Barrat & Kirwan (2009) describe Population at Risk as the likelihood of a certain population being exposed to a substance, compared to the rest of the general population. In this case, the primary role of epidemiology is to expound on the variance and distribution of disease and the impact it has on the two groups. Influenza is an infectious viral disease that can best use to explain the population at risk. It occurs as an epidemic or as a pandemic outbreak. In a year, nearly all populations can be affected by the influenza epidemic, but a higher risk of complications is recorded in children under two years old, adults older than 65, people with weak immune systems, and those with chronic medical conditions. It is a seasonal epidemic that is prevalent in temperate climates, and populations living in these areas are more likely to suffer infection (Mestrovic 2014). For effective control and treatment, a clear understanding of the epidemiology of tuberculosis is critical. Infections due to Tuberculosis in populations are influenced by three distinct risks; the risk of an individual being infected, the risk of disease after infection, and the risk of occurrence of the disease long after infection due to the reactivation of latent bacilli, the pathogen that causes Tuberculosis. Research has sought to evaluate these risks, identify modification factors and consequently create methods of prevention and cure (Smith & Moss 1994). In conclusion, epidemiology has a great impact on the prevention and cure of numerous diseases that affect humanity. It has been used to estimate the individuals’ chances of risks and diseases and is also used in the historical study of community health and the occurrence of diseases in populations, whose projections can be used in the future.
References
Barratt, H., & Kirwan, M. (2009). Numerators, denominators, and populations at risk. Health Knowledge. Retrieved 16 November 2017, from http://www.healthknowledge.org.uk/public-health-textbook/research-methods/1a-epidemiology/numerators-denominators-populations
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Mestrovic, D. (2014). Influenza Epidemiology. news-medical.net . Retrieved 16 November 2017, from https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.news-medical.net/amp/health/influenza-Epidemiology.aspx
Smith, P., & Moss, A.( 1994) Epidemiology of Tuberculosis. Tuberculosis, 47-59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/9781555818357.ch4
