Descriptive Epidemiology

Descriptive epidemiology describe the amount and distribution of health and disease within a population. Descriptive epidemiology classifies the occurrence of disease according to the variables of person, place and time. Descriptive epidemiology is important for generating hypotheses about the determinants of health and disease. By generating hypothesis, descriptive epidemiology provides the starting point for analytic epidemiology, which tests association between possible determinants and health or disease outcomes. Descriptive epidemiology has specific tasks which includes, monitor and report the health status and health related behaviors in populations; identify the emerging health problems; alert the potential threats from bioterrorism;
establish public health priorities for a population; evaluate the effectiveness of intervention programs and explore the potential associations between risk factors and health outcomes in order to generate hypotheses about the determinants of disease. Descriptive epidemiology for chronic disease can also be identified by using the variables of person, place and time. Personal characteristics provide hints about the causes of chronic diseases. Many diseases vary in relation to age and gender, race/ethnicity, but many other characteristics are also important, such as occupation, diet, sexual activity, travel history, and personal behaviors (Boston University School of Public Health, n.d.).
Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Dallas County, Texas.
This county is the ninth largest county in the United States, and is racially and ethnically diverse with 38% Latino residents, 34% Caucasian, 22% African-American and 7% Asian-American and Other. The descriptive epidemiological aspects of CVD can be identified through age-adjusted mortality rate, gender, race/ethnicity, education, socioeconomic status, and geographic location etc. Cardiovascular disease includes mortality and morbidity related to CVD. In 2009, the Age-Adjusted Mortality Rate (AAMR) due to CVD in Dallas County was 266/100,000. This was considerably higher compared to the State rate of 252.9/100,000. African-Americans had a significantly higher AAMR due to CVD than all other racial and ethnic groups. The rate was 361.2/100,000 compared to Caucasians with 266.8/100,000, Latinos with 162.2/100,000 and other with 188.8/100,000. Dallas County males had a considerably higher AAMR due to CVD when compared to females, 304.8 per 100,000 vs. 233.9/100,000, respectively. According to the Texas, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) annual survey, an estimated 7.8% of adults in Dallas County have been diagnosed with CVD. Caucasians have higher prevalence of CVD (10.1%) as compared to African Americans (6.8%), and Latinos (6.1%). A decrease in CVD prevalence also observed with higher education. Adults living in a household with income less than $25,000 had the highest prevalence of CVD, 11%. This was significantly higher compared to adults living in a household with an income of $50,000 or more
(4.2%).
In 2009, the Age-Adjusted Hospitalization Rate (AAHR) due to CVD in Dallas County was 146.6/10,000. This was significantly lower compared to the state rate of 159/10,000. Males had a significantly higher AAHR due to both CVD and heart disease as compared to females. In 2009 AAHR for CVD among African-Americans was significantly higher than Caucasians, Latinos and Other residents of Dallas County. Rates ranged from 218.4/10,000 for African-Americans to 143.7/10,000 for Caucasians and 103.5/10,000 for Latinos. African-Americans also had significantly higher AAHR due to heart disease and stroke when compared to other races and ethnicities. Fourteen percent of Dallas County residents live below the federal poverty level. In mid-2010, Dallas County unemployment rate was 8.9%, and 24.5% of residents had not graduated from high school. This County also has a higher percent of uninsured residents than Texas or the United States. Nearly 50% of Dallas County residents considered low income are not insured. The mortality and morbidity data demonstrate significant disparities in the burden of cardiovascular disease based on race/ethnicity, gender, education, geographic location, and Socioeconomic Status (SES). The Dallas County communities with low SES, large percentages of African-Americans, and large percentages of residents who did not graduate from high school are at greatest risk for morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases, particularly heart disease. Therefore, the risk of CVD can be decreased by focusing on these groups. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality can be reduced by minimizing risk factors and improving the overall health of the community (Edwards et al., 2012).