Introduction
Clinical epidemiology studies the effects, causes, and patterns associated with health in the population of patients and the relationship between treatment and exposure. The information obtained from the epidemiology study is used to strategize ways to prevent diseases and guide the management of patients who have already developed certain conditions. Three types of epidemiology are used to investigate the presence of diseases; descriptive, analytical, and experimental. Epidemiology is essential in clinical medicine because it improves diagnosis, reduces risk factors, helps physicians to choose the proper treatment, and gives a more profound understanding of the pathogenesis of diseases. This paper will identify various reasons epidemiology is studied in clinical medicine, such as identifying causes of diseases, possible solutions, prevention methods of outbreaks, and symptoms and signs of illnesses.
One reason for the study of epidemiology is to estimate the number of people affected by specific diseases and their symptoms and signs at a population level. In order to get the average rate of individuals and the symptoms associated with diseases, descriptive epidemiology is conducted (Logroscino & Piccininni, 2019). Descriptive epidemiology involves the distribution of diseases and determinants, data analysis and organization, variation in frequency in the geographical population, and generation of the hypotheses of etiological studies. Through epidemiology analysis in clinical medicine, individuals affected by specific illnesses are identified by their symptoms.
Discussion
Epidemiology in clinical medicine also helps to evaluate the incidence and prevalence of epilepsy. The incidence of epilepsy is the number of cases in a unit divided by the total risk of the population (Beghi, 2020). Prevalence of epilepsy is the number of people with epilepsy divided by the population at risk. Epidemiology uses observational research to distribute diseases to different people, places, and at specific times and to figure out the patterns in various cases and the population. The study of the incidence and prevalence of epilepsy shows that epilepsy is higher in men compared to women and peaks in the elderly (Beghi, 2020). The rates of epilepsy,the causes, and prevention methods are determined through the study of epidemiology in clinical medicine.
Epidemiology also helps to identify the causes and effects of various diseases and how and why the conditions are caused. To figure out how and why diseases occur, analytical epidemiology is used to quantify the association between outcomes and exposure and determine the causes of an outbreak using the case-control method (Tlapshokova & Zikhova, 2021). The technique helps epidemiologists to discover factors that precede a disease. In an effort to establish the elements that might have preceded an infection, a group of people with an illness are compared. The people used in the study have similar ages, sex, and socioeconomic. Through the study of epidemiology in clinical medicine, the causes of various diseases are identified.
Clinical medicine epidemiology also helps identify the environmental and genetic factors that cause outbreaks. Various methods and techniques are used to get valuable data to determine environmental and genetic factors. These procedures include regression analysis, cohort analysis, cluster analysis, time series analysis, sentimental analysis, factor analysis, and Monte Carlo simulation (Brook & Arnold, 2018). The methods are essential in identifying the causes and effects of various diseases. Epidemiology is vital in clinical medicine because it helps identify factors contributing to an outbreak.
In addition to providing insight into the causes and effects of ill health, epidemiology determines the distribution of diseases in a community and the frequency of infections in clinical medicine. Experimental epidemiology is used to determine the distribution of ailments and their frequency. The study tests a hypothesis on illnesses and disease control among people (Biradar & Divya, 2018). Experimental epidemiology uses three methods; randomized control trial, field trial, and community trial. Randomized control trial is used in new medicine and drug testing. A field trial is conducted on people at a higher risk of contracting diseases. Community trial is research done on social-originating conditions. The methods used are essential in determining the usefulness of new medicine, identifying originating infections, and finding ways to help people who are at a higher risk of contracting diseases. Studying epidemiology in clinical medicine assists in determining factors that lead to the distribution of diseases in a community.
