Descriptive Epidemiology Paper
Descriptive Epidemiology Paper
Descriptive epidemiology is a discipline that examines the characteristics of a person, place, and time. The hall frame of descriptive epidemiology is to be able to describe the distributive aspects of diseases and their determinants. The discipline goes further in its agenda by providing a format within which analysis of data about diseases is performed. This format seeks inquiries in the frequencies of disease occurrences and the variations of those diseases (Patten, Williams, Lavorato, Wang, McDonald, & Bulloch, 2015). The inquiries are made regarding the geographical areas of residence in the affected populations over time. Descriptive epidemiology, therefore, acts as a base for generating research hypotheses in etiological research. The influence of descriptive epidemiology is consequently critical in furthering research in disease studies. Descriptive epidemiology’s value is immense as it provides a comprehensive approach within which the research is performed, and the value is realized through better results from research and the ability to improve conditions of human populations during disease outbreaks Descriptive Epidemiology Paper.
ORDER A PLAGIARISM – FREE PAPER NOW
The Relationship and Role of Descriptive Epidemiology and Nursing Science
The role of nursing science is to seek solutions to outbreaks of diseases by providing robust methods that alleviate adverse conditions. Descriptive epidemiology provides solutions to among the most daunting problems of disease outbreaks by facilitating research. Descriptive epidemiology provides the inquiry of the research hypothesis of outbreaks through inferring from three scenarios (Curley & Vitale, 2015). Scenario one is where they get the differences as a result of studying people, places, and times of outbreak occurrences within populations. For example, the causes of an outbreak can be caused by more than one factor of inference. On another hand, there may be similarities observed. A case example is whereby the factors causing a disease outbreak may circle one major factor. The last case is where the frequency of occurrence of disease correlates with several factors. The ability of descriptive epidemiology provides a strong base for researching diseases Descriptive Epidemiology Paper.
During outbreaks, surveillance is a crucial aspect for nurses. Descriptive epidemiology falls right in place for nurses as its fundamental mandate is to provide tools for case detection. Through descriptive epidemiology, retrospective surveillance is carried out. Clinical information on patients is used as a prerequisite for surveillance. All hospital records pertaining to the health of the patient is necessary for retrospective surveillance (Jacobs, Wilson, Dixon, Smith, & Evens, 2008). Prospective surveillance, yet, looks into disease prevalence as soon as they occur. Data such as current results of laboratory results are fundamental to the success of the inferences drawn. Passive surveillance provides data through reports through the volition of health departments or the clinicians. Active surveillance involves cases of seeking evidence through reporting of incidents of outbreaks of disease in a given area. Descriptive epidemiology, therefore, indicates a substantial role in the field of nursing science.
Examples of How Descriptive Epidemiology is Applied in Public Health Nursing
Descriptive epidemiology is used in the inquiries of incidences, and occurrences of eating disorders for both children and adolescent children. The role of descriptive epidemiology is enormous. The primary purpose includes the estimation of the number of new cases of eating disorders in the said target population. Besides, the disciple can infer the current affairs of eating disorders. From these inferences, they can get their information or data on the prevalence of eating disorders. The success of descriptive epidemiology is gauged on the ability to provide a robust framework for carrying out the study.
Descriptive epidemiology in another dimension seeks to establish the relationship between prevalence and new incidences. For nurses, reducing the number of further occurrences is paramount. The prevalence of eating disorders among children and adolescents may be small, but the number of further incidences may change the landscape of prevalence in the future (Rosenvinge & Pettersen, 2015)Descriptive Epidemiology Paper. A high prevalence with a relationship of low occurrences of new cases of eating disorders means that the prevalence in the future will be low. Yet, the low current prevalence with high instances of new incidents of occurrences means that there will be a high prevalence of the disease in the future. Descriptive epidemiology plays a fundamental role in the collection of data pertaining the disease through active and passive surveillance.
