Measures of Disease Frequency: Common Applications
1. To start this discussion, briefly list the major measures of disease frequency. Also, state your opinion on the usefulness and practical applications of these concepts. Although, you may not want to list all of them, be sure that you mention those measures that you consider more relevant. Some examples of these measures include ratios, proportions, rates, incidence, and prevalence.
2. Visit the following sections of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website that handle data about health and disease in the US. Use the information provided in the website to find specific examples of how the above concept of disease frequency are used in the practice of epidemiology, scientific publications, or public health reports.
- On the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) home page, find the Data and Statistics section which is under the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
A) Use the NCHS to search for the information that you need, and for finding examples that will help you prepare this part of your discussion. Inside the NCHS, you can visit the following databases for information.
National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
National Ambulatory Health Care Survey (NAMCS).
B) Write a summary of your findings. In this summary, provide specific examples and their applications.
3. As a final step, put together the two pieces, step 1 and 2 above, by writing a brief reflection on the most common epidemiological measures and disease frequency and their applications in public health practice.
Note:
Disease Frequency website: https://onlinecourses.science.psu.edu/stat507/02/measures