Posted: July 4th, 2015

Select one of the communicable diseases identified in question 1 and utilize the chain of transmission to describe the disease and the transmission process.

Analytic epidemiology investigates the determinants of the patterns observed; this includes the how and why of the disease or health pattern. Descriptive and analytic studies are observational while experimental studies include interventions to test preventive or treatment measures, evaluate health services or policies, or study the etiology of disease.
Public Health Nurses work with aggregates from within a community to decrease the incidence of communicable or infectious disease. Transmission of communicable diseases depends on the successful interaction of three factors: the infectious agent, the host, and the environment—together known as the epidemiologic triangle. Changes in any of these three factors may result in disease transmission.
Utilize epidemiological concepts to assess a community, identify a vulnerable aggregate, and plan interventions to reduce a defined risk.
Directions
1. Looking at the list of nationally notifiable infectious diseases find the incidence of 2 diseases in your community. Contrast that incidence in your community with state and national data. How would you use this information if you were the local public health nurse?

2. Select one of the communicable diseases identified in question 1 and utilize the chain of transmission to describe the disease and the transmission process.

3. Assess your local community and identify community resources currently existing and needed to effectively manage the health problem identified in question 2.

4. List the three levels of prevention AND community based nursing activities reflecting current evidence-based strategies necessary to manage the communicable disease identified in question 2. (Please review materials from Nursing Research course to clarify “evidence-based” strategies/interventions.

Please provide your references and citations in APA format.