Epidemiology Applications in Assessing Health Status and Services

This report provides a comprehensive overview of epidemiology and its crucial role in public health. It discusses two key applications: disease prevention through interventions and health promotion via community health assessments. The report delves into the historical antecedents of epidemiology, highlighting the contributions of key figures like Hippocrates, John Graunt, William Farr, and John Snow. It further explores the use of epidemiology in assessing the health status of populations through early screening programs and public health surveillance, including the monitoring of morbidity and mortality rates. Additionally, the report examines how epidemiology is applied in evaluating the delivery of health services, including data collection through surveys and interviews to inform policy development and improve healthcare effectiveness. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of epidemiology in understanding disease distribution and health determinants, ultimately contributing to disease prevention and health promotion.

Running head: EPIDEMIOLOGY
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Introduction:
Epidemiology is a discipline which has a crucial role in identifying risk factors,
describing health status and analyzing the relationship between health and exposure to the health
hazard (Carson, Saunders & Tremblay, 2016). Springer, Cham.. It is a cornerstone for public
health which shapes the policies, evidence-based practice through identifying risk factor of the
disease. This paper will discuss important applications of epidemiology in following
paragraphs.
Discussion:
Two importance of epidemiology:
Epidemiology is a discipline which has a crucial role in identifying risk factors,
describing health status and analyzing the relationship between health and exposure to the health
hazard. The two important applications of epidemiology include preventing disease by
intervention and promoting health through community health assessments (Sommer, 2016).
Over the past twenty years, epidemiology has prevented disease through designing intervention
and to provide health literacy to the population where disease rate is extremely high. Hence,
these initiatives reduce the rate of disease (Carson, Saunders & Tremblay, 2016). The
community health assessment is another initiative for preventing disease and promoting the
wellbeing of the community (Nalysnyk et al. 2016). In the community, epidemiologists have
been assessed the risk factors and etiology in order to prevent the disease before it contributes to
a high mortality rate. It would help to design appropriate intervention in order to reduce the
global burden of disease and improve public health.

The historical antecedent of epidemiology:
In circa 400 B.C Hippocrates suggested that the environment, as well as host factors
such as behavior, may influence the development of the disease. Hippocrates suggested that
these environmental factors are water, places or air which contributed to the development of the
disease. In 1662 John Graunt, landmark publication based on mortality, quantify the pattern of
disease occurrence, birth and death and noting disparities across the population. In 1880, the
epidemiology evolved when William far who was considered as a British epidemiologist and he
was founders of medical statistics and surveillance (Nalysnyk et al. 2016).. Finally, 1854 when
the cholera outbreak was observed, john snow discovered both the cause of the disease and to
preventive measure to cure the disease (Zlobin, Pogodina, & Kahl, 2017). He is consider as the
father of modern epidemiology. After the discovery, the epidemiology gained a direction for
public health intervention.
Important applications of epidemiology for assessing health status:
In order to assess the health status of the population, the first crucial application is
community health use where early screening programs are designed as a part of health
promotions. The epidemiologist design different early screening and health literacy programs in
order to gain the understanding of the health status of the disease such as how many people are
suffering from at least one communicable or non-communicable disease and how many people
require special clinical interventions (Zlobin, Pogodina, & Kahl, 2017). For these assessments,
qualitative or quantitative study designs have been used as an analytic tool. The second crucial
application is public health surveillance where researchers used researchers to monitor the risk

factors of the communicable disease by observing health behavior (Zlobin, Pogodina, & Kahl,
2017). The morbidity rate, mortality rate, nutritional status is the key factors which provide an
idea of the health status of the population.
Important applicationS of epidemiology in assessing the delivery of health services:
In order to assess the delivery of the health care services, the epidemiology is used for
monitoring the health activities and performance of healthcare professionals for relevance,
effectiveness which will further help to amend relevant policies and design policies according to
it. In in order to assess the delivery of health care services, epidemiology also applied in
collecting data from population or health care professionals (Nalysnyk et al. 2016). The
interviews or surveys are generally used to gain the perspective regarding the services. The
health care services can be measured through the feedback of the population and satisfaction of
the population. The health policy would be developed according to the data collected from the
health services.
Conclusion:
Thus it can be concluded that epidemiology is a study and analysis of the distribution of
diseases and determinants of health that contributed to the disease. The major application of
epidemiology is preventing disease and promoting health. Epidemiology is a study and analysis
of the distribution of diseases and determinants of health that contributed to the disease.

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