The study of diseases that affect large numbers of people. Traditionally, epidemiologists have been concerned primarily with infectious diseases, such as typhoid and influenza, that arise and spread rapidly among the population as epidemics. However, today the discipline also covers noninfectious disorders, such as diabetes, heart disease, and back pain. Typically the distribution of a disease is charted in order to discover patterns that might yield clues about its mode of transmission or the susceptibility of certain groups of people. This in turn may reveal insights about the causes of the disease and possible preventive measures.