Population Health and Epidemiology
Discussion responses
DESCRIPTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY: DATA SOURCES AND DATA COLLECTION
Respond to two colleagues in one or more of the following ways:
· Ask a probing question, substantiated with additional background information, evidence, or research.
· Share an insight from having read your colleagues’ postings, synthesizing the information to provide new perspectives.
· Offer and support an alternative perspective using readings from the classroom or from your own research in the Walden Library.
· Validate an idea with your own experience and additional research.
· Make a suggestion based on additional evidence drawn from readings or after synthesizing multiple postings.
· Expand on your colleagues’ postings by providing additional insights or contrasting perspectives based on readings and evidence.
PEER #1
Lucretia Dennise Sanders
Week 2: Initial Post:
DESCRIPTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY: DATA SOURCES AND DATA COLLECTION
Describe your selected health problem using the epidemiologic model (person, place, and time), with a focus on the population affected by this problem: Asthma In the Adult Population.
Choosing asthma as a topic of discussion resonates deeply with me, especially given my personal journey with the condition that began during my military service. It was then that I first experienced the significant symptoms of asthma, a challenge that has persisted over the years. Recently, this ongoing battle culminated in a hospitalization due to an asthma exacerbation, marking a critical point in my struggle with the disease. Initially, my symptoms were categorized as exercise-induced by military medical personnel, suggesting that physical exertion was the primary trigger. However, the progression of my condition has led to an increase in the frequency and severity of attacks, far exceeding what could be attributed to exercise alone. This evolution of my asthma symptoms underscores the complexity of the disease and the need for a nuanced understanding of its triggers and management strategies. The journey from an initial diagnosis of exercise-induced asthma to experiencing frequent and severe attacks highlights the unpredictable nature of asthma and its impact on one’s quality of life. Over the years, my experiences have painted a vivid picture of the challenges faced by individuals living with asthma, including the constant vigilance required to manage triggers and the anxiety associated with potential exacerbations. My recent hospitalization served as a stark reminder of the serious nature of asthma and the importance of continuous monitoring and adaptation of management strategies. Discussing asthma from a personal perspective offers valuable insights into the lived experiences of those affected by the condition, emphasizing the importance of awareness, early detection, and personalized treatment plans in managing asthma and improving patient outcomes (Dharmage, 2019).
Describe your selected health problem using the epidemiologic model (person, place, and time), with a focus on the population affected by this problem.
In the adult population, asthma disproportionately affects certain demographics, with urban residents facing significant risks due to high levels of environmental pollution and airborne allergens. The occupational hazards associated with certain industries further exacerbate the risk among adults, making workplace environments a critical factor in the prevalence of asthma. Additionally, socio-economic status plays a role, with individuals in lower socio-economic brackets experiencing higher rates of asthma, likely due to limited access to healthcare and higher exposure to environmental triggers (Corburna et al., 2004). Women in their adult years are particularly vulnerable to asthma, suggesting that hormonal influences could be a contributing factor. This demographic is also impacted by lifestyle choices, such as smoking, which can worsen asthma conditions. Given these variances, understanding the specific needs and challenges faced by these groups is essential for developing effective public health strategies and personalized asthma management plans. Tailoring interventions to address the unique environmental, socio-economic, and biological factors at play can help mitigate the impact of asthma on the adult population.
Discuss sampling methods you could use to collect primary data to describe and study your health problem.
To study adult asthma health problems through primary data collection, researchers often employ various sampling methods that enable comprehensive and representative data analysis. Stratified sampling can be particularly useful, allowing researchers to divide the adult population into subgroups based on characteristics such as age, gender, geographic location, and severity of asthma symptoms. This method ensures that all relevant subpopulations are included in the study, facilitating a detailed analysis of asthma’s impact across different demographics. Random sampling within these strata can then be used to select participants, minimizing bias and ensuring the generalizability of the findings (Pate et al., 2022). Additionally, convenience sampling might be employed in clinical settings where patients already diagnosed with asthma are readily accessible, although this method may introduce bias as it does not represent the wider adult asthma population. Longitudinal studies are also valuable, tracking the same individuals over time to assess changes in asthma severity, control, and triggers, providing insights into the progression of the disease and the effectiveness of management strategies. Combining these sampling methods with robust data collection techniques, such as surveys, medical records analysis, and direct assessments, researchers can gather in-depth information on the prevalence, triggers, and impacts of asthma on the adult population, informing public health strategies and interventions.
Identify two secondary data sources that you could use to collect the data needed to address this topic.
