State Laboratory of Public Health provides certain medical and environmental laboratory services (testing, consultation and training) to public and private health provider organizations responsible for the promotion, protection and assurance of the health of North Carolina citizens.
