Introduction
Influenza, also known as flu, is an infectious disease caused by the influenza virus, which often infects the nose, throat, or even lungs. As a viral infection, influenza often attacks one’s breathing system resulting in related illnesses that can be mild or severe depending on the viral load and the body’s immunity (Fernandes-Matano et al., 2019). There are several symptoms exhibited by people with this condition, including:
- Having fever.
- Coughing.
- Having sore throat.
- Enduring runny nose.
- Suffering body pains/aches.
- In some people, vomiting, fatigue, and diarrhea are common, especially young people.
The CDC indicates that flu is often spread via tiny droplets from people with the virus either through cough, sneezing, or any form of spitting. Droplets landing on the mouth or nose can promote transmission of the virus, which can also happen from touching infected surfaces and transferring into the mouth. Globally, children and older adults more than 65 years of age have a higher risk of getting the virus than the youth in societies. Flu remains contagious shortly during illness- 3-4 days and may become complicated in pneumonia, ear infection, chronic illness, and other concerns (Hutchinson, 2018). The modes of transmission are specific to the components of the respiratory path, including aerosol droplets, nasal secretion, and droplets containing traces of the viruses. These viral loads can be transferred from one individual to the other, especially within the first periods of incubation.
Determinants of Health
Social factors, policymaking, individual behavior, health services, and biological factors are key determinants of health. Healthy People, 2020 reports indicate that the prevalence and incidences of this disease vary from one person to the other, including variations in demographic and environmental factors (Gaitonde et al., 2019). These components cumulatively affect the health outcomes of individuals at different stages of treatment. Policymaking, for instance, affects the dynamics of diseases by altering many factors within the public domain. The regulation of the number of people in public gatherings or premises, for example, seems to help control the rapid spread of this disease. Therefore, countries with better public transport systems often have lower incidence, prevalence, or mortality rates of viral disease, fighting the same challenge.
Social factors, such as traditional beliefs and culture, may often result in abolishing conventional, leading to higher mortality among certain populations. Availability of resources and socio-economic dynamics have a fundamental influence on the decision-making of sick people regarding where and how to access medical services in their societies. Likewise, social factors such as integration and discrimination may affect people’s behavior in particular areas. For instance, minority groups often get access to poor-quality health because of racial prejudice and discrimination from the native community and medical staff (Hutchinson, 2018). Such a scenario may help understand the disparity in the mortality rate for various diseases, including influenza, and related impacts on different populations.
The epidemiological triad of influenza indicates that the disease can attack anybody in a population. However, children and older adults above 65 years of age are more vulnerable and exposed to various environmental factors. CDC statistics also indicate that the annual attack rate is between 5 – 10 % among adults, and slightly between 20 and 30% among children (Hutchinson, 2018). These indicate that children were more at risk than adults. The host factors include human saliva droplets whose transfer is dependent on the carrier’s behavior.
Ideally, the respiratory transmission of this disease may present in several ways. Such paths allow the virus to drift and shift in various ways to help move along the infection chain. The viral glycoprotein hemagglutinin and neuraminidase often change as a mechanism to sequential evolution or mutation to help the virus survive in different environments (Hutchinson, 2018). Thus, antigen drift occurs within virus cells to ensure that the virus survives in reigning change within the environment.
Epidemiological Triad
The epidemiological triad showcases the connection between the host, agent, and environment. Primarily, the causative agent includes the influenza virus A, B, and C, while human beings are the primary host of the causative agents in most cases (Hutchinson, 2018). The survival environment for the virus includes low temperatures and humidity and a liquid medium for transmission. These aspects are site-specific in the immune activity of the host. Therefore, the virus often thrives differently in various seasons. Such provisions explain why there is a high epidemic during high precipitation seasons. This disease presents a major epidemic concern across various populations. Globally, the disease claims up to 500 deaths, with an epidemic of more than 3 to 5 million people (World Health Organization, 2019). With the modes of transmission, including direct contact with infected people, surfaces, and inhalation, the disease presents a high-risk occurrence in different parts of the world (World Health Organization, 2019). Although there is no established treatment for influenza, CDC recommends vaccination as an effective way to manage the spread of the virus.
Role of Nurse Practitioner
NPs are often paramount in serving the differing needs of human beings in hospitals and the healthcare system at large. Primarily, the caregivers are the first caregivers who help sick people to meet their needs and prevent further illnesses within the hospital factor. Williams (2019) asserts that NPs have the mandate of helping those suffering from various conditions to recover from their ailments and further complications. Therefore, NPs have a fundamentally direct duty in fostering recovery procedures among clients. In many instances, influenza often presents as the short-term flu whose infectivity weakens after entering the human teacher. All customers, thus, tend to invest in the recovery process instead of prevention precautions.
As a member of the National Board of Nursing, nurses often consider primary care their principal role alongside public health officers. In essence, the nurses should practice physical education to inform the patient what they need to do once they are discharged from the hospital. Alongside other roles, the nurses will also help administer the prescribed medication and collaborate with other teams, such as the public health officers, to promote hygiene as a standard practice for clients in the hospital (Williams, 2019). At the same time, the nurse may perform the required diagnostic test as the patients undergo treatment in various units.
Conclusion
To conclude, flu is a common global epidemic that claims many lives every year. Understanding various strains of infectious agents, host requirements, and the role of the environment is paramount for any nurse. As such, competent RN must ensure that they understand the premise of virus examination and the epidemiological triad to promote primary care in the hospital. With proper primary care services and prevention messages to the public, it is possible to control the epidemic spread of this disease by preventing death at various stages.
References
Fernandes-Matano, L., Monroy-Munoz, I. E., de León, M. B., Leal-Herrera, Y. A., Palomec-Nava, I. D., RuÃz-Pacheco, J. A.,… & Muñoz-Medina, J. E. (2019). Analysis of influenza data generated by four epidemiological surveillance laboratories in Mexico, 2010–2016. Epidemiology & Infection, 147.
Gaitonde, D. Y., Moore, F. C., & Morgan, M. K. (2019). Influenza: Diagnosis and treatment. American Family Physician, 100(12), 751-758.
Hutchinson, E. C. (2018). Influenza virus.Trends in Microbiology, 26(9), 809-810.
Williams, L. (2019). Role of the pediatric nurse practitioner in enhancing vaccination rates. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 30(3), 278-281.
World Health Organization. (2019). Global influenza strategy 2019-2030.