To delve into adult asthma research, leveraging secondary data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) would be highly effective. The NHIS provides annual, nationwide insights on a range of health topics, including asthma prevalence, control, and healthcare use among adults, offering a longitudinal perspective. The AAFA, through its extensive reports and databases, offers data on asthma’s impact, including regional variations, quality of life, and economic burdens. These sources enable a comprehensive analysis of adult asthma’s epidemiological trends and societal impacts.
Explain how these methods and sources would influence the completeness of case identification as well as the case definition/diagnostic criteria used.
Utilizing data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) would significantly influence the completeness of case identification and the definition/diagnostic criteria for adult asthma. The NHIS’s nationwide, standardized approach ensures a comprehensive collection of health information, facilitating consistent asthma case identification across different populations and over time. This uniformity aids in maintaining a clear case definition and diagnostic criteria, enhancing the reliability of asthma prevalence and management data. Conversely, the AAFA provides detailed, condition-specific insights that can refine asthma case definitions by incorporating contemporary research findings and trends in asthma care. Together, these sources enrich the understanding of asthma’s impact, ensuring case identification and definitions are both comprehensive and up-to-date, reflecting the latest clinical and epidemiological insights (AAFA, 2023).
Reference:
Asthma disparities in America. Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America. (2023, September 14). https://aafa.org/asthma-allergy-research/our-research/asthma-disparities-burden-on-minorities/ Links to an external site.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022a, March 29). Asthma. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/nhis/default.htm Links to an external site.
Corburna, J., Osleeb, J., & Porter, M. (2004, November 5). Urban asthma and the neighborhood environment in new … Health & Place. https://www.aaas.org/sites/default/files/sd_Corburn-J.-Osleeb-J.-and-Porter-M.pdf Links to an external site.
Dharmage, S. C., Perret, J. L., & Custovic, A. (2019). Epidemiology of Asthma in Children and Adults. Frontiers in pediatrics, 7, 246. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2019.00246 Links to an external site.
Pate, C. A., Zahran, H. S., Malilay, J., & Hsu, J. (2022). The shifting prevalence of asthma and allergic disease in US children. Annals of Allergy, asthma & immunology: official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, 129(4), 481–489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2022.06.030 Links to an external site.
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PEER #2
Serena Valino
Describe your selected health problem using the epidemiologic model (person, place, and time), with a focus on the population affected by this problem.
A population-based study was the Flint water crisis of 2014. During the Flint water crisis, multiple residence of Flint Michigan began complaining that their tap water was discolored, smelled odd, and tasted funny (National Resources Defense Council, 2018). At first, these symptoms were largely ignored by government agencies until Virgina Tech sampled nearly 252 homes and found a large lead spike in the town’s water samples (National Resources Defense Council, 2018). Epidemiological studies can use international, geographic (within-country) variations, urban/rural differences, and/or localized occurrence of disease (Friis & Sellers, 2021). In the Flint Water crisis, the epidemiology model of place studied the population of Flint Michigan who were reporting the illness signs and symptoms.
Discuss sampling methods you could use to collect primary data to describe and study your health problem.
Primary data refers to data that is collected firsthand by the researcher to determine the cause/prevalence of an illness (Hassan, 2024a). Sampling methods that would be appropriate for this study include surveys, interviews, case studies, and/or experiments (i.e. those that drank tap water vs those that did not drink tap water).
Identify two secondary data sources that you could use to collect the data needed to address this topic. Explain how these methods and sources would influence the completeness of case identification as well as the case definition/diagnostic criteria used.
Secondary data refers to information that has been collected, processed, and published by a party other than the someone else (Hassan, 2024b). In the Flint Water Crisis, Virgina Tech could have used published reports from the city, State, and/or Federal government to help support or disprove the data needed to address this topic. These secondary studies could help the Virgina Tech conduct time-series analysis or a spatial analysis which can analysis data over time or would study the patterns of the diseases (Hassan, 2024b).
References
Friis, R., & Sellers, T. (2021). Epidemiology for Public Health Practice (Sixth ed ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Hassan, M. (2024a, January 3). Primary data- types, methods, and examples. Research Method. https://researchmethod.net/primary-data/ Links to an external site.
Hassan, M. (2024b, January 6). Secondary data- Types, methods, and examples. Research Method. https://researchmethod.net/secondary-data/ Links to an external site.
National Resources Defense Council. (2018). Flint water crisis: Everything you need to know. NRDC. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/flint-water-crisis-everything-you-need-know#summary Links to an external site.