Descriptive and Analytic Epidemiology

Descriptive and Analytic Epidemiology

Part 1

Malaria is considered a worldwide health concern. It is one of the greatest causes of death in the world. Countries have been collaborating with NGOs to control and eliminate malaria. However, the biggest challenge facing the control of malaria is the increasing imported cases of malaria (Tebernero, Fernandez, et al., 2014). For countries to effectively control malaria, they need first to know how to manage imported malaria cases. This can help them to sustain malaria control. Anopheles mosquito transmits malaria from an infected person to non-infected one. A person infected with malaria demonstrates symptoms such as fever, chills, anemia, and so forth. Children and the minority are highly exposed to malaria. Basic symptoms in children include impaired consciousness, convulsions, hypoglemia, and so on (Tebernero, Fernandez, et al., 2014). Malaria is mostly transmitted in dawn and dusk. Malaria epidemiology changes from one geographical region to another, and this depends on the intensity of local malaria transmission. In 2015, Africa recorded 395,000 malaria deaths (Tebernero, Fernandez, et al., 2014). Malaria impacts are felt within health facilities, homes, and even in individuals’ daily lives. Children with severe malaria attacks mostly develop neurological sequelae. This condition may last for long and may cause death. Also, families of the patients are most likely to experience negative economic consequences (Concato, 2016). This is because families may lose jobs or close the business to take care of their children suffering from malaria.

There is a certain population that is highly exposed to malaria. School-aged children, together with teenagers, are at a high risk of being infected with malaria. Research conducted shows that children aged below five years, as well as teenagers, have a high risk when it comes to uncomplicated malaria (Fettig, Swaminathan, et al., 2014). Besides, adults with chronic infections are at a high risk of contracting malaria. Malaria is highly prevalent in tropical areas. African, Asia, and India countries are most affected by malaria. Also, it is important to note that regions with high malaria transmission levels, people are likely to contract severe malaria more frequently, like anemia compared to cerebral disease (Tebernero, Fernandez, et al., 2014). Population immunity tends to decline with a decrease in transmission intensity. People displaced from non-malaria zones to malaria zones are at high risk of contracting severe malaria. They may even die because they lack acquired immunity. However, with time these people may develop the required level of malaria immunity. Additionally, pregnant people are highly exposed to malaria. If a pregnant woman contracts malaria, and she failed to receive urgent treatment, she faces high risks of fetal or even maternal death (Fettig, Swaminathan, et al., 2014). Other effects include poor pregnancy outcomes like malnutrition. Also, anemia is a result of malaria. It mostly happens in the process of blood transfusion.

Part 2

Observational and experimental epidemiology are crucial aspects of analytic epidemiology. Observational epidemiology addresses questions concerning plastic surgery, together with randomized controlled trials involving unethical conduct (Concato, 2016). Observational epidemiology mainly uses cohort studies to assess the relationship between diseases and exposures. On the other hand, experimental epidemiology uses a controlled process to determine the exposure of every clinical or community trial (Tebernero, Fernandez, et al., 2014). A good example is a scenario whereby an investigator in a clinical trial involving a new vaccine assigned a given number of participants to have the new vaccine, whereas the rest a placebo shot.

The HIV epidemic has been a big killer disease in the world for a long time. However, the introduction of medications have reduced the impact of this disease; hence, reducing its mortality rate. According to the report released by the WHO, gays, transgender people, sex workers, and people who use drugs, injectable drugs are most vulnerable to contracting and spreading HIV (Tabernero, Fernandez, et al., 2014). Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest cases of HIV. The general HIV epidemiology trend indicates that there are fewer new infections, together with a decline in mortality related to AIDs in Africa. Between 2000 and 2018, HIV prevalence in adults in this region reduced by half (Concato, 2016). Few new cases were reported. Low mortality rates lead to low infection rates. In some African countries such as Angola, the number of new infections, as well as that of AIDS deaths, is still increasing. The primary method of transmitting HIV is unprotected sex among people with multiple sex partners. Also, people with STIs are at a high risk of transmitting HIV. Studies have also found that people with long-term relationships are more likely to transmit HIV than people living with their sex partners. Also important to note is that men can reduce the risk of HIV by approximately 10% if they go through voluntary medical male circumcision (Concato, 2014). This involves men who engage in heterosexual intercourse.

Moreover, there are some conditions that require one to conduct a case-control study rather than a cohort study. When it comes to case-control studies, two groups are involved. One group has a disease used and the other while the other one lacks disease or outcome (Tebernero, Fernandez, et al., 2014). Case-control studies assess the rate of risk exposure of the two groups. When fast results are required, case-control studies are the most appropriate. Also, these studies are appropriate when one wants to incur fewer expenses (Tebernero, Fernandez, et al., 2014). In such conditions, one has to use cohort-studies rather than cohort studies.