Descriptive Epidemiology HIV/AIDS was first recognized as an epidemic in the United States in 1981. At the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, the life expectancy for infected persons was less than 7 years. Today, because of research and new treatment options, people who begin treatment soon after diagnosis can expect to live a nearly normal life span (Cairns, 2010). The HIV/AIDS epidemic was identified through descriptive epidemiology. Descriptive epidemiologic studies are often conducted as precursors to analytic studies. Epidemiologic concepts are used to gather data to better understand and evaluate health trends in populations. Data such as characteristics of the persons affected, place where an incident occurred, and time of occurrence are collected and analyzed to look for patterns in an effort to identify emerging health problems. In this Discussion, you will apply the epidemiologic concepts of time, place, and person to a specific population health problem. To prepare: Consider      a variety of population health problems, and then select one on which to      focus for this Discussion. Identify      a specific population affected by your selected health problem. Research      the patterns of the disease in your selected population using the      epidemiologic characteristics of person, place, and time. Explore      three to five data sources presented in the Learning Resources that could      aid you in describing the population and magnitude of the problem. Analyze      the strengths and limitations of each data source. Consider      methods for obtaining raw data to determine the variables of person,      place, and time for your health problem. Ask yourself: How would the      methods I select influence the accuracy of case identification,      definition, and diagnosis? By tomorrow Wednesday 03/07/18 by 4pm, write a minimum of 550 words in APA format with a minimum of THREE scholarly references from the list of required readings below. Include the level one headers as numbered below: Post a cohesive response that addresses the following: 1) Evaluate your selected health problem in the population you identified by describing THREE to FIVE characteristics related to person, place, and time. 2) Appraise the data sources you utilized by outlining the strengths and limitations of each. 3) Discuss TWO methods you could use to collect raw data to determine the descriptive epidemiology of your health problem, determine how these methods would influence the completeness of case identification as well as the case definition/diagnostic criteria used. Required Readings Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. A. (2014). Epidemiology for public health practice (5th ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett. Chapter 3, “Measures of Morbidity and Mortality Used in Epidemiology” Chapter 4 , “Descriptive Epidemiology: Person, Place, Time” Chapter 5 , “Sources of Data for Use in Epidemiology” Chapter 3 examines several measu ...

1. Descriptive Epidemiology
HIV/AIDS was first recognized as an epidemic in the United
States in 1981. At the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, the life
expectancy for infected persons was less than 7 years. Today,
because of research and new treatment options, people who
begin treatment soon after diagnosis can expect to live a nearly
normal life span (Cairns, 2010). The HIV/AIDS epidemic was
identified through descriptive epidemiology.
Descriptive epidemiologic studies are often conducted as
precursors to analytic studies. Epidemiologic concepts are used
to gather data to better understand and evaluate health trends in
populations. Data such as characteristics of the persons
affected, place where an incident occurred, and time of
occurrence are collected and analyzed to look for patterns in an
effort to identify emerging health problems.
In this Discussion, you will apply the epidemiologic concepts of
time, place, and person to a specific population health problem.
To prepare:
Consider a variety of population health problems, and then
select one on which to focus for this Discussion.
Identify a specific population affected by your selected
health problem.
Research the patterns of the disease in your selected

2. population using the epidemiologic characteristics of person,
place, and time.
Explore three to five data sources presented in the Learning
Resources that could aid you in describing the population
and magnitude of the problem. Analyze the strengths and
limitations of each data source.
Consider methods for obtaining raw data to determine the
variables of person, place, and time for your health problem.
Ask yourself: How would the methods I select influence the
accuracy of case identification, definition, and diagnosis?
By tomorrow Wednesday 03/07/18 by 4pm, write a minimum of
550 words in APA format with a minimum of THREE scholarly
references from the list of required readings below. Include the
level one headers as numbered below:
Post
a cohesive response that addresses the following:
1) Evaluate your selected health problem in the population you
identified by describing
THREE
to
FIVE
characteristics related to person, place, and time.
2) Appraise the data sources you utilized by outlining the
strengths
and
limitations
of each.

3. 3) Discuss
TWO
methods you could use to collect raw data to determine the
descriptive epidemiology of your health problem, determine
how these methods would influence the completeness of case
identification as well as the case definition/diagnostic criteria
used.
Required Readings
Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. A. (2014). Epidemiology for public
health practice (5th ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.
Chapter 3,
“Measures of Morbidity and Mortality Used in Epidemiology”
Chapter 4
, “Descriptive Epidemiology: Person, Place, Time”
Chapter 5
, “Sources of Data for Use in Epidemiology”
Chapter 3
examines several measures of disease frequency that are
typically utilized in epidemiology.
In Chapter 4
, the authors address a basic premise of epidemiology: that

4. disease occurs in patterns reflecting underlying factors (rather
than occurring randomly). Using the tools introduced in Chapter
3, it is possible to take a more detailed look at the occurrence of
disease, focusing on characteristics related to person, place, and
time. This chapter also notes the distinction between descriptive
versus analytic epidemiology; descriptive studies characterize
the amount and distribution of disease within a population,
whereas analytic epidemiology is concerned with the
determinants of disease.
Chapter 5
provides information about various data sources that are
available to the general public, and the authors examine some of
the critical issues related to data collection and use that require
careful attention.
Nash, D. B., Fabius, R. J., Skoufalos, A., Clarke, J.
L. & Horowitz, M. R. (2016). Population health: Creating a
culture of wellness (2nd ed). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett
Learning.
Chapter 12,
“Information Technology”
In this chapter, the authors examine the use of information
technology, noting that research based on richer, more real-time
data will inform policy decisions in all parts of the health care
system. The challenge of integrating individual patient is
mobile applications into the electronic health record are
presented.

5. Required Media
Laureate Education (Producer). (2012). Epidemiology and
population health [Interactive media]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
“Descriptive Measures”
This presentation introduces you to the concept and calculation
of important descriptive measures used in epidemiology—
namely, incidence and prevalence. In addition, you will see how
to use direct and indirect age-adjustment to compare mortality
rates in two populations.