3/10/99

Public Health

 

Vital Statistics/Epidemiology

·        Mathematical representation of health/life related facts

·        Aging population/financial gain of people

·        Mortality—death; AIDS is 67%; 67% of people who have showed AIDS symptoms have died

·        Morbidity—sickness or cause of absence form work; influenza is the single largest

·        Epidemic—outbreak of a disease in a population or a community; 200/100,000

·        Endemic—epidemic proportion but is constantly present; inner cities of US have endemic of TB

·        Pandemic—epidemic proportions is worldwide ex:  influenza A

·        How is data obtained in the US

·        Births—reporting and issuance of birth certificate; issued by state registrar chief statistical officer of the state; issued after a special form by the parent or the informant; signed by the parent and attending physician; not valid if it does not have a raised seal; illegal to copy a birth certificate

·        Definition of Birth—an expulsion of a product of conception irrespective of duration of pregnancy, which showed vital signs like breathing, heartbeat, or beating of the umbilical cord anytime after this expulsion has to be reported as a live birth

·        Fetal death/abortion/still births

·        Death Certificate—legal document; prepared by mortuary (funeral home director); form to be filled out; indicate the age, sex, cause of disease, cause of death; has to be signed by attending physician or coroner and state registrar; required by law for the transportation of the body have the death certificate and transportation papers

·        Definition of Death—disappearance of vital signs anytime after a live birth, beyond the capability of  revival by the resuscitation

·        Used for insurance and property settlements

·        Population, age group, male : female

·        Census activity

·        Occurs every 10 yrs

·        Census bureau

·        Account for all individuals (each and everyone) in the country

·        Today there is a computerized census

·        Used to have inspectors go door to door

·        Takes more than 10yrs to analyze the data that they collect in one year

·        Very accurate information about the population for public health

·        Information about financial, education, where they are moving

·        Population center of the US is in Union, MO (Steelville)