In this milestone, you will analyze the health issue for the final project research study. You will draw conclusions about the health issue through your review of the research study and your own outside research. This milestone will focus on the risk factors, disease transmission, incidence and prevalence, mortality rate, and odds ratio of the health issue.
Overview
For your final project, you will complete an epidemiological research study report based on the provided research study, “Salmonella in the Caribbean.” Throughout the course, you will complete milestone assignments that are drafts of specific sections of the final project. Because these milestone assignments are drafts of the final project, some critical elements in the rubric will be identical to those in the Final Project Rubric. Tips for tackling each critical element are in italics throughout the document.
In your first milestone, you will review the research study and analyze the health issue at its core. Use the research you conducted in your Module One journal assignment to help you analyze the health issue.
Prompt
To begin, review the final project research study, “Salmonella in the Caribbean.” Then, address the following critical elements in your short paper:
Health Issue: In this section of your final project, you will analyze the health issue that is the focus of the research study.
Describe the risk factors associated with the public health issue. Support your description with evidence from the research study and your independent research.
Describe the mode of transmission of the public health issue. Support your description with evidence from the research study and your independent research.
Determine the incidence and prevalence of the health issue using the data from Table 1 of the research study to perform the appropriate calculations.
Tip: To calculate incidence, assume the total population of Trinidad & Tobago during the 10-year period is 1,265,000 people
Determine the mortality rate of the health issue using the data from the research study to perform the appropriate calculations.
Interpret the odds ratio to determine the strength of association between the potential sources of exposure and the disease using the odds ratio given in Table 2.
How to solve
MVCC Salmonellosis Research Paper
Health Issue:
The health issue that will be analyzed in this research study is Salmonella in the Caribbean. Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal infections in humans. It is commonly transmitted through contaminated food and water, and it results in symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and vomiting.
Risk Factors:
The research study provides evidence of several risk factors associated with Salmonella infection in the Caribbean. These risk factors include consuming contaminated food or water, poor hygiene practices, inadequate sanitation facilities, and lack of access to clean drinking water. The study also mentions that individuals with compromised immune systems, such as the elderly, young children, and those with underlying medical conditions, are at a higher risk of developing severe complications from Salmonella infection.
Mode of Transmission:
Salmonella is primarily transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food and water. The research study indicates that the main sources of Salmonella contamination in the Caribbean are raw or undercooked poultry, eggs, meat, seafood, fruits, and vegetables. Inadequate food handling practices, improper storage, and cross-contamination during food preparation can also contribute to the spread of Salmonella. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of proper hand hygiene, as person-to-person transmission through fecal-oral route can occur.
Incidence and Prevalence:
To determine the incidence and prevalence of Salmonella infection in the Caribbean, data from Table 1 of the research study will be used. The total population of Trinidad & Tobago during the 10-year period is assumed to be 1,265,000 people. From Table 1, the number of reported Salmonella cases in Trinidad & Tobago over the 10-year period is 820.
Incidence can be calculated by dividing the number of new cases (820) by the total population (1,265,000) and multiplying the result by 100,000 to express it as a rate per 100,000 population. Therefore, the incidence of Salmonella infection in Trinidad & Tobago is approximately 64.84 cases per 100,000 population.
Prevalence, on the other hand, can be calculated by dividing the number of existing cases at a specific point in time by the total population and multiplying the result by 100,000. Since the research study does not provide information on the number of existing cases, prevalence cannot be determined accurately from the given data.
Mortality Rate:
The research study does not explicitly report the mortality rate of Salmonella infection. However, mortality rate can be calculated by dividing the number of deaths caused by Salmonella infection over a specific period by the total population and multiplying the result by 100,000. As the research study does not provide specific mortality data, the calculation cannot be performed.
Interpretation of Odds Ratio:
Table 2 in the research study provides the odds ratio for the association between potential sources of exposure and the disease. The odds ratio is a measure of the strength of association between two variables, and it helps determine the likelihood of disease occurrence based on exposure.
To interpret the odds ratio, a value of 1 indicates no association between exposure and disease. Values greater than 1 suggest a positive association, meaning higher odds of disease occurrence with exposure. On the other hand, values less than 1 suggest a negative association, meaning lower odds of disease occurrence with exposure.
The research study does not provide specific odds ratios in Table 2, so the exact interpretation cannot be provided. However, by analyzing the odds ratios, researchers can determine the strength of association between potential sources of exposure and Salmonella infection, which can help inform preventive measures and interventions.
