Nursing Epidemiology Essay

“Epidemiology is the study of the determinants and distribution of health, disease, and injuries in human population.” (“WHO definition of health, 2017”). This definition according to WHO stands above all others, it is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events and the application of study to the control diseases and other health problems. In other words epidemiology is finding out what is happening so you can have an intervention on how to control it. There are several methods that can be used to carry out epidemiological investigations such as:

• Surveillance and descriptive studies can be used to study distribution.

• Analytical studies can be used to study determinants and develop measures for promoting health. “Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.” (ANA). Both epidemiology and nursing counteracts with the human population. Epidemiology is important to nursing because it helps the nurse to be vigilant and raises self-awareness, to prevent and

It ensures the effective monitoring of implementation and effectiveness of programmes. It also assists in planning health programmes and decision making based on the priorities. It brings about awareness of the high risk areas in which the diseases may be common and the groups and populations being affected. There is also an increase in the knowledge of vectors, animals, reservoirs, and the modes and dynamics of transmission. Now that all this has been discussed, further detailed descriptions of the importance of epidemiology to nursing is needed to link the two