NURS 8310 Week 2 Discussion: Descriptive Epidemiology

Walden University NURS 8310 Week 2 Discussion: Descriptive Epidemiology-Step-By-Step Guide

This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Walden University NURS 8310 Week 2 Discussion: Descriptive Epidemiology assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.

How to Research and Prepare for NURS 8310 Week 2 Discussion: Descriptive Epidemiology                           

Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Walden University NURS 8310 Week 2 Discussion: Descriptive Epidemiology depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.

After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.

How to Write the Introduction for NURS 8310 Week 2 Discussion: Descriptive Epidemiology                         

The introduction for the Walden University NURS 8310 Week 2 Discussion: Descriptive Epidemiology is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.

How to Write the Body for NURS 8310 Week 2 Discussion: Descriptive Epidemiology                         

After the introduction, move into the main part of the NURS 8310 Week 2 Discussion: Descriptive Epidemiology assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.

Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.

How to Write the Conclusion for NURS 8310 Week 2 Discussion: Descriptive Epidemiology                         

After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.

How to Format the References List for NURS 8310 Week 2 Discussion: Descriptive Epidemiology                           

The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.

Stuck? Let Us Help You

Completing assignments can sometimes be overwhelming, especially with the multitude of academic and personal responsibilities you may have. If you find yourself stuck or unsure at any point in the process, don’t hesitate to reach out for professional assistance. Our assignment writing services are designed to help you achieve your academic goals with ease. 

Our team of experienced writers is well-versed in academic writing and familiar with the specific requirements of the NURS 8310 Week 2 Discussion: Descriptive Epidemiology assignment. We can provide you with personalized support, ensuring your assignment is well-researched, properly formatted, and thoroughly edited. Get a feel of the quality we guarantee – ORDER NOW. 

Sample Answer for NURS 8310 Week 2 Discussion: Descriptive Epidemiology

Descriptive epidemiology offers useful information which can be instrumental in disease prevention, intervention designs, and carrying out further research. Central to the epidemiology study are person, place, and time, implying the individuals affected by a particular condition, the place where that particular incidence happened, and the time it happened (Beghi et al., 2020). These three concepts are in the efforts of analyzing any existing patterns to come up with a possible solution. Therefore, the purpose of this discussion is to apply these epidemiologic concepts to Tuberculosis among African Americans.

Evaluation of the Health Problem

Tuberculosis is one of the conditions that affect populations disproportionately, possible due to various health disparities. According to the CDC (2020), the condition is eight times more prevalent among African Americans or non-Hispanic black as compared to non-Hispanic whites. The characteristics related to a person include race, sex, age, socio-economic status, and biological characteristics such as immune status. Age is considered since health-related events vary with age. For TB and other diseases, age groups are considered to detect data patterns connected to age. For sex, in some cases, females have higher incidences of illnesses than males and vice-versa. As earlier indicated, race dictates the rates of TB, and the condition is more prevalent among individuals from this population.

The characteristics of time include if the frequency of the condition has changed over the decades. Indeed the frequency of TB among African Americans changed from 7 cases to 3 cases per 100000 persons in the last decade (Marks et al., 2019). Another time characteristic is if the disease frequency varies seasonally; however, diabetes does not vary seasonally. The third characteristic is whether the condition changes over the course of days, such as in the case of outbreaks. The relevant characteristic of the place includes whether the problem occurs in a specific geographical location, a location relevant to the occurrence of the condition such as place of report or diagnosis. The other characteristic is a place category such as non-institutional or institutional, foreign or domestic, and rural or urban.

Data Source Appraisal

Various data sources were used to obtain data on tuberculosis. One of the sources was the center for disease control run National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). This data source has various advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantages is that there is an ongoing collection of data and availability. It also offers prevalence and incidence information on various health conditions (Blumberg, 2020). This source also has a nationwide sample and presents data for the risk factors connected to the condition. However, this source has disadvantages such as a delay of up to five years when it comes to data availability, the possibility of huge sampling errors when doing estimation for small populations. The other source was the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) and Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)  One advantage is that there is ongoing data availability and collection. However, it suffers from possible incomplete reporting and only represents the number of events.

Data Collection

Some of the methods I would use to collect raw data include the use of a survey; this survey would prompt the participants to state whether they have had cases of TB in their family. While this data collection can be effective, it may suffer from incompleteness as some would refrain from telling the truth and lie about the condition (Yap et al., 2018). The implication is that it will also influence case definition as fewer cases would be reported. I would also explore data from patient records to find the trends. This method would make the data more complete as the electronic health record data is usually accurate. Therefore it will also boost case definition.

Conclusion

Descriptive epidemiology is key for a complete discussion of the nature of a condition among the populations. Therefore, the concepts of descriptive epidemiology have been applied in the case of tuberculosis among African Americans. Various aspects such as the characteristics connected to people, place, and time have all been explored.

