Epidemiology and Health Surveillance Essay

Epidemiology and Health Surveillance Essay

Epidemiology and Health Surveillance Essay

Epidemiology entails studying and analyzing the distribution, patterns, determinants of health and disease conditions in a particular population. It also aims at identifying the possible control of diseases among a population. Health surveillance is a continuous and systematic collection, consolidation, evaluation, and dissemination of pertinent health data aimed at taking action (CDC, n.d.). This discussion explores the epidemiologic principles and measures used to address a selected practice problem at the national and specific geographic location and population, examines the use of descriptive epidemiology to address the practice problem, how surveillance can be used to influence the determinants of health and improve the health outcomes of the population, and the ethical concerns related to the use of surveillance data in the population. The selected population is African American population in Jackson, Mississippi.

The selected national practice problem is diabetes. Galicia Garcia et al. (2020) note that diabetes is a major practice problem that significantly affects populations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (n.d.), the epidemiologic principles and measures used to address diabetes in Mississippi include the national diabetes prevention program and the diabetes self-management education program. In Jackson County, there are organizations offering lifestyle change programs to assist the population in preventing diabetes and managing diabetes appropriately. Additionally, descriptive epidemiology is applied by the CDC to assess the primary diabetes data, including the total diabetes cases, new cases/incidence, direct costs, and diabetes-related complications cases. The data then informs the diabetes prevention and management program plans.

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Surveillance can be used to influence the determinants of health and improve health outcomes for the African Americans in Jackson. According to Hill-Briggs et al. (2020), the social determinants of health considerably impact diabetes, including access to care and adherence to diabetes management. I would use adherence to diabetes management data to assess the proportion of the community adhering to diabetes management, thus identifying the target for the new diabetes self-management program in Jackson. The data would also direct the development of the program since it would point out the topics that the population needs to learn most. Adherence to diabetes management data falls under analytical epidemiology since it is aimed at guiding diabetes control activities. Surveillance can be used to influence the determinants of health, thus improving health outcomes. The data collected and evaluated through surveillance can be used to focus more on funds and services, such as self-management education, to the individuals who need them most and what they need to learn, thus improving their outcomes.

Finally, there might be ethical concerns about using surveillance data on the population. For instance, the reasons for data collection may not be well expressed, and the process may not respect individual privacy. Additionally, the surveillance data from the population can be misused, and maybe not be used for the intended purpose, thus an ethical issue. Therefore, epidemiological principles, measures, and health surveillance should be used for the right purpose, leading to action-taking.                

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). State, Local, and National Diabetes Programs: Mississippi Diabetes Profile. Accessed 12^th July 2023 from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/programs/stateandlocal/index.html

Galicia-Garcia, U., Benito-Vicente, A., Jebari, S., Larrea-Sebal, A., Siddiqi, H., Uribe, K. B., Ostolaza, H., & Martín, C. (2020). Pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21(17), 6275. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21176275

Hill-Briggs, F., Adler, N. E., Berkowitz, S. A., Chin, M. H., Gary-Webb, T. L., Navas-Acien, A., Thornton, P. L., & Haire-Joshu, D. (2020). Social Determinants of Health and Diabetes: A Scientific Review. Diabetes Care, 44(1), 258–279. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.2337/dci20-0053

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Week 2 Epidemiology and Health Surveillance

Discussion

Purpose

The purpose of this discussion is to apply concepts in epidemiology and health surveillance to a selected population.

Instructions

Explore the determinants of health and the National Practice Problems that most affect the population you selected in Week 1. Review the following index to locate an epidemiological report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Link (website): CDC A-Z IndexLinks to an external site.

This report contains data on specific diseases as reported by state and regional health departments, as well as recommendations that have been issued by the CDC.

Use the index to review the most significant issue pertaining to your selected population and one of the eight National Practice Problems to address the following:

Explore the epidemiologic principles and measures used to address your selected practice problem at the national and specific geographic (city or county level) location for the population you have selected.

Examine the use of descriptive and/or analytic epidemiology to address the practice problem.

Propose how you might use surveillance to influence the determinants of health and improve the health outcomes of your population.

Anticipate any ethical concerns that you might have related to the use of surveillance data in your population.

Please click on the following link to review the DNP Discussion Guidelines on the Student Resource Center program page:

Link (webpage): DNP Discussion GuidelinesLinks to an external site.