Question

Discuss the importance of epidemiology to disease prevention and control. Please answer conciselyyy.

Answer 1

The importance of epidemiology to disease prevention and control--discussion

Answer

introduction:

Explanation of epidemiology and disease prevention and control

epidemiology:::epi--- upon + demos-- people+ logos ----study of.

Epidemiology is defined as the scientific,systematic, data driven study of the frequency and the pattern of distribution of health related states,diseases and health related events’ findings in the defined population like individual groups,community, neighborhood,society and the applications of the study findings for identification of the health risk factors/ disease determinants/ disease modifiers/ health hazards and formation and implementation of disease prevention and control strategies based on the findings.

Disease prevention and control includes the measures, policies and the strategies which are used to preserve human health, prevent disease states and control disease spread during an outbreak/epidemic.

The correlation flow chart:

Epidemiology involves epidemiological studies which provide the data/ analytical information regarding the determinant/ risk factors for disease/ particular health condition/ disease outbreak and this data forms the basis for strategies for disease prevention and control.

The Importance of epidemiology in providing scientific data, framework and operational roadmap for disease prevention and control is outlined in the flowchart below.

Epidemiological study --- study of the incidence/ prevalence of disease and the disease determinants and risk factors---- analysis of information [analytical epidemiology]---- observational and experimental epidemiological studies-------determination of determinants and risk factors ---- data analysis---- application of epidemiological data------ development of disease preventive and control strategies----- implementation------ disease prevention and control.

Discussion of importance of epidemiology in disease prevention and control

1. In order to prevent disease and control its spread, it is essential to be able to identify the key causative factors/ determinants/risk factors causing the disease and formulate strategies and policies in order to control/ prevent the spread/ modify these factors. This requires the collection of scientific systematic data regarding the disease, its determinants, risk factors and the patterns of incidence and prevalence. To make this effective and possible, the study of epidemiology plays a major role.

2.Epidemiology uses basic sciences such as statistics and probability for observational studies, hypothesis formulation and evaluation to establish causative factors and scientific research methodology for establishing association/ linkages in order to study and promote public health.The experimental epidemiological study involves the use of scientific experiments to establish the causation/risk factors association while the observational epidemiological study includes descriptive and analytical studies which uses the observed pattern of the disease and calculated correlation to the risk factors in order to characterize/ summarise a health event or disease state

3.The distribution epidemiology studies the frequency and the distribution [who ,where, when and what of a disease or a health related event while the analytical epidemiology studies the causation /risk factors [how and why related to disease/health related event or state]

4.The analytical epidemiological study provides the analysis of data for the establishment of the association /causation/ correlation between the various health related events and their causative factors.

epidemiology---- collect data---- generate hypothesis----- analytical studies----- establish linkages--- intervention for disease prevention and control

5.The public health epidemiological surveillance on a short/long term basis,the quick focussed field investigation,analytical epidemiological studies involving statistical analysis of data,evaluation of the disease and health data findings and establishment of association/ causation linkages are the ways in which epidemiology is functional in obtaining the information relevant to disease prevention and control.

6.The agent,reservoir and host form the epidemiological triad,The study of the epidemiological triad helps to establish the modes of transmission of disease and formulate preventive and control measures for the disease[ mainly infectious disease states]

7.The observational/ experimental study of the disease with regards to the risk factors, exposure, outcome/ effect, population size and covariates forms the basis for data collection and analysis leading to availability of scientific data for formulation of disease prevention and control measures [mainly non-infectious/ chronic diseases]

8. Epidemiological studies are also applied in the food production system in order to identify the risk factors causing health related events such that they can be modified or controlled in order to prevent diseases.

Thus epidemiology forms the operational scientific framework for formulating strategies for prevention and control of diseases [both infectious and noninfectious/chronic] .

illustration with an example:

The Framingham heart study for cardiovascular risk factors is an example of an epidemiological study which exemplifies the importance of epidemiology in disease prevention and control.

Background of the study:

In 1940's.with the increasing incidence of heart disease,stroke and prevalence of hypertension and atherosclerosis in general population, very little was known as to the risk factors/causation. So, the Framingham heart study , which is a long term cardiovascular cohort epidemiological study was started in 1948 in Framingham.

The importance of epidemiology

This longitudinal cohort study identified the risk factors for the heart disease [high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels were identified as the major risk factors by the study] as well as the role of measures like diet ,exercise, Aspirin ,blood pressure control, cholesterol and weight management as the preventive measures to prevent heart disease.

The notable findings of the study include identification of smoking as a risk factor for heart disease [1960’s], identification of hypertension as a risk factor for stroke [1970’s], identification of protective role of HDL cholesterol in heart disease[ 1980’s], association of left ventricular hypertrophy and stroke [1990’s], association of hypertension and heart failure[ 2000’s],

The preventive measures for control of heart disease and stroke that are implemented in practice as of today are based on the study findings and most of what is known today about the risk factors of heart diseases and stroke is because of this long longitudinal cohort epidemiological study.

Conclusion:

Epidemiology is the backbone of disease prevention and control and forms the operational scientific framework for formulating strategies for prevention and control of diseases.The strategies and measures for disease prevention and control cannot be designed/ formulated without establishing the association/ linkages between the determinants/risk factors of the disease, the research and analysis of which is provided by the epidemiological studies.Disease prevention and control is the application outcome of epidemiological studies to maintain and preserve public health.