Epidemiology refers to the science of disease study as a means to devising control mechanisms through observation of distribution and incidence. Epidemiologists are professional officers in departments interested in public health. According to Aldrich et al. (2015), epidemiologists key role involves the investigation of causes, patterns, and risks associated with disease occurrence and as a way to help device appropriate strategies for control. The ultimate aim of the role of epidemiology practitioners is advisory as experts. Every society needs to prepare for uncertain events and among them are diseases and other natural causes that if not arrested, can lead to population distress (Khoury, Iademarco, & Riley, 2016). Leadership under various categories is expected to device means through legal frameworks to arrest any forms of disease outbreaks without risking the health of their populations. Health policies, like other policies require experts; Epidemiologists are such personnel considered competent to partake in the process (Satija et al., 2015). The paper outlines the role of epidemiologists in policy making to help illustrate how their role differs from that of other policymakers.
Policymaking is remarkably an engaging process that calls for both competence and dedication. The different stages in the process require a particular level of expertise. In healthcare policymaking, disease control policies undergo many processes before they can be adopted and implemented (Athey, 2017). Epidemiologists, serving as experts, play a part in the stages of problem identification, setting the agenda, and on implementation. According to Satija et al. (2015), it is the responsibility of epidemiologists, through research to identify areas of concern in public health. Once certain of the risks, the epidemiologists would give expert opinions on how to best respond to such situations with evidence in forms of research. Khoury, Iademarco, and Riley (2016) acknowledge that findings presented by the epidemiologists that are used to set the agenda on policy discourse. Once agreed and legislated upon into policy, the recommendations may be adopted with the help of epidemiologists as experts leading the implementation stage.
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The role of epidemiologists in policy making, especially healthcare is elaborate as compared to other key players such as legislators and interest groups. Legislators are charged with devising laws that can best assist in the implementation of expert opinions from epidemiologists. In addition to devising legal frameworks, legislators act as facilitators of resources and not the implementers of the policies. Epidemiologists, therefore play an integral role in the policymaking process, and it is their expert opinions that shape policy structure and applicability.
References
Aldrich, M. C., Hidalgo, B., Widome, R., Briss, P., Brownson, R. C., & Teutsch, S. M. (2015). The role of epidemiology in evidence-based policy making: a case study of tobacco use in youth. Annals of epidemiology , 25 (5), 360–365. doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2014.03.005
Athey, S. (2017). Beyond prediction: Using big data for policy problems. Science , 355 (6324), 483-485.
Khoury, M. J., Iademarco, M. F., & Riley, W. T. (2016). Precision public health for the era of precision medicine. American journal of preventive medicine , 50 (3), 398.
Satija, A., Yu, E., Willett, W. C., & Hu, F. B. (2015). Understanding nutritional epidemiology and its role in policy. Advances in nutrition , 6 (1), 5-18.