Looking at the impact of descriptive epidemiology on eating disorders from another perspective, descriptive epidemiology enables clinicians establish the unmet needs for treatment. Through the inferences provided by descriptive epidemiology, nurses can identify the landscape between people who seek treatment for eating disorder symptoms and those who do not seek treatment at all. The data provided provide the nursing practitioner with a roadmap on how to carry out patient education in different geographical areas. For example, if the results of descriptive epidemiology indicate that area A has a considerable prevalence in eating disorders, the health management officials of the area may choose to hold a campaign of sensitizing the public on the symptoms, risks, and the need to have received treatment.
In another case, the psychiatric disorder is harder to identify its true prevalence. The psychiatric disorder involves the use of other underlying prevalence in an interest population. In this case, the true prevalence includes the cases of psychiatric disorders that are untreated and treated. The difficulty that comes with mastering the prevalence of the psychiatric disorder is the issue of stigma associated with the disease in many communities. Many cases of psychiatric disorders, therefore, go unrecorded. Descriptive epidemiology provides a solution through active surveillance. In some cases, it requires health practitioners to go into communities to look for psychiatric disorder patients for the fundamental purpose of collecting data. Therefore, the case of making inferences from eating disorders in children and adolescents indicates a prime example of the usage of descriptive epidemiology today.
Epidemiology Components Used to Analyze At-Risk Populations
There are at least seven components used to analyze at-risk populations. First is the element of formulating the research hypothesis. A formulated hypothesis requires that it is testable through statistical methods. A null hypothesis is, however, formulated to compensate for issues such as sampling errors that may occur. The second component is the selection of study populations. Furthermore, controlled populations should not be exposed to factors of interest. This enhances the credibility of the research being carried out.
The third component entails the selection of indicators of exposure to the disease of interest. The selection of measures is a critical element as it guides researchers on the items to be taken keen on. Besides, it is essential for researchers to have indicators as the combinations between indicators presents a strong case of the disease. On the fourth component, it entails the measure of exposure and the status of the disease in a population; while the measurement of exposure helps in identifying the level of need of the target population for treatment or other necessary help.
The fifth component of analysis involves the analysis between the exposure and the disease itself. This component is restricted to seeking knowledge in identifying how the causes of illness lead to its cause. Besides, this component tries to determine the nature within which infection is spread within a target population. This helps researchers in further analysis of the disease. In this component, statistical analysis is carried out. The sixth component is the evaluation of the role of chance in study. Sometimes, it is by chance certain factors cause disease. The last component involves the role of bias in the research. There are evidences that suggests that biases can affect any investigation, which can happen in various forms. Being aware of biases helps researchers identify its influence in the results Descriptive Epidemiology Paper.
References
Costello, E. J., & Angold, A. (2016). Developmental epidemiology. Developmental psychopathology, 1-35. Retrieved from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/9781119125556.devpsy103
Curley, A. L., & Vitale, P. A. (2015). Population-based nursing: Concepts and competencies for advanced practice. Springer Publishing Company. Retrieved from: http://www.gcumedia.com/digital-resources/springer-publishing-company/2015/population-based-nursing_concepts-and-competencies-for-advanced-practice_ebook_2e.php
Jacobs, D. E., Wilson, J., Dixon, S. L., Smith, J., & Evens, A. (2008). The relationship of housing and population health: a 30-year retrospective analysis. Environmental Health Perspectives, 117(4), 597-604. Retrieved from: https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=38896508&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Patten, S. B., Williams, J. V., Lavorato, D. H., Wang, J. L., McDonald, K., & Bulloch, A. G. (2015). Descriptive epidemiology of major depressive disorder in Canada in 2012. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 60(1), 23-30. Retrieved from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/070674371506000106
Rosenvinge, J. H., & Pettersen, G. (2015). Epidemiology of eating disorders, part III: Social epidemiology and case definitions revisited. Advances in Eating Disorders, 3(3), 320-336. Retrieved from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21662630.2015.1022197
I, (Bola Odusola-Stephen), verify that I have completed (10) clock hours in association with the goals and objectives for this assignment. I have also tracked said practice hours in the Typhon Student Tracking System for verification purposes and will be sure that all approvals are in place from my faculty and practice mentor Descriptive Epidemiology Paper.
