An English edition of a 2001 French book targeted at meeting a public need to better understand epidemiology entitled “Sante: Distinguer croyances et connaissance” by Columbia University’s Alfredo Morabia has been adapted for publication as “Enigmas of Health and Disease”. The English edition is scheduled to appear in June 2014 and by special arrangement with Columbia University Press, the Prologue entitled “A Science Named Epidemiology” and a chapter entitled “Epidemiologic Literacy and ‘Earthly Self-Realization’ “ are being published in the March and April issues respectively of The Epidemiology Monitor. Readers interested in purchasing the book prior to publication may do so at a 30% discount by visiting the webpage for the book and using the promo code “ENIMOR”. The webpage is:

http://tinyurl.com/lx4dvf8

We interviewed Alfredo Morabia to get his thoughts about the new release.

Epi Monitor: What was your main motivation for writing this book?

Morabia: It was to popularize epidemiology and highlight its role in generating most of our knowledge about prevention and treatment. As a historian and epidemiologist, I sought to recount the fascinating stories that make-up the discipline in a way that would raise awareness to its crucial importance in people’s everyday lives.

Epi Monitor: How do you think it will be useful?

Morabia: It can be useful if it makes epidemiology more visible to non-epidemiologists, if it makes epidemiologists aware that the tools they use today have been refined over 350 years of methodologic trials and errors, and if it strengthens the current movement towards teaching epidemiology in middle and high schools.

EpiMonitor: Why did you decide to translate the book into English at this time?

Morabia: The first version of the book, in 2010, was in English. I looked for a publisher. When Odile Jacob said she was interested, it was a no brainer. I re-wrote the book in French. From her small Parisian offices in a vintage apartment of the Quartier Latin, full of books and pictures of her authors, Odile Jacob has built herself a reputation of being able to work with scientists to bring science to the public. She is tremendously respected in the book publishing trade and beyond. She has mostly French authors but publishes American authors too, including Barack Obama and Colin Powell. The deal and main decisions were made directly with her, in person, on the phone, and by email. She listens and argues and builds an authentic author-publisher interaction. The delay between the French and the English adaptation was only due to the time it took to find the right American publisher and prepare a new version. Columbia University Press was enthusiastic, found a new title, added pictures of epidemiologists, had a professional create a new index, and was sensitive to the details. I liked that.

Epi Monitor: What is your favorite part of the book and why?

Morabia: I don’t have a favorite part, but chapter 15, “Epidemiologic Literacy and ‘Earthly Self-Realization’” is the center of gravity of the book. It tells what I have learned from my own book. First, population thinking is the only difficult concept in epidemiology, because it is unrelated to our daily experience or to our psychological development. Second, the most basic epidemiologic concepts remain abstruse as long as they are not self- taught through conducting studies or formally taught in classrooms. The third point is the logical segue of the first two: in order for citizens to be able to discuss evidence with health care professionals or with policymakers, they need to learn epidemiology at school. History makes it possible to start in middle schools.

Epi Monitor: Has your thinking changed in any significant way since, the book appeared in French, and if so what would you add to the book if it were appearing for the first time this year?

Morabia: I am more knowledgeable now than I was three years ago. If someone had translated the book verbatim from French, I would have changed a few words or sentences here and there. Huge changes in my view but probably unnoticeable for most readers. My mistake was to translate the book myself. I was talking to a different audience and felt the need to write differently. In the end, the French and English versions are very similar contentwise, but if you compare the tables of content or compare the books page by page, the two versions don’t match.  ■

Our arrangement with the publisher allowed us to print two excerpts of the book in the digital edition of The Epidemiology Monitor.  To read the March excerpt click here.  The April excerpt will be added when that issue is published.

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