Epidemiology And Public Health Essay Discussion

Epidemiology And Public Health Essay Discussion

A century ago, epidemiology was a population science that focused on infectious diseases and outbreaks. Pioneered by passionate researchers like John Snow and Florence Nightingale, epidemiologic methods were used to curb the spread of debilitating diseases like cholera and the Spanish Flu. Today epidemiology relates to more than just acute outbreaks of illness; it addresses many chronic population health problems that nurses and other healthcare professionals deal with every day, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Epidemiology And Public Health Essay Discussion

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For this assignment, you explore the development and evolution of epidemiology and population health, as well as nurses’ roles in advancing care at the population level.

Post a 300- to 400-word blog post addressing the following:

How has the practice and scope of population health changed? Include in your explanation the role of epidemiology in promoting the health of populations.
What role did nurses play at the advent of these concepts in the 1800s and early 1900s? Be sure to differentiate between individual and population-based care.
How can nurses play an effective role in advancing population health today? Discuss two ways you can make a difference at the population level. Epidemiology And Public Health Essay Discussion

Evolution of Population

The practice and scope of population health have significantly evolved over the past years. Initially, population health focused primarily on addressing or controlling infectious diseases and ensuring that individuals and populations were adequately protected through vaccination, quarantine measures, and vaccination programs. In the early 1800s-1900s, public health practice primarily focused on managing outbreaks of diseases such as tuberculosis, cholera, and smallpox. However, as the discovery of the disease patterns continued to expand, population health practice has also significantly increased as modern approaches focus on preventing health issues through health promotion and preventive care (Yoshioka‐Maeda et al., 2022)Epidemiology And Public Health Essay Discussion. These approaches focus on managing the health determinants through a multisectoral approach.

The Role of Epidemiology

Epidemiology is critical in enhancing public health and well-being by providing scientific data for understanding the existing health determinants in population health. In this case, healthcare professionals conduct surveillance methods that allow monitoring of the population’s health events and disease patterns. In addition, epidemiology provides data for research, which enables healthcare professionals to identify health risks and determine the effectiveness of interventions implemented to manage the health of individuals (Rod et al., 2023)Epidemiology And Public Health Essay Discussion. Epidemiologists can apply these data to assess the underlying health disparities and the target interventions for the most affected populations.

The Role of the Nurse in the Early 1800S and 1900s

In this era, nurses provided healthcare services to individuals and the population by individualizing the healthcare services to meet the unique needs of individuals. Nurses provided direct patient care through bedside services, ensuring adherence to hand hygiene practices, wound care management, and patient education. Florence Nightingale revolutionized nursing practice through her environmental theory that embrace maintaining hand hygiene to achieve the best healthcare outcomes. On the other hand, population-based healthcare services provided by nurses enhanced their ability to respond to the underlying epidemics and poor living conditions that affected the overall health and well-being of the affected patient populations (McCauley et al., 2022)Epidemiology And Public Health Essay Discussion. Public health nurses, such as Lillian Wald, pioneered community-based healthcare services that protect and address the needs of the underserved population.

Advancing Population Health in Today’s World

In today’s healthcare, nurses are critical in advancing population health through various measures that serve different populations. Nurses provide healthcare services that aim to promote the health of individuals through outreach programs, school health programs, and health education. Nurses provide individualized care services to these individuals and populations, ensuring that they have adequate resources and support to achieve safe and efficient care strategies. Nurses also advocate for population health through leadership programs, resource mobilization, and the development of mechanisms that enhance the safety and well-being of the affected patient populations (Yoshioka‐Maeda et al., 2022)Epidemiology And Public Health Essay Discussion. Nurses better understand the underlying issues and needs and can effectively undertake leadership roles in promoting health and well-being among the affected patient populations.

Nurses provide interventions to support the wellbeing of the affected patient populations and attain safe and efficient care approaches. Nurses and other healthcare professionals who collaborate with the rest of the healthcare team members must incorporate these strategies and mechanisms to support the safety and wellbeing of individuals and populations and enhance the overall quality of healthcare services (Belita et al., 2022)Epidemiology And Public Health Essay Discussion. Implementing these strategies ensures that the services offered manage the underlying health determinants and support the vulnerable populations to access the highest quality healthcare services.

References

Belita, E., Jack, S. M., Lokko, H., & Dobbins, M. (2022). Exploring the context, role, and impact of public health nursing during COVID‐19: A multiple case study protocol. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 78(8), 2646–2655. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.15304

McCauley, L. A., Waters, C. M., & Monsen, K. A. (2022). Nursing and public health special issue. American Journal of Public Health, 112(S3), S215– S217. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2022.306910

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Rod, N. H., Broadbent, A., Rod, M. H., Russo, F., Arah, O. A., & Stronks, K. (2023). Complexity in epidemiology and public health. Addressing complex health problems through a mix of epidemiologic methods and data. Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.), 34(4), 505–514. Epidemiology And Public Health Essay Discussion https://doi.org/10.1097/EDE.0000000000001612

Yoshioka‐Maeda, K., Shiomi, M., Katayama, T., Hosoya, N., Fujii, H., & Mayama, T. (2022). Association between public health nurses’ involvement in local healthcare planning and the corresponding off‐the‐job training. Nursing Open, 10(2), 796–806. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1347 Epidemiology And Public Health Essay Discussion