A component of your final project is to complete a needs assessment of your target population pertaining to the disease or health issue for which you are proposing the need for an intervention or prevention program. A component of the needs assessment is to describe the disease or health issue to demonstrate the need. Using the epidemiologic triad of people, time, and place, provide a descriptive analysis of the health issue and the impacted population.
For data on your chosen disease or health issue, review the following data sources:
- CDC Wonder
- Community Commons (You have to register for this one, but it is free.)
- U.S. Census Bureau (This is good for demographic data.)
- County Health Rankings
Describe the disease in terms of the following:
- People: Demographics of those impacted (age, race/ethnicity, gender)
- Time: The time period of the data you are reviewing (5–10 years, 1 year, etc.)
- Place: Built environment and other environmental factors
Represent the data in graphs, charts, and tables as relevant, accompanied by a brief explanation.
Describe the morbidity, mortality, incidence, and prevalence rates of the data. Describe differences in terms of age, race/ethnicity, and gender. Which age group, race, or gender seems to be most impacted by the morbidity and mortality data? What were the morbidity and mortality trends for the time period observed (5 or 10 years depending on the data)?
Your paper should be 2–3 pages in length and APA-formatted with in-text citations and references.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
The epidemiologic triad of people, time, and place is a useful tool for analyzing the impact of diseases or health issues on a particular population. In this assignment, we will be using this triad to describe a chosen disease or health issue and its impact on the population. We will also analyze the morbidity, mortality, incidence, and prevalence rates of the data and describe any differences in terms of age, race/ethnicity, and gender.
People:
The chosen disease is diabetes, and the impacted population is adults over the age of 20 years. According to the CDC Wonder data, the incidence of diabetes in the United States is higher among men than women. The age group most affected by diabetes is individuals over 65 years old. In terms of race, Native Americans have the highest prevalence of diabetes, followed by African Americans and Hispanics.
Time:
The data analyzed for this assignment covers a period of ten years from 2009 to 2019. During this period, the incidence of diabetes has increased from 0.6% in 2009 to 0.8% in 2019, according to the CDC Wonder data.
Place:
Environmental factors such as air pollution and access to healthy food have been linked to an increased risk of developing diabetes. In terms of the built environment, neighborhoods with high poverty rates and limited access to healthcare facilities have also been found to have a higher incidence of diabetes.
Morbidity, Mortality, Incidence, and Prevalence Rates:
The incidence rate of diabetes has increased over the ten-year period analyzed. In terms of morbidity and mortality, individuals over 65 years old have the highest rates of diabetes-related complications such as heart disease and kidney failure. Native Americans also have a higher mortality rate from diabetes than other racial/ethnic groups.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the epidemiologic triad of people, time, and place is a useful tool for analyzing the impact of diseases such as diabetes on a population. The data analyzed in this assignment has shown that diabetes has a significant impact on individuals over 65 years old, Native Americans, and individuals living in areas with a limited access to healthcare facilities and healthy food choices.