References

Beghi, E., Giussani, G., & Poloni, M. (2020). Descriptive epidemiology and related neurobiology. Oxford Textbook of Neurologic and Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology, 331.

Blumberg, S. (2020). An Overview of the Redesigned National Health Interview Survey. In APHA’s 2020 VIRTUAL Annual Meeting and Expo (Oct. 24-28). American Public Health Association.

CDC. (2020). TB and Black or African American Persons. https://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/populations/tbinafricanamericans/default.htm

Marks, S. M., Katz, D. J., Davidow, A. L., Pagaoa, M. A., Teeter, L. D., & Graviss, E. A. (2019). The impact of HIV infection on TB disparities among US-born Black and White tuberculosis patients in the United States. Journal of public health management and practice: JPHMP. https://dx.doi.org/10.1097%2FPHH.0000000000000949.

Yap, P., Tan, K. H. X., Lim, W. Y., Barkham, T., Tan, L. W. L., Mark, I., … & Chee, C. B. E. (2018). Prevalence of and risk factors associated with latent tuberculosis in Singapore: a cross-sectional survey. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 72, 55-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2018.05.004

Sample Answer 2 for NURS 8310 Week 2 Discussion: Descriptive Epidemiology

Evaluation of Selected Health Problem

For the selected health problem, hypertension in the U.S. population, the three categories of person, place, and time can be used to describe the pattern of hypertension in this population. The person category involves who might be affected by hypertension. The category of place includes focus on where hypertension may be occurring in the U.S. Finally, time entails when hypertension may be occurring. These three characteristics aid in the descriptive epidemiology for occurrence of hypertension as a disease focus (Friis & Sellers, 2021).

Person

Those affected by hypertension in the U.S. tend to be greater than 65 years of age, are male, and black. Due to long latency periods between exposure and allowance of disease to develop relatively unchecked, the older population tends by more affected by hypertension than other age groups (Dreisbach, 2020; Mills et al., 2020). Males with hypertension have a higher morbidity rate with additive effects compared to women. However, determining mortality rates for hypertension in the older age group is often difficult. The social group membership includes those of a black, non-Hispanic race and American Indian/Alaska Native adults which promotes the inequities seen in accessing of healthcare. Although Black adults are more likely to develop hypertension at a younger age compared to other races (America’s Health Rankings, 2021; Bress et al., 2021; Dreisbach, 2020; Mills et al., 2020). Additional person-centered risks for hypertension may include those who are obese, smoke, are sedentary, and consume an unhealthy diet, especially one high in sodium and low in potassium, and use alcohol excessively (America’s Health Rankings, 2021). These areas may serve as starting points for change with those identified as having high blood pressure.

Place

Inequities and access to healthcare often affect those who are at risk for, undiagnosed, or experiencing uncontrolled hypertension. These may include individuals living in low-income and undeveloped areas. The living environment may also put individuals at an increased risk for hypertension development, as with areas plagued by pollution or high noise levels (Dreisbach, 2020; Mills et al., 2020). America’s Health Rankings (2021) stated 32.5% of persons in the U.S. have high blood pressure with the least-healthy state being West Virginia at 43.8% of its population being hypertensive. This could be related to stresses caused by social and economic factors experienced by persons in this state, especially Black adults.

Time

Hypertension is a chronic disease that makes understanding mortality difficult related to additional chronic diagnoses concurrently afflicting those commonly stricken with it, the geriatric population. As hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and health disparities in the U. S. related to treatment and control, it is of importance to diagnose and treat early for comorbidity prevention (Bress et al., 2021; Imam et al., 2020).

An example of the length of time that can expire between initial high blood pressure readings and a formal diagnosis for treatment in elderly persons can be upwards of 10-years. Imam et al. (2020) found elderly patients to have elevated blood pressure, ≥140/90 mmHg during screening and were referred to their provider for further work up. However, 70% of those individuals were not diagnosed for up to 10-years with the mean time being 5-years. But is it not known if the delay was related to provider or patient lack of follow-up. Knowing the level of chronicity for this disease, this time frame needs to be drastically changed (Imam et al., 2020).

High blood pressure is often referred to as the silent killer related to it not having signs and symptoms early on. Conducting screening for hypertension with each elderly patient encounter is needed to identify those with hypertension, then treatment needs to ensure promptly with a combination of altering modifiable risk factors and medication institution. Control of blood pressure can be accomplished through a combination of diet, exercise, and medication interventions. Timing of costs regarding hypertension include a $55.9 billion tag in 2015 but estimates for direct costs are projected to increase towards $220.9 billion by 2035 (America’s Health Rankings, 2021).

