Epidemiology

Epidemiology By Kenya Nichols The branch of medicine that deals with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health as well as the understanding of the causes and patterns of health and illness is called Epidemiology. When something happens in our health communities like for instance, the latest epidemic EBOLA the “disease detectives" or epidemiologists are called in to investigate the cause of the disease and help with the creation and implementation of control mechanisms to control the spread of the disease. Epidemiologists also perform fieldwork to determine what causes disease or injury, what the risks are who is at risk and how to prevent further incidences. Epidemiologist also understands the demographic and social trends that result from disease and injury. These research specialists base their research findings on empirical research findings, opinion pieces, and methodological developments in the field of epidemiologic research. Epidemiology also includes the science that studies the patterns, causes, injury patterns and effects of health and disease conditions particularly within the human populations. It is the cornerstone of public health, and informs policy decisions and evidence-based practice by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive healthcare. Epidemiologists help with study design, collection, and statistical analysis of data, and interpretation and dissemination of results (including peer review and occasional systematic review). Epidemiology has helped develop methodology used in clinical research, public health studies, and, to a lesser extent, basic research in the biological sciences. For example, more recently we have had break-outs like that of EBOLA, west nile, swine flu and various other contagious diseases. These recent epidemics have certainly stirred up interest in knowledge of how to fight disease and prevent the spread thereof. We have been encouraged by health care professionals to change our habits and way of life in a manner that includes “regular physical activities that should be an integral part of an active lifestyle and the proper use of one's time.” (Mavrić, F., Kahrović, I., Murić, B., & Radenković, O. (2014)pp.29-38) Major areas of epidemiological study include disease etiology, transmission, outbreak investigation, disease surveillance and screening, bio-monitoring, and comparisons of treatment effects such as in clinical trials. Epidemiologists rely on other scientific disciplines like biology to better understand disease processes, statistics to make efficient use of the data and draw appropriate conclusions, social sciences to better understand proximate and distal causes, and engineering for exposure assessment. The epidemiologist researchers to carry out long-term, in-depth studies of disease and are able to; discover some inherited factors could influence the course of disease, including response to treatment, disease progression, development of new disease, survival and quality of life of the patients. A collaborative work has been done and “this analysis identified particular populations at risk for coinfection, which can be used by viral hepatitis and HIV screening, prevention, and treatment programs to integrate, enhance, target, and prioritize prevention services and clinical care within the community to maximize health outcomes.” (Sanchez, M., Scheer, S., Shallow, S., Pipkin, S., & Huang, S. (2014)pp. 124-195) Epidemiology, taken from the free Merriam Webster online dictionary literally meaning "the study of what is upon the people", is derived from Greek epi, meaning "upon, among", demos, meaning "people, district", and logos, meaning "study, word, discourse", suggesting that it applies only to human populations. Clinical Epidemiology aims at promoting the quality of clinical and patient-oriented health care research through the advancement and application of innovative methods of: • conducting and presenting primary research; • synthesizing research results; • disseminating results; • and translating results into optimal clinical practice; • With special attention to the training of new generations of scientists and clinical practice leaders. It might behoove us to understand more descriptively a community that might involve exploring factors related to: People (socioeconomics and demographics, health status and risk profiles, cultural and ethnic characteristics) • Location (geographic boundaries) • Connectors (shared values, interests, motivating forces) • Power relationships (communication patterns, formal and informal lines of authority and influence, stake holder relationships, resource flows) There are also certain other factors that also should be taken into account that may affect ones potential to become victim to disease. For instance, hypertension, tobacco-use, harmful use of alcohol, overweight/obesity, and khat-chewing , drug abuse, lack of exercise and the spiritual state of being is also important as well as the current state and condition of health the person is already in. All of these issues mentioned, play and intricate role in the ability to be able to protect oneself for contacting disease. Ultimately, epidemiologists work within the limits or bounds of a particular describable goal or basic aim. This goal is to find people who are at high risk of developing disease through better understanding of how genes or traits can be easily tested to guide treatment for each patient, and to improve survival and quality of life among patients. “However, studies regarding NP-delivered health promotion and disease prevention suggest room for improvement.” (Thomas, J. J., Hart, A., & Burman, M. E. (2014) pp. 221-228) For the past few years, researchers have provided evidence to support the claim that the actual social environment in which people dwell, and their lifestyles and behaviors, can influence the occurrence of disease or illness. It has also been denoted that any group of people can have long-term health improvements including mental and psychological health when they become more involved in family and the communities in which they reside and work together to for positive outcome in the change in their personal lifestyles. “Overall, the major non-communicable diseases and related risk factors are highly prevalent, and evidence-based interventions should be designed.” (Misganaw, A., Mariam, D., Ali, A., & Araya, T. (2014), pp 1-13) Public health professionals work on behalf of the people for disease prevention, control and health promotion by the ability to use education, further development of healthy lifestyles, research and program implementation. While the purposes are to better understand the causes and natural history of disease, the ultimate goals are to improve early detection, develop patient-specific treatment plan, and help achieving better quality of life. In conclusion, the future of epidemiological studies in the context of new molecular biology technologies and genomic analysis are still uncertain though they are key critical components at this time. “The identification of multiple viruses during respiratory illness is increasing with advances in rapid molecular testing; however, the epidemiology of respiratory viral co infections is not well known.” ( Martin, E., Fairchok, M., Stednick, Z., Kuypers, J., & Englund, J. (2013)pp. 982-989) References Martin, E., Fairchok, M., Stednick, Z., Kuypers, J., & Englund, J. (2013). Epidemiology of multiple respiratory viruses in childcare attendees. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases, 207(6), 982-989. doi:10.1093/infdis/jis934 Mavrić, F., Kahrović, I., Murić, B., & Radenković, O. (2014). THE EFFECTS OF REGULAR PHYSICAL EXERCISE ON THE HUMAN BODY. / AUSWIRKUNGEN REGELMÄSSIGER KÖRPERLICHER AKTIVITÄTEN AUF DEN MENSCHLICHEN ORGANISMUS. Physical Culture / Fizicka Kultura, 68(1), 29-38. Misganaw, A., Mariam, D., Ali, A., & Araya, T. (2014). Epidemiology of major non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia: a systematic review. Journal Of Health, Population, And Nutrition, 32(1), 1-13. Sanchez, M., Scheer, S., Shallow, S., Pipkin, S., & Huang, S. (2014). Epidemiology of the viral hepatitis-HIV syndemic in San Francisco: a collaborative surveillance approach. Public Health Reports (Washington, D.C.: 1974),129 Suppl 195-101. Thomas, J. J., Hart, A., & Burman, M. E. (2014). Continuing Education: Improving Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in NP-Delivered Primary Care. The Journal For Nurse Practitioners, 10221-228. doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2014.01.013