Epidemiology is also essential in clinical medicine because it helps to understand pathogenic diseases. Pathogenic illnesses include the common cold, oral and genital herpes, measles, and viral gastroenteritis (Rothan & Byrareddy, 2020). By understanding the conditions, physicians can improve a patient’s diagnostic accuracy. Offering better diagnostics to a patient will aid in faster and more efficient recovery. Physicians can also reduce risk factors associated with the disease and choose the correct therapeutic approach. The study of epidemiology is an essential aspect of clinical medicine because it helps understand pathogenic infections and find ways to reduce risk factors and improve diagnosis.
Furthermore, epidemiology in clinical medicine helps understand the origin of infections such as arthritis and the people most likely to be affected. Relevant information is gathered and analyzed to come up with possible solutions. Epidemiology helps explain the causes and progression of musculoskeletal conditions and the disease treatment approach. The center for epidemiology versus arthritis is based at the University of Manchester and mainly focuses on inflammatory arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and osteoarthrosis are the main types of inflammatory arthritis focused on (Otón & Carmona, 2019). Epidemiologists work in different ways while researching the causes and effects of arthritis in clinical medicine. One of the ways is understanding musculoskeletal conditions, the cause of their occurrence, the progression seen over a short and extended period of time, and the impact they have on individuals.
Epidemiologists in clinical medicine also evaluate the safety treatments in musculoskeletal conditions and the effectiveness of the treatments. Some of the treatments used are biological drugs (anti-TNF), non-pharmacological treatments, and pain-relieving drugs (Adegbola et al., 2018). Large digital data sets are also collected to study arthritis in the population. New methods are developed, and existing procedures are effectively used to evaluate the information collected. Epidemiologists also partner with others to ensure that the research influences policy and practice. Data collected in the research of arthritis is essential in clinical medicine because it helps find causes for diseases, possible treatment strategies, and the effects associated with the illness.
Epidemiology is also essential in clinical medicine in gathering information on covid-19 and rheumatic diseases. Although little is known about how patients with autoimmune conditions or rheumatic disease are affected by covid-19, epidemiologists are trying to gather information that can be relevant (Bulut & Kato, 2020). Various initiatives are carried out to help clinicians to collect and share information on the effects of covid-19 on people with arthritis. The strategies help determine the effects of covid-19 on rheumatological conditions, identify how doctors can advise and care for their patients, and discover the risk factors involved. By studying epidemiology in clinical an individual is able to gather research on various ways to help patients with underlying diseases who contact covid-19.
Epidemiology is also helpful in investing and collecting information on clinical medicine outbreaks. An example of an outbreak investigation is the case of meningitis that occurred at Fort Leonard Wood, an Army training center, in February 2009 (Clemmons et al., 2019). Epidemiologists gathered information to identify the cause of the outbreak and ways to prevent other similar incidences. Data was collected during the investigation, such as the number of people in the training camp, symptoms, recent treatments, exam findings, laboratory testing, and medical history. Trainees and training staff were surveyed during the process. The survey collected demographic information, health care use, influenza vaccination status, treatment with antibiotics, and information on symptoms of the disease. The investigation results showed that the cases of meningitis remained constant. Various risk factors not associated with getting sick were ruled out, such as taking antibiotics, having multiple illness symptoms, smoking, and living in a bay. The causes of an outbreak and prevention strategies are determined through the study of epidemiology.
Conclusion
Epidemiology is studied with a purpose of identifying causes of diseases, treatment strategies, symptoms associated with various conditions and prevention of future outbreaks. Descriptive epidemiology helps to identify patterns in various cases and the population while regarding the individual, place, and time. Analytical epidemiology helps in identifying how and why various illnesses occur and the possible effects they are associated with. Experimental epidemiology helps determine factors that lead to the distribution of infections in a community. Epidemiologists research various conditions, including infectious and non-infectious diseases like coronavirus and arthritis. The information gathered helps in identifying the causes and determines multiple treatment approaches. Epidemiologists also study the causes of an outbreak and gather valuable information in evaluating the cause of an outbreak and preventive strategies. Epidemiology is essential in clinical medicine because it helps identify causes of diseases, possible solutions, and prevention methods of future outbreaks.
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