Epidemiology and Needs Assessment - Essay Example

"Epidemiology and Needs Assessment" is a wonderful example of research on epidemiology. 
Epidemiology is defined as the study of health events and characteristics logically and systematically. It identifies health determinant patterns in a society along with identifying risk factors for diseases and targeting for preventive medicines. The collection of statistical data and logical interpretation helps in assessing health issues along with developing several solutions. Epidemiology is often considered as an amalgamation of biology, biostatistics, and social science. Several health studies can be conducted to analyze its impact and influence over the chosen population (Clayton, David 24) 

Identifying Health Problems  

As stated above, Epidemiology is concerned with studying health patterns in a society where people may suffer from a particular kind of disease. Let us assume that a particular section of the society in California is suffering from Malaria. The Epidemiologists want to analyze health patterns of people through a wide range of research tools. A needs assessment asks members of the community what they see as the most important needs of the community as a whole. The results garnered from this assessment become the response and the response compels to the identify solutions for the problem stated (Last 24) 

Epidemiology and Needs Assessment Data 

The importance of health needs assessment in terms of delivering health care to populations is of greatest priority. The logical interpretation of health problems affecting communities and the nation is carried systematically to reduce health problems along with offering several solutions to prevent them from occurring shortly (Merrill 45) 

A needs assessment identifies the target population along with addressing issues, behaviors, and problems. A thorough analysis is done on what information is required and what resources are available. A data collection method is developed to garner data and information primarily from the primary sources. It includes interviews, surveys, or the combination of both. The garnered data is analyzed using statistical tools that offer a good amount of information on health patterns, key issues, and major loopholes in the health system. Epidemiologists often use incidence and prevalence measures to identify and analyze health issues. The number of new health cases is incidences while the existing health cases are prevalence. Usually, incidence and prevalence is used to determine the number of people at risk in the population for the current study (Rothman, Kenneth 24)  

Economic Costs 

It needs to be understood that economic costs for assessing a particular disease depend on the number of people affected by it. For example; Out of 40 million population of California if only 3% are suffering from Malaria; the overall incremental cost depends on the number of people being diagnosed with Malaria. It requires effective research methods and data to analyze the overall economic costs. The overall costs differ from assessment to assessment for a particular society, city, state, or nation in the present as well as in the future.  

Conclusion 

The discussion has been presented in a descriptive manner covering wide arrays of information on Epidemiological studies in an ethical and informative manner. There is no denying that Epidemiological methods are used to describe health needs after analyzing specific diseases. The use of incidence and prevalence offers great flexibility to define the population burden of the disease ((Rothman, Kenneth 56)  Overall it can be assumed that Epidemiological methods are of great importance in identifying health issues along with offering several solutions based on logical analysis.