History, Causation, Incidence, and Prevalence of Diseases

In this first week of class we will discuss the history, causation, incidence, and prevalence of diseases. We will trace where specific diseases have been and are at the present time. Each student will choose a specific disease to focus on for this week’s discussion.  Each disease can be chosen only once. You will look into the history and current status of this disease, checking reliable websites (not Wikipedia), the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, and other scholarly sites. Then, proceed onto examining causation of disease. Chapters 14 & 16 in Gordis (2014) discusses the epidemiological process of linking causes to disease, starting with association, and progressing to causation. We will conclude with looking at the incidence and prevalence of each disease

With these thoughts in mind, for this week,

1. Share with your colleagues:

• Discuss your disease condition: its historical background, current status, and incidence/prevalence at a local, state, national, and global level.
• Apply a minimum of 2 epidemiological principles that are discussed in chapters 1-3 in Gordis (2014), chapters 1 & 2 that relate to the journey of the disease through time. Has there been a change in the disease incidence and prevalence over a period of time and why?
• What is the community and global impact of the disease?
• What environmental, genetic, social, physical, psychological, or other factors have a causal disease association and why?
• What public health measures have been taken to reduce the prevalence of the disease?

2. Respond to three or more postings of your colleagues addressing different diseases, including:

• How can epidemiological principles be used in applying this knowledge to care of patients?
• What have you learned about infectious disease and epidemiology from this particular disease’s historical journey?
• Can you expand further on what your colleague posted about the disease’s impact, causes, or other contributing factors?
• What additional interdisciplinary public health measures can be taken to reduce the prevalence of the disease?