Milestone One: Research Study Report Epidemiology: IHP 330 Professor Leahnata Davies January 25, 2024 II. Health Issue
Risk factors: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as COVID-19, has many risk factors associated with contraction of the virus. Having close contact with an individual who has COVID-19, especially someone who is symptomatic, puts you at a much higher risk for contracting the virus. Another risk factor for COVID-19 is being coughed or sneezed on by someone with COVID-19 or being in a small indoor space with someone with the virus. These risk factors also can vary from person to person depending on many factors. Many people contract COVID-19 and have mild to moderate symptoms and can recover fully on their own. While other individuals can develop serious illnesses, complications and even death from COVID-19. Older individuals are at a higher risk for developing a serious complication from COVID-19, and the risk increases with age. Other people who might have a higher risk of complications from COVID are people who have preexisting medical conditions or those that are immunocompromised like people who have sickle cell disease, heart failure, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic kidney, liver or lung diseases, cancer, pregnancy, and many more. Individuals who smoke and are overweight are also at a higher risk for complications from COVID. While transmission of viruses varies, there are three main ways that the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) can be spread. The first is breathing in air carrying droplets or particles containing the COVID-19 virus while being close to an infected person or in a confined space poorly ventilated with one. The second way of spreading COVID-19 is by having droplets and particles that contain the COVID-19 virus land on your eyes, nose, and/or mouth especially through a cough or sneeze. The last mode of transmission for the COVID-19 virus is by touching your eyes, nose or mouth while having COVID-19 virus particles on your hands. Droplets that are infected with COVID-19 can land in someone's mouth or nose and can even be inhaled into the
lungs. These infected particles can land on hands, objects, or surfaces around an infected person while coughing or talking, and then can spread by touching hands, objects or surfaces with these droplets and touching their mouth, nose or eyes becoming infected as well. "An incidence rate is the number of new cases of a specified health-related state or event reported during a given time interval divided by the estimated population at risk of becoming a case" (Merrill, 2019). For this case study, the incidence rate is calculated as: incidence rate = (446 cases / 7,821,000,000 population) X 100,000 = 0.0057. "Prevalence is the frequency of existing cases of a health-related state or event in a given population at a certain time or period" (Merrill, 2019). For this case study, prevalence can be calculated as: prevalence = (49,411 total cases / 7,821,000,000 population) X 100 = 6.32 %. "A mortality rate is the total number