I need a response to this discussion board, please. I am out of time and work tomorrow. 2 sources.
Unit 2. Discussion Board
Catherine Schnorr posted Feb 9, 2024 11:50 AM
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Clinical Epidemiology: Risk
Epidemiology is the study of the distributions and factors of health-related conditions or events in specific circumstances, times, and populations with the objective of preventing and treating disease and promoting well-being. Epidemiology has expanded the analysis from infectious disease to chronic disease, trauma, and injury, focusing on the predominant risk factors causing these conditions (Fletcher, 2021). According to risk factor research by the CDC (2011), diseases are caused by a combination of genetic predisposition, physical inactivity, smoking, imbalanced nutrition, and pollution exposure. Additionally, these elements have a connection to social, genetic, environmental, and behavioral aspects. Clinicians determine the fundamental causes of illness and create preventative plans to lower risk factors, educating the public health system and enhancing patient care and well-being in general. To accentuate, some specific genes increase the genetic risk factors for colon and breast cancer, osteoporosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Fletcher, 2021). Secondly, environmental risk factors are considered in infectious agents such as drugs and toxins, which produce a systematic effect on the body (CDC, 2011). Thirdly, behavioral factors are the most influential risk factors; examples include smoking, excessive alcohol intake, driving without seat belts, unsafe sex, overeating, and sedentarism (Fletcher, 2021). These risk factors are possibly controlled by the individual by making changes in life and understanding the negative outcomes of unhealthy decisions.
Lastly, social risk factors are associated with socioeconomic status, educational level, and employment (Fletcher, 2021). These risk factors predict the appearance of a disease process. Consequently, understanding these dynamics help professional clinicians to inform public health policies and interventions. According to Szklo (2019), epidemiological studies impact interventions to reduce risk factors because analyzing predispositions, the distribution, the determinants, and the population provides value to the cause of disease patterns. Some of the impacts generated are: the targeting of high-risk groups and vulnerable populations with the need for accessible resources (Fontaine, 2019).
Also, the development of public health policies and strategies is crucial, where government agencies and health organizations employ this data to create interventions addressing risk factors, promoting health education, and implementing actions. Additionally, behavioral and environmental modification risk factor identification allows for the development of promoting healthier lifestyles, improving contact with preventive facilities, and executing policies to decrease exposure to dangerous environmental factors (Szklo, 2019). Along with that, evidence-based interventions are generated, such as screening programs and vaccination campaigns.
EBSCO presents a peer-reviewed study by Perry (2023) about cervical cancer, risk factors, screening, and treatment. Stating, cervical cancer is present among women, despite screening and prevention in the form of vaccination. Nurses are at the forefront of promoting services and reducing mortality. Perry (2023) explains that the disease is the fourth most frequent cancer type in women, with an estimated 342,000 deaths in 2020, with the majority of these (approximately 90%) occurring in low and middle-income countries. Perry’s study classifies the risk factors as human papillomavirus (HPV) (95%), early sexual activity, multiple partners, low immunity, smoking, a weakened immune system, pregnancy, and oral contraceptive use. These risk factors are applied to evidence-based practice by implementing health promotion strategies and programs of early screening and detection (Perry, 2023). On the other hand, the American Cancer Society (2020) categorizes cervical cancer risk factors as chlamydia infection, having multiple full-term pregnancies, economic status, a diet low in fruits and vegetables, diethylstilbestrol ({DES}, {medication given in 1938 and 1971}), and intrauterine device (IUD) usage. Consequently, the identification of internal and external risk factors, along with changeable and unchangeable predispositions for disease acquisition, is applied to nursing practice in evidence-based practice by implementing evidence of promotion of the HPV vaccine through education, dissemination, and vaccination campaigns.
References
American Cancer Society (2020, January 3rd). Cervical cancer causes, risk Factors, and prevention. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/CRC/PDF/Public/8600.00.pdf
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2011). Measures of risk. In Principles of epidemiology in public health practice: An introduction to applied epidemiology and biostatistics (3rd. ed.). https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dsepd/ss1978/lesson3/index.html
Fontaine, R. (2019). Describing epidemiologic data. Epidemic intelligence service. CDC. www.cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/eis/field-epi-manual/chapters/Describing-Epi-Data.html
Fletcher, G. S. (2021). Clinical Epidemiology: The Essentials (6th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Perry, M. (2023). Cervical cancer: risk factors, screening and treatment. Journal of Community Nursing, 37(3). https://web.p.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=6&sid=9bad16f0-f4d1-4a97-b388-c129f8a534d1%40redis
Szklo, M., & Nieto, F. J. (2019). Epidemiology: Beyond the Basics. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
