Evaluation of Epidemiological Problem

PURPOSE

The purpose of this assignment is to

• Provide learners with the opportunity to integrate knowledge and skills learned throughout this course

• Directly apply principles and knowledge learned in the course to problem solving of population health problems in their own geographic areas.

COURSE OUTCOMES

This assignment enables the student to meet the following course outcomes:

1. Define key terms in epidemiology, community health, and population-based research.

2. Compare study designs used for obtaining population health information from surveillance, observation, community, and control trial based research.

3. Identify appropriate outcome measures and study designs applicable to epidemiological subfields such as infectious disease, chronic disease, environmental exposures, reproductive health, and genetics.

4. Apply commonly used measures of health risk.

5. Examine current ethical/legal issues in epidemiology.

6. Identify important sources of epidemiological data.

7. Evaluate a public health problem in terms of magnitude, person, time, and place.

REQUIREMENTS

This paper should clearly and comprehensively identify the disease or population health problem chosen. The problem must be an issue in your geographic area and a concern for the population you will serve upon graduation with your degree. The paper should be organized into the following sections:

1. Introduction with a clear presentation of the problem as well as significance and a scholarly overview of the paper.

2. Background of the disease including definition, description, signs and symptoms, and current incidence and/or prevalence statistics current state, local, and national statistics pertaining to the disease. (Include a table of incidence or prevalence rates by your geographic county, state, and national statistics.)

3. A review of current surveillance methods and any mandated reporting or methods for reporting the disease for providers.

4. Conduct descriptive epidemiology analysis of the disease including who is more frequently affected and characteristics of the population that might help in creating a prevention plan. Include costs (both financial and social) associated with the disease or problem.

5. Review how the disease is diagnosed, current national standards for screening or prevention, and pick one screening test and review its sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, cost and any current national guidelines for conducting which patients to conduct this test on.

6. Provide a brief plan of how you will address this epidemiological disease in your practice once you are finished with school. Provide three actions you will take along with how you will measure outcomes of your actions.

7. Conclude in a clear manner with a brief overview of key points of the entire disease,

PREPARING THE PAPER

• Page length: 7-10 pages, excluding title/cover page

• APA format 6th edition

• Include references when necessary.

• Include at least one table to present information somewhere in the paper.