The International Epidemiological Association (IEA) and Oxford University Press (OUP) are pleased to announce that work is now beginning in preparation of the 6th edition of A dictionary of epidemiology, whose first four editions were edited by John Last (Ottawa). As the current 5th. edition (published in 2008), the 6th. edition will be edited under the leadership of Miquel Porta (Barcelona), who was selected for such task by the IEA Council. The tentative publication date is August, 2014, to coincide with the IEA 20th. World Congress of Epidemiology, to be held in Anchorage, Alaska.
Members of IEA and all other epidemiologists worldwide are cordially invited to contribute to the 6th. edition by submitting to the editor amendments, corrections of existing definitions, new material and any relevant suggestions.
Contributions are thus warmly welcomed. They must be made through the website. The site is designed to organise and structure contributions, and is the best way to make your contribution. If you would like to participate in the 6th. edition, for more information, and for specific instructions, please visit this site. You will essentially find these options:
- Suggest the complete removal of a term that is part of the present 5th. edition (2008) of the Dictionary of Epidemiology.
- Suggest a change in the definition of a word or term currently found in the 5th. edition.
- Suggest a new word or term for the 6th. edition of the Dictionary, but not the definition.
- Suggest a new term and its corresponding definition.
- Suggest the removal of a figure included in the present 5th. edition of the Dictionary, or suggest a new figure.
- Make other comments and suggestions.
For some background reading, you may wish to read the Preface to the current 5th. edition (2008), pages ix-xii. For most submissions it will be helpful for you to have a copy of the current 5th. edition (2008) at hand.
We look forward to your criticisms, comments, and suggestions.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Miquel Porta, MD, MPH, PhD
Hospital del Mar Research Institute–IMIM,
School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain,
and School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA