Epidemiology Objectives

Introduction

Over time, the field of medicine has undergone some extreme changes. Some of the diseases which were considered dangerous a few years ago have now been contained. A lot of effort has been put into ensuring that high standards of public health have been maintained. New diseases such as cancer, which have claimed the lives of many people, continue to emerge all over the world. This study therefore addresses various issues including the definition of epidemiology, the description of epidemiology and the role played by nurses in healthcare. Other areas of concern in this study shall include the description of the infectious diseases, as well as the analysis of the nursing pandemic across the world. Various learning objectives and their impact on the accomplishment of various issues related to the epidemiology process shall also be described. A reflection of various issues related to epidemiology and how they have changed over time shall also be described.

Epidemiology is the process of studying and analyzing the various processes of health distribution, health determinants, and various conditions in a majority of the populations (Dicker, 2015). Epidemiology aids in the process of understanding and shaping public health as it drives the process of policy formulation, and the enhancement of medical practices based on the evidence presented as well as the ability to provide cure to various ailments. Through the epidemiological process, healthcare officers are able to identify various aspects of disease risk factors and establish countermeasures to address them (Dicker, 2015). They are also able to provide preventive healthcare to the general public.

The Body

Epidemiology also gives room for the enhancement of the process of data collection, establishment of the study design, and the enhancement of the statistical data analysis process (Elm et al., 2014). Through the process, amendment of the results, interpretation, and the issuance of results is also implemented. It also supports the development of various research processes. As a result, there has been an increase in the number of studies on public health, and health sciences across the globe.

Nurses play a major role in the healthcare sector. First, they provide transformative leadership in the healthcare sector (Salmond, & Echevarria, 2017). They also ensure that there is effectiveness in the promotion of positive and viable healthcare practices, and also the development of better systems in which a majority of the health problems can be taken into consideration and also solved without problems. Another role that nurses are tasked with is ensuring that all people have access to quality health services and that efficiency is maintained in the manner in which patients are handled. Through the department of healthcare, nurses are able to assist in the provision of quality services to patients in various public healthcare facilities (Salmond, & Echevarria, 2017). This is implemented through collaboration with other professionals in the healthcare sector.

Today, there are several dangerous and infectious diseases. Over time, they have claimed the lives of many people. Infectious diseases are ailments caused by the presence of various disease-causing organisms in the body tissues and organs, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites (Friis & Sellers, 2013). The infectious diseases are mostly passed from one person to another or even from animals to human beings. This occurs through processes such as bites, stings, body contact, and exchange of body fluids among other many ways. Other ways through which the infectious diseases can be transmitted is by getting into contact with spoilt food or consuming food overgrown by mound. According to (Friis & Sellers, 2013), infectious diseases have different symptoms which can be contained in different ways such as immunization, vaccination, among other ways.

Before joining the epidemiology class, my perception of epidemiology was not the same to what it is right now.  It has changed over time. Initially, I thought epidemiology only entailed the process of collecting information on various diseases. However, after undergoing class training on the subject, I was able to understand that the process of epidemiology contained various levels of healthcare processes. It also contains many processes which are essential in ensuring that individuals get the required services. I also learned that the epidemiology process entails issues such as data collection, analysis processes, scientific research processes, the alteration of results, and ensuring that viable results are derived.

Conclusion

This study has addressed a number of issues related to epidemiology. First, the relationship between public health and the general process of epidemiology has been discussed by describing its process, and various issues around it. The study has also addressed the roles played by nurses in healthcare. It has been established that the transformative leadership process and the uniting healthcare strategies contribute towards the improvement of the healthcare services. Finally, the study has explored the transition process in dealing with infectious diseases, their modes of transmission, and the process of containing them. All these issues have contributed towards a better understanding of epidemiology and its contribution towards the general health.