“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it,” Albert Einstein spoke these incredibly true words years ago. Epidemiologists combat illnesses that the majority of the population readily ignore. The treatment of people afflicted with life-threatening diseases has gradually evolved because of the dutiful research of epidemiologists.
Epidemiology covers a multitude of scientific branches: ranging from genetic studies to cancer analyzation. An amount of professionals are also looking into the process of ceasing the effects of aging and infectious diseases. The John Hopkins School of Public Health and the Harvard School of Public Health offer classes specifically designed for future flourishing doctors interested in epidemiology and methodology.
After earning their degree, many epidemiologists travel to third world countries and cities, such as Zimbabwe, to observe major epidemics in the area and combat the afflictions. By doing this, they put themselves at risk of contracting the very diseases th...
Over the years the medical field has always brought together the best and brightest of society to help those in need. From treating cancer and delivering babies to dealing with heart attacks, doctors have developed technology and improved techniques. The three main changes that are revolutionizing the medical field are electronic medical records, population science and clinical practice guidelines. With the help of advanced technology, evaluating patients on a large scale, physicians can view the death rate, life span and frequency of illness throughout the healthcare system. On an individual basis, the physician can treat an illness. When the entire population is considered, issues such as cancer, heart disease and obesity are a growing epidemic. Population science can allow doctors to look at a large-scale way to cure these epidemics instead of just treating an individual. These epidemiological principles are now used in clinical studies to make the evaluation of medical procedures better.
...in the fields of both science and medicine, future epidemics of any disease can be handled better. When a lethal disease begins to rampage a population, research on similar epidemics can help the world contain, cure, and prevent the disease to protect the world and its population.
The author also paints a picture of situations in which a lack of proper medical equipment leads to the spread of diseases. When describing Mr. Yu. G, the first known person with Ebola Sudan, who´s chain of infection traveled throughout south Sudan into a hospital in the town of Maridi, he writes, ¨Apparently the medical staff had been giving patients injections with dirty needles¨(98). This is a prime example of how the error of medical staff can manage to worsen a disaster. Rather than transmitting from person
Illness plays a major role in our world today. From cancer, STDs, and infections, to national outbreaks of deadly diseases, such as Ebola. Although, prior events have revealed that if we work together as a nation, a cure will be discovered. For example, the NIH scientist "investigate ways to prevent disease as well as the causes, treatments, and even cures for common and rare diseases." This awe inspiring foundation has made extraordinary medical advancements. Some would argue
Long ago, many people have died from serious illnesses and diseases. Without any knowledge of the cause of their death. As more and more people continuously died, people became concerned. After World War I, many medical and scientific advances were discovered. These discoveries fought against infectious diseases and illnesses, saved and continues to save lives everyday. Private associations, and scientists researched ways for the prevention of these illnesses. Many of these medical and scientific advances include vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and antibiotics. Although many people see the 1930s as a time of desperation, we look back at it as a time of perseverance. The U.S government changed the health care system, and many research foundations
Research that analyzes global life expectancy, mortality and diseases enhance our understanding of the impact that the health care, the economy, and environment have on a population. By identifying trends and contributing factors that lead to disease; healthcare personnel can develop preventive measures to ensure the safety of the public. For example, tuberculosis is a contagious infectious disease that usually affects the lung. According to the Department of Information, Evidence and Research WHO, Geneva (2017), “Lower respiratory infections remained the deadliest communicable disease, causing 3.2 million deaths worldwide in 2015. Tuberculosis death rate decreased during the same period, but the disease was still among the top 10 causes of death in 2015 with a death toll of 1.4 million. This affected mainly small countries.” Using this data, we can implement immunizations, screenings, and preventive teaching that can decrease the death toll in these
Ebola from everyone’s point of view is seen as inferno. Dr. Steven Hatch’s memorable journey began with him volunteering to leave for Liberia in 2013 to work at a hospital in Monrovia to fight Ebola in one of its most affected areas. There were only a few patients with Ebola when he arrived. The number of patients rapidly increased over his time in Liberia. After six months Ebola was declared a world health emergency and not only were ordinary people outside of the hospital getting the virus but the medical personnel that were tending to the patients had caught it and some of them had even died.
According to the World Health Organization, the reason why there are many Ebola outbreaks in West Africa is because they have “very weak health systems, lacking human and infrastructural resources, having only recently emerged from long periods of conflict and instability.” A hum...
Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health related states or events in well-defined populations. The goal of epidemiology is to understand the causes of disease variation and limit disease, injury and death in a community by intervening to prevent or limit outbreaks or epidemics of disease and injury. Epidemiology provides the most compelling evidence for measuring environmental risk to humans. Epidemiologists are public health professionals who investigate occurrence of disease-or other health related conditions or events in specific populations. Epidemiology allows public health workers to organize, analyze & interpret statistical facts about health problems. The basic design strategies applied in epidemiological research can be generally categorized according to whether such investigations focus on reporting the distributions of disease or elucidating its determinants. All study designs involve descriptive and analytical type of comparison of exposure and disease status. Descriptive epidemiology focuses on the general characteristics of the distribution of a disease. Analytical epidemiology focuses on the determinants of a disease by testing the hypothesis formulated from descriptive studies to check whether a particular exposure causes or prevents disease.
During the past years, interest in health care promotion has increased which has been due to several factors. The major factor has been the shift from infectious diseases to chronic diseases that has been named as world killers. This shift is commonly referred to as epidemiologic transition characterized by low birthrates, ageing population and increased cost of health care (Kessler et al, 2013). Previously, disease identification was easy but with changing times and the emergence of many diseases, characteristics of diseases hav...
Medical anthropologists examine epidemic outbreaks through numerous approaches. According to Joralemon, “Epidemics offer particularly vivid demonstrations of the interconnections between biological, social, and cultural components in the human experience of disease” (2010:29). Many times these approaches cannot function on their own accord and rely on each other to solve the epidemic. It is the job of the medical anthropologist to put all the pieces of the disease puzzle together.
I can still remember those words, ‘When you are a clinician, you are saving a life, but when you are a public health personnel, you are saving thousands of lives at a time’, delivered by my professor in the orientation class of undergraduate Community Medicine course. That introductory speech was so motivating that I contemplated for a while, should I be in the ‘thousands life saver’ group? Though inspiring, that speech alone was not sufficient to grow my interest in public health. Day by day I felt the importance of public health while dealing with various patients as a clinician.
A key component of public health is that it is always changing with the advent of new technologies. So many discoveries and initiatives have helped improve persons’ environments; inversely, there are threats such as climate change and diseases that progress from endemic to epidemic, presenting daunting challenges to even the most experienced of health professionals. Whether the issue regards sickle cell disease or smoking cessation, everything has some association to one another in the sense I can apply the skills I have learned to combat the barriers that impede one’s quality of life. My time studying public health as an undergrad as well my two years as a public health professional has opened a lot of opportunities for me to succeed in life; both academically and professionally, the various disciplines of public health have changed my perspectives and helped influence me to make a difference for the betterment of those around me. As one with so much interest in public health, I feel I have learned a lot, yet a lot to learn.
Epidemiology research, understanding of study design and methods, hypothesis formation, and writing a scientific poster help me develop pertinent research skills to success in a future in biomedical science. I aim to earn a Ph.D. in biomedical science and continue in health science that will positively impact the population. I believe that public health can fit together with biomedical science to find insight to molecular mechanisms and complex understanding of what diseases are seen in research fields like epidemiology. I am passionate about public health and epidemiology foci of nutrition so working on a project to prevent and dec...