Epidemiology and Population Health Flashcards
What are the levels of prevention in the natural history of disease?
- Primary Prevention
- Secondary Prevention
- Tertiary Prevention
In primary prevention, what are some health promotion activities? What are some specific protections?
• Provision of health education • Infrastructure development related to the social determinants of health –Affordable housing –Affordable childcare –Food security –Early childhood education • Protection from hazards –Environmental sanitation –Food quality assurance –Drug regulations –Environmental protections –Safe workplace legislation –Road safety laws –Tobacco control laws • Use of specific immunizations to prevent disease
What are some secondary prevention activities?
• Screening for disease –Mammography –Pap smears –Fecal occult blood tests –TB tests • Prophylactic treatment –Post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV exposure –Daily aspirin as prophylaxis for stroke in pt with known cardiac history
What are some tertiary prevention activities?
• Preventive measures oriented towards limiting disease and treatment-related morbidity and disability
–Medical treatments (surgeries, chemo, radiation, hemodialysis, transplants, stent insertions, insulin administration)
–Pain and symptom management
–Medical assistance in dying (MAID)
–Physiotherapy
–Psychotherapy
Define epidemiology, what are some of the aims of epidemiology?
“Epidemiology is the study of the distribution of factors that determine health-related states or events in a population, and the use of this information to control health problems
–Monitors the health of populations
–Seeks to identify the determinants of health and disease in communities
–Investigates and evaluates interventions to prevent disease and maintain/restore health
Differentiate between descriptive epidemiology and analytic epidemiology
• Descriptive Epidemiology
–Examines the frequency and distribution of states of health within a population
–Discusses a disease in terms of person, place and time
• Analytic Epidemiology
–Examines the etiology (origins or causes) of a disease and associated determinants of health
–Discusses a disease in terms of the underlying reasons
What are the three categories of the epidemiological triangle? What falls under these categories?
• Agent
–Infectious agents
–Chemical agents
–Physical agents
• Host –Genetic susceptibility –Immutable characteristics –Acquired characteristics –Lifestyle factors
• Environment –Climate –Plant and animal life –Human population distribution –Socioeconomic factors –Working conditions
Describe the web of causation
It starts with natural selection of metabolic adaptation to starvation, social pressures and industrial society which leads to a variety of risk factors such as obesity, stress, cigarette smoking etc,. These risk factors lead to a variety of chronic health issues such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. This will then lead to serious chronic health conditions such as coronary occlusion, myocardial susceptibility etc.
Differentiate between association and causation
• An association (or correlation) means that there is a relationship between two or more variables
• An observed association may be due to;
–Chance (random error)
–Bias (systematic error)
–The influence of other confounding variables
• Causation means that changes in one variable have been found to directly cause changes in another
What are the four types of epidemiological studies?
- Descriptive studies
- Analytical studies
- Ecological studies
- Experimental/intervention studies
What are some common epidemiological measures in community health nursing?
•Population health data
–Birth rate
–Morbidity rate
•Incidence rate
•Prevalence rate
–Mortality rate
- Crude mortality rate
- Specific mortality rate
- Infant death rate
How do community health nurses use epidemiology in their practice?
- Identify ‘at-risk’ populations
- Identify the extent of particular health concerns, health threats or unhealthy behaviours
- Participate in the surveillance and monitoring of disease trends through data collection
- Develop and initiate appropriate prevention programs/intervention programs
Describe what a community health assessment is
“A community health assessment is a dynamic ongoing process undertaken to identify the strengths and needs of the community, enable the community-wide establishment of health priorities and facilitate collaborative action planning directed at improving community health status and quality of life.”
How does a community health assessment help a community
–Clarify health concerns
–Identify community strengths, resources, assets, capacities and opportunities
–Identify community constraints
–Identify the economic, political, and social factors affecting the community
–Identify the determinants of health affecting community health
–Identify gaps in resources so alternative solutions can be developed
What are the four different types of community health assessments
•Environmental Scan
–Scan of the overall environment of the neighbourhood
•Resource Evaluation
–Assessment and evaluation of existing community resources
•Needs Assessment
–Assessment of what community perceives as health gap
•Problem Investigation
–Exploration of the causes/effects of a specific problem
