Epidemiology and Research

Epidemiology and Research          

 

Role of Epidemiology in researching and addressing population health challenges

The concept of population health aims at addressing the numerous health problems facing a group of individuals to access better health services. Epidemiology plays a vital role in population health by focusing on human populations to determine the risk and protective factors associated with the diseases. Through the study of epidemiology, health workers can develop mechanisms for disease surveillance, outbreak, and transmission to establish reasonable preventive and control measures within a given population (Gulis & Fujino, 2015). Also, scientific disciplines such as biology and statistics help epidemiologists with knowledge in disease processes and drawing a meaningful conclusion from the data collected. Therefore, it addresses the challenges by using the information gathered from the patient’s health assessments in carrying out fundamental research, clinical research, and public health studies.

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For example, during the research on the fatal meningitis cases in February 2009 at Fort Leonard Wood, an Army training center, epidemiologists identified only two meningitis cases and 72 pneumonia cases (Gulis & Fujino, 2015). In response, the outbreak was controlled as trainees were given vaccines, antibiotics, and improved cough etiquette and hand hygiene that prevented future occurrence. The research revealed the risks associated with meningitis and pneumonia and prepared for mitigating possible outbreaks. Epidemiology works in preparing medical personnel to combat severe outbreaks of diseases by identifying the manifestation of the disease in the human body and the environment. The epidemiologic approach to diseases vividly helps medical persons on approaches of dealing with infections and treatment related to a particular disease outbreak in a population. As such, the health sector becomes fully prepared and aware of the ways of preventing certain infectious diseases in the population.

ed issues and provide for much-needed nursing measures.  It is important to know the major causing issues  and how this can be solved from best practices around the world.