Topic 2: Clinical Epidemiology
Read the first three chapters in the text by Fletcher (Clinical Epidemiology The Essentials). Explore the CDC site, National Center for Health Statistics at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/. This site’s information is largely gleaned from epidemiological studies and data collections.
Discuss epidemiology as the scientific basis for clinical medicine and guideline development. Explain some types of data, performance measurements and possible reasons for variations in data. Next share a bit of information or statistic you learn from reviewing the National Center for Health Statistics site.
Must be in APA format, site 3 sources, and please see attached grading rubric. Thank you.
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Clinical Epidemiology, discussion help Nursing Assignment Help
Introduction:
Epidemiology is the scientific study of distribution and determinants of health and disease in a population. Epidemiology forms the scientific basis for clinical medicine and guideline development as it is through epidemiological research that disease patterns, risk factors and outcomes are identified. The use of epidemiological data and methods ensures that clinical medicine is based on the best available evidence and that clinical practice guidelines are developed based on the most current and accurate research available.
Answer:
There are different types of data used in epidemiological studies including incident data and prevalence data. Incident data refers to the number of new cases of a particular disease or health condition in a specific time period, while prevalence data refers to the total number of cases of a particular disease or health condition at a specific point in time. Epidemiological studies also utilize performance measurements such as measures of mortality and morbidity rates as well as measures of healthcare utilization, such as hospitalization rates.
Variations in data can be due to differences in data collection methods, healthcare access and quality, as well as differences in underlying populations. In addition, variations in data can also be due to differences in demographic factors, such as age, sex, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status, as well as behavioral and environmental factors.
From reviewing the National Center for Health Statistics site, I learned that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for 23.1% of all deaths in 2019. I also learned that the rates of deaths due to heart disease are highest among non-Hispanic Black individuals, followed by non-Hispanic White individuals, and Hispanic individuals. These statistics highlight the importance of public health efforts targeting heart disease prevention and management, particularly among at-risk populations.