Appraisal of Data Sources

The Bress et al. (2021) study was funded conducted by a reputable source, the American Heart Association. They provide data and trends to back up their statements regarding health disparities in many areas. They provided a variety of areas that providers can address to promote health in those at risk for or who currently have hypertension. They also were honest in presenting not only the patient’s contributions to lack of control, but also the provider’s contributions to the inequities for blood pressure control. Their article associated the complications of the pandemic with difficulties controlling hypertension which represented currency in worldly events. However, they did not present a section on limitations of their study as we usually see.

Dreisbach (2020) provided a good outline for areas of interest related to hypertension, such as estimates in the world versus the U.S., distribution and prevalence related to age, sex, and race/ethnicity, as well as associated comorbidities. The author also presented information on how genetics may play a role in the development of hypertension. This article brought in reliable data sources, such as the National Health Examination Surveys (NHANES) and National Center for Health Statistic Surveys (NCHS) to bring awareness to readers for hypertension. An additional strength was the use of reliable trial data to support findings (i.e., Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial or SPRINT and the ACCORD trial). The Dreisbach (2020) article was more of a presentation of hypertension data and not a true study, but evidence from other studies and trials were brought forward to allow the reader to understand the importance of hypertension and the need for control.

The Imam et al. (2020) article was more of an actual presentation of a quantitative study. It was outlined in the traditional format for presentation of study findings. They included a section discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the study, as is expected with dissemination of study findings. Their suggestions were easy to follow and could easily be implemented. Some of their findings did not match the situational findings of other studies used for data comparison. For example, they used 30-minutes of resting supine prior to obtaining a blood pressure which is longer than that often used in the clinical settings. This time frame gap could have contributed to differences in readings. Another area of concern is that they did not obtain years to diagnosis on all participants, as this data was not available in all patient charts. Also, they only focused on one area in the country of focus. The 30% of those undiagnosed within the 10-year timeframe could have been diagnosed elsewhere. An additional study strength included the large sample size.

Mills et al. (2020) was considered a review of hypertension. However, the article provided an overview of the global and national association of this disease. They included associated chronic disease risks and mortality associated with hypertension and health disparities and inequities associated with it, such as low income. The authors provided listings of modifiable risk factor associated with the development of high blood pressure which lends to a potential treatment plan to prevent or control hypertension development. They also presented health promotion measures for disease recognition at the community level with specific screenings. They showed the seriousness of this disease with a final focus on the cost of hypertension, not only in one’s health but also with finances.

Methods for Collecting Raw Data

According to Fiis and Sellers (2021) use of patient electronic medical records, social media, and evaluation of smart device data can serve as methods for collecting raw data on hypertensive patients, either diagnosed or not. Screenings during office visits or at health fairs and via surveys can be other methods of gathering data and identifying risks and/or high blood pressure numbers for diagnostic purposes. These methods can aid in the completeness of case identification or case definition and diagnostic criteria used through the identification of a patient specific case of interest for simulation, training, or publication. Use of data for the development of evidence-based studies to promote guidelines and criteria for diagnosing and treating hypertension can also be another focus. Cases derived from obtained data can lead to practitioners being able to better diagnose earlier and intervene with treatment timely (Onggo & Hill, 2014).

References

America’s Health Rankings. (2021). Public health impact: High blood pressure. United Health Foundation. https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/annual/measure/Hypertension/state/ALL

Bress, A. P., Cohen, J. B., Anstey, D. E., Conroy, M. B., Ferdinand, K. C., Fontil, V. Margolis, K. L., Muntner, P., Millar, M. M., Okuyemi, K. S., Rakotz, M. K., Reynolds, K., Safford, M. M., Shimbo, D., Stuligross, J., Green, B. B., & Mohanty, A. F. (2021). Inequities in hypertension control in the United States exposed and exacerbated by COVID-19 and the role of home blood pressure and virtual health care during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of the American Heart Association, 10(11), e020997. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.121.020997

Dreisbach A. W. (2020). Epidemiology of hypertension. Medscape. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1928048-overview

Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. A. (2021). Epidemiology for public health practice (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Imam, H., Sundström, J., & Lind, L. (2020). Evaluation of time delay between discovery of a high blood pressure in a health screening survey and hypertension diagnosis. Blood Pressure, 29(6),

Mills, K. T., Stefanescu, A., & He, J. (2020). The global epidemiology of hypertension. Nature Revies Nephrology, 16(4), 223-237. doi:10.1038/s41581-019-0244-2. doi:10.1080/08037051.2020.1782726

Onggo, B., & Hill, J. (2014). Data identification and data collection methods in simulation: A case study at ORH Ltd. Journal of Simulation, 8, 195-205. https://doi.org/10.1057/jos.2013.28