Epidemiology is the study of health and disease within a population. With the education and research done by epidemiologists, we are able to recognize patterns and causes of diseases in order to control them and/or prevent an epidemic. Epidemiology allows us to understand the different outbreaks that occur and how to prepare for such events. “Epidemiologists quantify health outcomes by using statistics,” (Friis, 2010). Epidemiologists collect data, formulate hypothesis, and use it to plan strategies for prevention of diseases and spread of diseases, while also managing patients who have a certain disease; this is vital to the overall health of a community. Data collected by these epidemiologists also helps educate people on how to take care
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Traditionally people think that sickle cell disease only affects African Americans; however it affects people from “Sub-Saharan Africa, South America, the Caribbean, Central America, Saudi Arabia, India, Turkey, Greece, and Italy.” (Thompson, Ceja, Yang, 2012). In technical terms, sickle cell disease is where the sickle cells don’t have normal hemoglobin levels, which makes the red blood cells have the shape of moon crescents. This presents a problem for the body because the abnormally shaped red blood cells don’t distribute oxygen and nutrients to the body’s cells efficiently. So those who have sickle cell disease are more prone to have infections, acute chest syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, stroke, and priapism; these conditions are also commonly referred to as sickle cell crises. Before epidemiology about sickle cell disease those with this condition had a very low life expectancy and poor quality of life. In an attempt to improve the quality of life for sufferers of sickle cell disease a few advancements have been discovered such as a drug called Hydroxyurea, and stem cell transplantation. Hydroxyurea works by “increasing the concentration of hemoglobin...this shift in hemoglobin concentrations is important…” because the hemoglobin doesn’t allow the sickle shaped red blood cells to form (Thompson, Ceja, Yang, 2012). Hydroxyurea has been proven to reduce the frequency of sickle cell crises, however it’s not effective to counter an episode in the way that epipens would function. Stem cell transplantation is very sticky area for treatment of sickle cell disease; interestingly enough “patients with SCD have many of same toxicities and benefits from stem cell transplantation as patients with cancer.” (Thompson, Ceja, Yang, 2012). In 1984, the first reported case of a patient being cured of sickle cell disease was through stem cell transplant. It wasn’t
Traditionally people think that sickle cell disease only affects African Americans; however it affects people from “Sub-Saharan Africa, South America, the Caribbean, Central America, Saudi Arabia, India, Turkey, Greece, and Italy.” (Thompson, Ceja, Yang, 2012). In technical terms, sickle cell disease is where the sickle cells don’t have normal hemoglobin levels, which makes the red blood cells have the shape of moon crescents. This presents a problem for the body because the abnormally shaped red blood cells don’t distribute oxygen and nutrients to the body’s cells efficiently. So those who have sickle cell disease are more prone to have infections, acute chest syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, stroke, and priapism; these conditions are also commonly referred to as sickle cell crises. Before epidemiology about sickle cell disease those with this condition had a very low life expectancy and poor quality of life. In an attempt to improve the quality of life for sufferers of sickle cell disease a few advancements have been discovered such as a drug called Hydroxyurea, and stem cell transplantation. Hydroxyurea works by “increasing the concentration of hemoglobin...this shift in hemoglobin concentrations is important…” because the hemoglobin doesn’t allow the sickle shaped red blood cells to form (Thompson, Ceja, Yang, 2012). Hydroxyurea has been proven to reduce the frequency of sickle cell crises, however it’s not effective to counter an episode in the way that epipens would function. Stem cell transplantation is very sticky area for treatment of sickle cell disease; interestingly enough “patients with SCD have many of same toxicities and benefits from stem cell transplantation as patients with cancer.” (Thompson, Ceja, Yang, 2012). In 1984, the first reported case of a patient being cured of sickle cell disease was through stem cell transplant. It wasn’t