Community and Environmental Healthcare (Research Paper Sample)

Infectious Disease Trends Name Institution Instructor Date Introduction Infectious diseases are the conditions that are caused by living organisms such as viruses, fungi, parasites, and bacteria. Some of the actions of the bacteria and viruses are beneficial to the body. However, at specific conditions, the presence and action of these organisms in the bodies may cause diseases. Understanding diseases present within the community allows public health nurses to prioritize health promotion and disease prevention strategies. The writer will evaluate the infectious diseases in the lens of the epidemiology, outbreak, incidence, and prevalence. The author will define the role of the nursing community in the epidemiology of the infectious conditions. The writer will evaluate the infectious diseases locally, statewide, and nationally. The paper will evaluate the most current infectious diseases according to the healthy people 2020 and evaluate the evidence-based practices of reducing the infectious diseases. Definition of epidemiology, outbreak, incidence, and prevalence The most infectious disease as have been indicated by the World Health infection are African Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), with the occurrence being about 450, 000 cases annually. The condition is most prevalent in Africa and some parts of Asia and is spread by tsetse fly. The second prevalent infectious diseases are cholera that is spread by contaminated water and unclean sanitary conditions. The condition is most prevalent in India, some parts of Russia, and in the sub-Saharan Africa. The third leading infectious disease in the United States and in the globe is Cryptosporidiosis. The condition is waterborne and is spread by contaminated water from the source, usually by the feces of infected humans and animals. The fourth infectious disease is Dengue that is spread by the bite if a specific breed of the mosquito. According to the WHO, 50 million cases of the fever are reported annually. The fifth infectious disease prevalent in the US and the globe is the three types of Hepatitis. The conditions are infections of the liver that are caused by the hepatitis virus. The three categories of condition include hepatitis A, B, and C. The three conditions have more than 500 million reported cases with the 350 million cases of the hepatitis A being unable to rid themselves of the condition completely. The conditions are prevalent in the US and in the entire globe (Infoplease.com, 2016). The role of nursing within epidemiology The nursing community plays a critical role in the prevention of the occurrence of the infectious diseases. The community nurses work in collaboration with the public to ensure the health of the environment and eliminate the chances of the development of the unclean condition that fosters development of the diseases. The community nurses work in collaboration with the members of the community and the healthcare providers in managing, treating, and controlling the spread of the diseases. The nursing community identifies the incidences and work in collaboration with the other medical providers and the public to set up quarantines in the event of outbreaks. The nurses educate and create awareness to the community on the observation of the best hygiene and living conditions to eliminate the incidences of the infectious diseases (Bauer, Hall & Sato, 2013). Current infectious diseases locally, statewide, and nationally The most prevalent infectious diseases in the US include the three types of Hepatitis, Dengue, Malaria, and Cryptosporidiosis. The three types of Hepatitis are significantly prevalent in the US with the estimated more than 20 million new cases reported each year. Hepatitis A is the most common and serious case of the three types and contributes larger portion of the hepatitis cases than the other two types combined. Cryptosporidiosis is among the leading infectious condition at the state level with about 3.6 million cases reported each year. Dengue is also a leading infectious condition in the US. The condition has about 4 million new cases reported annually. Malaria that is spread by the mosquitoes is also among the leading infectious conditions in the US with the annual reported cases estimated to be 23.5 million (Health.ri.gov, 2016). Three of the most current infectious diseases with Healthy People 2020 objective The three leading infectious diseases accordi...