May 18, 2022 Epidemiology data influence in health practices Describe how epidemiological data influences changes in health practices. In addition to the previously mentioned elements in common to all data displays (Box 6.2), tables have column and row headings that identify the data type and any units of measurement that apply to all data in that column or row. WebEpidemiology is the branch of medical science that investigates all the factors that determine the presence or absence of diseases and disorders. Arthropod populations can grow explosively and can decline even more rapidly. These cookies perform functions like remembering presentation options or choices and, in some cases, delivery of web content that based on self-identified area of interests. A more precise approach to estimating how much for measurements on a continuous scale, discussed earlier in this chapter, might be to compute the average and dispersion of the individual BMI measurements, as shown on a box-and-whisker plot (Figure 6.1). Strictly speaking, in computing rates, the disease or health event you have counted should have been derived from the specific population used as the denominator. Mark on a map the residences of all children born with birth defects within 2 miles of a hazardous waste site, ____ 4. Take-Home Point: Increase in an unusual syndrome (microcephaly) prompted government health agencies to coordinate efforts to collect systematic case data, develop a standard case definition to use across jurisdictions, and conduct uniform laboratory testing for possible etiologic agents. The field epidemiologist must understand the characteristics of the study population and their ability and willingness to respond to various survey methods (e.g., access computers and Internet-based surveys). If a rapidly acting intervention was taken early enough to prevent cases, discount the contribution of the last cases to this estimation. Use the most important epidemiologic features on which to sort the data. This count of incident cases over time in a population is called incidence. When using transformed data (e.g., logarithmic, normalized, or ranked), represent equal units of the transformed data with equal distances on the axis. Contact diagrams are versatile tools for revealing relationships between individual cases in time. For prevalence, this fluctuation amplifies the statistical error. Place patterns include geographic variation, urban/rural differences, and location of work sites or schools. In surveillance systems, you might have only the report date or another onset surrogate. How much? is expressed as counts or rates. Stacking different strata atop one another (as in Figure 6.7, which is not recommended) defeats attempts to compare the time patterns by group. Social groupings might be as compact as a household or as diffuse as a social network linked by a common interest. A field investigation protocol does not have to be long, but it must include the following: Identifying up front which software package(s) will be used for questionnaire development, data collection, data entry, and analysis also is useful. Graph the number of cases of congenital syphilis by year for the country, ____ 5. In the United States, the legal framework for reporting infectious diseases to public health authorities for investigation and control dates to 1878, when Congress authorized the Public Health Service to collect reports of cholera, smallpox, plague, and yellow fever from consuls overseas to implement quarantine measures to prevent introduction into the United States (6). National Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website. Furthermore, EHRs contain potentially useful data on healthcare use, treatment, and outcomes of a diseaseelements not typically assessed by more traditional public health data sources. Epidemiological data play an important role in healthcare Probability sampling is a better choice for statistical tests and statistical inferences. For self-administered surveys, the format needs to be friendly, well-spaced, and easy to follow, with clear instructions and definitions. Epidemiology data influence in health practices Examples of these data sources include Google hits for antidiarrheal or antipyretic medications to detect outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness or influenza (24) and social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, blogs) to identify contacts of patients with sexually transmitted infections, restaurants where case-patients ate or products they ate before becoming sick, or levels of disease activity during influenza season (25). It is incumbent upon field epidemiologists to adapt to these changes to be able to investigate and control urgent public health threats. Dot plots, box plots, and bar charts are easier to understand and read if aligned horizontally (with the numeric axis horizontal). If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. Statistics/Nursing - Describe how epidemiological data Rates correct counts for differences among population sizes or study periods. Ongoing population surveys are important for understanding the prevalence of health risk behaviors in the general population. Determining whether an urgent public health problem exists (i.e., an excess of observed cases of illness above what is expected) depends on knowing the expected background rate of endemic disease. For example, understanding the distribution of vectors for each infection and patterns of the diseases in animals is paramount. Use graphic designs that reveal the data from the broad overview to the fine detail. This chapter focuses on the collection of quantitative data (see Chapter 10 for qualitative data collection). Understanding how participants are interpreting and answering questions can enable corrections to the wording before it is too late. Bar charts usually need a zero level because viewers judge magnitude by the length of the bar. The mode in part dictates the format, length, and style of the survey or questionnaire. On the opposite end of the scale, injuries and acute poisonings have instantaneous and obvious onsets. Many an epidemiologist has bemoaned a misinterpreted question, confusing survey formatting, or a missing confounding variable resulting in study questions without meaningful results. A first and simple step in determining how much is to count the cases in the population of interest. The line indicates the rapid decrease in Aedes-infested houses (house index). Epidemiologists would do well to remember GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) when delineating their data collection plans. The downslope can be precipitous if the common source is removed or gradual if it exhausts itself. Ensures that you are fully versed in the basic dimensions of a health problem. To assess adverse effects from a vaccine or pharmaceutical, consider using total doses distributed as the denominator. Whether the tables or graphs help the investigator understand the data or explain the data in a report or to an audience, their organization should quickly reveal the principal patterns and the exceptions to those patterns. Instructions for recruiting and enrolling participants in the survey, including obtaining consent for participation.