Epidemiological methods are used in a variety of public health areas (including infectious disease, chronic disease, and social health) and settings (including the community, schools, and the workplace). Epidemiological methods are used to assess, describe, analyze, and make comparisons of populations to inform evidence-based practices, policies, and interventions. Propose a study based on the methods you have learned thus far designed to investigate an association within one of the public health areas listed (infectious disease, chronic disease, or social health) and the methods you would apply. Discuss and define the risk factor or exposure that is being assessed, the method of comparison that is used, and the setting or situation (community, school, workplace, etc.) your study would look to address. Consider the concepts of causal inference, measures of association, and study design.
Assignment 2
Race is often used as a descriptor of disease burden and helps us to determine where health disparities exist in order to address them, which is important. It is helpful to differentiate between race as a descriptor and race as a risk factor. Think about institutional racism and its influence on health. Consider the factors related to race and ethnicity that might be influencing disease status more than the genetics of race when answering this discussion question.
Consider the following statement: “Race is not a risk factor and should not be used in public health data collection.” Discuss the ethical and public health implications of this statement. When might collecting data on race perpetuate institutional racism leading to health disparities and when is it necessary to improve public health? Provide support and examples for your answer. Consider ethical issues related to respect for persons, beneficence, and justice as described in “The Belmont Report.”
Answer preview
According to Tsui et al. (2020), the factors that affect the transmission of COVID-19 can be understood in three ways: hospital, community, and performing aerosol-generating medical procedures (AGMPs). As the community awaits the vaccines’ development, the first effective intervention is agent-host interrupting factors (Ifs). The intervention involves the reduction of contact of coronavirus with the persons. Secondly, the environment-hosts IFs include interventions such as social distance, avoiding physical contact with the infected persons, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitizing, and handwashing. Agent-environment Ifs include mask-wearing, confinement, isolation rooms for COVID-19 treatments. For example, according to Mervosh et al. (2020), the coronavirus was expected to rise due to people’s interaction during Thanksgiving. It implies that as people interact more, the virus transmits from one person to the other increases.
