Communicable Disease Analysis

You can identify your CDC region through the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Regions link. The CDC link is also located under Task 2, Web Links section.

To write the task you are encouraged to use the Task 2 template located on the Course Launch page under the Course Search tab. The task suggestions should be removed but keep the headings on the template as they will help you to organize and write the paper.

B. Communicable Disease: Select one of the given communicable diseases that has had an outbreak in your CDC region according to the “National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Regions” in the Web Links section. The outbreak must have occurred in the last 50 years:

• Influenza (Human to Human)

• Measles

• Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (includes MERS, SARS, or COVID-19)

• HIV/AIDS

• Ebola virus

• Tuberculosis

• Zika virus

You must put the city/state it occurred, the date, and disease in this section.

C. Description of Outbreak:

Describe the outbreak of the disease selected in part B, including each of the following:

• The name of the disease

• The name of your C

• The date (i.e., month and year) the outbreak was discovered in your CDC region

• The other CDC regions impacted by the outbreak. Provide the region letter(s)

Make sure that you address one specific outbreak rather than the history or multiple outbreaks of the communicable disease, such as an entire epidemic/pandemic.

C1. Epidemiological Determinants and Risk Factors:

Describe two risk factors associated with the selected outbreak. Risk factors typically address the condition of the host (patient) and environment. Examples of risk factors could be age, occupation, immune-compromised status, unvaccinated status, lack of prior exposure to the disease, smoking, living in close quarters (i.e., military, prisons, college dormitories), vector exposure, etc.

Discuss the route of transmission of the chosen communicable disease. The term “Route of Transmission” usually refers to the transmission of microorganisms directly from one person to another by one or more of the following means:

· droplet contact – coughing or sneezing on another person

· direct physical contact – touching an infected person, including sexual contact · indirect physical contact – usually by touching soil contamination or a contaminated surface (fomite)

· airborne transmission – if the microorganism can remain in the air for long periods

· fecal-oral transmission – usually from contaminated food or water sources

Identify one epidemiological determinant for the selected outbreak. Epidemiological determinants can be anything that increases disease frequency in a population. Epidemiological determinants can include factors such as infectivity (how easy is it spread?), virulence (how deadly is it?), climate considerations (i.e., does the vector survive arid or cold temperatures?), antigenic stability (i.e., Influenza) and any other appropriate variable.

D. Community Impact:

Discuss how your selected communicable disease from part B would impact your community at a systems-level (e.g., the functioning of schools, local government, businesses, hospitals).

This is a hypothetical situation (your thoughts and opinions) of the impact at a systems-level if the selected disease outbreak occurred in your community. How would a worst-case scenario affect your community? Include the impact on schools, local government, businesses, and healthcare systems. This should be a “logical discussion”.

For example, what would be the effect on schools? Would they need to close? Would government offices and essential public services be affected? Would the hospitals have the staff to care for an outbreak? Could the healthcare facilities handle the individuals coming for care or put others at risk? Would it overburden the health system of the community, etc.?

D1. Global Comparison:

Compare a community communicable disease outbreak that occurred in a country outside of the U.S. at a systems level. These are actual or hypothetical situations (your thoughts and opinions) of the impact at a systems level if the selected disease outbreak occurred in a community outside of the United States. Systems-level will include schools, local government, businesses, and healthcare systems.

D2. Reporting Protocol:

Explain the reporting protocol for the community from local levels to the CDC if an outbreak of the selected disease were to occur in your CDC region.

Often there is state legislation, or the Local/State Health Department will dictate the reporting protocol (reporting chain of command) for the related communicable disease. You can also do an internet search for reporting protocol in your area.

This task tip may help: as a community health nurse, to whom would you report a new case? What does your Public Health Department (local and state level) indicate for reporting communicable diseases? Think about who should be notified and how?

D3. Prevention Strategies:

Provide a logical discussion of two strategies (e.g., patient education, community vaccine promotion) that you would recommend for the prevention of the selected communicable disease in your CDC region. Include why each strategy is recommended. Search the course material and CDC website for disease related prevention strategies.