Epidemiology
branch of science that investigates risk factors associated/responsible for the cause of
disease, frequency of occurrence/transmission, and preventative measures to be taken
Distribution
person, place, time
epidemiology must include _____ & ______
distribution and determinants
Goals of Epidemiology
- Explain etiology or cause of disease & associated risk factors
- extend/burden of disease in community
- study history & prognosis that will lead to interventions
- provide foundation for public health to make regulatory decisions
Epidemiological Triad
agent, host, environment
Host
Susceptible human or animal; carrier
agent
the microbe causing the infection; ie bacteria, virus, parasite, fungi
vector
present to help with transmission of the agent
environment
provide a place for microbes to hibernate, includes factors such as air, water, soil,
equipment
public health informatics
the systematic application of information and computer science and technology to public
health practice, research, and learning
public health nursing
The practice of promoting and protecting the health of populations using knowledge
from nursing, social, and public health sciences
Prevents disease and disability
Lillian Wald
Founder of public health nursing
Founded Henry Street Settlement
Henry Street Settlement
by Lillian Wald in NY in 1892; providing social services, healthcare, and shelter to the
poor
Florence Nightingale
created district nurses, promoted health and prevented disease through education
Mary Breckinridge
Established the Frontier Nursing Service
Surveyed needs of families by horseback
Hippocrates
, "Father of Medicine"
he was a scientist that believed all diseases came from natural causes, not religious
Coined "Epidemic" & "Endemic"
Hippocrates 4 Elements
1. physician must familiarize himself with work place to address concepts of at risk
populations, epidemics, & individual susceptibility
2. Importance of prevention & treatment
3. observe all contributing factors of disease (water, soil, seasons, etc.)
4. Consideration of lifestyle
Girolamo Fracastoro
proposed 3 modes of transmission.
Invisible organisms ("germs") caused diseases .
3 modes of transmission
direct, indirect (fomites), airborne
James Lind
Prescribed lime juice containing vitamin C to prevent scurvy in 1795
observed effect of person, place, time on development of disease
Edward Jenner
Developed a vaccine for smallpox in 1796 using cowpox
Varioloation
"vaccination"
intentionally inoculating healthy people to induce immunity
Ignaz Semmelweis
advocated hand washing to prevent transmission of puerperal fever from one OB
patient to another
John Snow
"father of epidemiology"
Mapped cholera in London using field techniques
Florence Nightingale in Epidemiology
Observed excess mortality of soldiers in Crimean War d/t sanitation/disease, not
wounds
social determinants of health
The conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and worship. Shaped by the
distribution of money, power, and resources at global, national, and local levels
Healthy People 2020 5 areas related to social determinants
1. economic stability
2. education
3. social and community context
4. health and healthcare
5. neighborhood and built environment
The Quad Council of Public Health Nursing
formed in 2000 to address the need to develop public health competencies in nurses.
prevention practices was one objective.
The Quad Council of Public Health Nursing identified eight principles that
distinguish the public health nursing specialty from other nursing specialties,
including which of the following (select all that apply)?