Week 2 Discussion: Epidemiology and Health Surveillance
Instructions
Explore the determinants of health and the National Practice Problems that most affect the population you
selected in Week 1. Review the following index to locate an epidemiological report published by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Link (website): CDC A-Z IndexLinks to an external site.
This report contains data on specific diseases as reported by state and regional health departments, as well
as recommendations that have been issued by the CDC.
Use the index to review the most significant issue pertaining to your selected population and one of the
eight National Practice Problems to address the following:
1. Explore the epidemiologic principles and measures used to address your selected practice
problem at the national and specific geographic (city or county level) location for the population
you have selected.
2. Examine the use of descriptive and/or analytic epidemiology to address the practice problem and
include data points (i.e., prevalence, incidence, mortality).
3. Propose how you might use surveillance to influence the determinants of health and improve the
health outcomes of your population.
4. Anticipate any ethical concerns that you might have related to the use of surveillance data in your
population.
Please click on the following link to review the DNP Discussion Guidelines on the Student Resource
Center program page:
Link (webpage): DNP Discussion GuidelinesLinks to an external site.
Class, you may begin posting in this discussion for credit on Sunday.
Hello Class,
I hope you enjoyed Week 1 as we learned about the foundations of population health and the culturally
appropriate services needed to improve outcomes for populations. This week, you will take that
knowledge a step further by examining the role of epidemiology in assessing the health—or lack of health
—in populations. Your exploration will begin with an investigation into descriptive and analytic
epidemiology. These concepts build on information gained in previous courses, so you will not be
surprised to learn that the difference between descriptive and analytic epidemiology is the use of a control
group to develop hypotheses about causal relationships. We will also look at the use of population health
data as a tool to treat the eight National Practice Problems. A clear understanding of the data and the
implications of statistics helps the DNP-prepared nurse intervene appropriately to resolve health
disparities in vulnerable populations. There is much important work to be done to improve population
health outcomes. Let's get started!
Our interactive discussion addresses the following Course Outcomes (COs):
2. Synthesize ethical and legal principles to advocate for value-based, equitable, and ethical
health policies at the micro, meso, and macrosystem levels. (PO 9)
3. Assimilate epidemiology principles and interventions to impact the social determinants of
health, Global Burden of Disease, and population health outcomes. (PO 1)
Instructions
Explore the determinants of health and the National Practice Problems that most affect the population you
selected in Week 1. Review the following index to locate an epidemiological report published by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Link (website): CDC A-Z IndexLinks to an external site.
This report contains data on specific diseases as reported by state and regional health departments, as well
as recommendations that have been issued by the CDC.
Use the index to review the most significant issue pertaining to your selected population and one of the
eight National Practice Problems to address the following:
1. Explore the epidemiologic principles and measures used to address your selected practice
problem at the national and specific geographic (city or county level) location for the population
you have selected.
2. Examine the use of descriptive and/or analytic epidemiology to address the practice problem and
include data points (i.e., prevalence, incidence, mortality).
3. Propose how you might use surveillance to influence the determinants of health and improve the
health outcomes of your population.
4. Anticipate any ethical concerns that you might have related to the use of surveillance data in your
population.
Please click on the following link to review the DNP Discussion Guidelines on the Student Resource
Center program page:
Link (webpage): DNP Discussion GuidelinesLinks to an external site.
Class, you may begin posting in this discussion for credit on Sunday.
Hello Class,
I hope you enjoyed Week 1 as we learned about the foundations of population health and the culturally
appropriate services needed to improve outcomes for populations. This week, you will take that
knowledge a step further by examining the role of epidemiology in assessing the health—or lack of health
—in populations. Your exploration will begin with an investigation into descriptive and analytic
epidemiology. These concepts build on information gained in previous courses, so you will not be
surprised to learn that the difference between descriptive and analytic epidemiology is the use of a control
group to develop hypotheses about causal relationships. We will also look at the use of population health
data as a tool to treat the eight National Practice Problems. A clear understanding of the data and the
implications of statistics helps the DNP-prepared nurse intervene appropriately to resolve health
disparities in vulnerable populations. There is much important work to be done to improve population
health outcomes. Let's get started!
Our interactive discussion addresses the following Course Outcomes (COs):
2. Synthesize ethical and legal principles to advocate for value-based, equitable, and ethical
health policies at the micro, meso, and macrosystem levels. (PO 9)
3. Assimilate epidemiology principles and interventions to impact the social determinants of
health, Global Burden of Disease, and population health outcomes. (PO 1)
