Question

describe epidemiology as the basic science of Public Health (adventages)  and talk about descriptive epidemology. How does this material can relate to your life? How will you use this information you learned in your work area?

Answer 1

EPIDEMIOLOGY

Basically Epidemiology is the study of diseases in the populations. To explain, it deals with the nature, incidence, causes,distribution and control of diseases among the populations. It is regarded as the basic science of public health.It also provides information needed to plan and target compatible resources.

The major advantage of Epidemiology is that this study determines how frequently does the disease occurs to a certain population and the reason behind its cause.

The data collected through this study is particularly used to analyse and find out effective strategies to prevent the illnesses and to manage or effectively treat the affected ones.

DESCRIPTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY

Basically, the major difference is that, Descriptive epidemiology deals with the prevalence and distribution of vital risk factors in a group of people and enables us to assess the magnitude of the disease. Hence, it can provide a hypotheses in the etiologic research.

Descriptive epidemiology is used when we do not have much data about the disease. This study mainly depends on the preceding information about the disease.

The three main categories of descriptive epidemiology are Person, Place and Time.

Let's look into the details of the same,

• Descriptive Epidemiology helps us to determine the changes occuring in health and illnesses and facilitates the comparisons amongst various nations and subgroups within a nation.
• It assists in providing a basis for planning, providing and evaluating the services.
• It also finds out health issues to be studied analatically and to test the hypotheses related to those issues.

As a health professional, we can make use of the epidemiological study effectively;

1. To eliminate or reduce the ill effects or the consequences.
2. It helps to plan public services, health programs and public policies.
3. To promote the health and wellbeing of the population as a whole.   

Hope this explanation is beneficial. Please rate me on this answer.Happy learning!!