It is important to collect epidemiological data especially in studying disease patterns. It is a major public health tool that can be applied in targeting and evidencing control measures as a way of protecting the public’s health and safety. Epidemiological data easily identifies a population that is at risk of a health problem and gives time for decision-makers to make informed decisions. It also has importance in planning and evaluating approaches of preventing diseases and gives a template on how to manage the already affected individuals. The main example for the application of epidemiological data can also be traced way back to COVID-19 (Dey et al., 2020). It was evident that the data being collected at the time was used in creating vaccines for the patients while formulating effective ways of preventing infection. Such led to the implementation of the activities towards improving and maintaining hygienic conditions, thus preventing the spread of viruses and other illnesses. Such activities include: wearing of surgical masks and frequent washing of hands.
The use of epidemiological data also highlighted the time when the cases of the diseases had reduced and when it was safe to resume normal activities and interactions. This makes it evident that epidemiologic data is important in managing population infections and provides guidelines for management. In cases where there is a disease outbreak, for example, applying epidemiologic data can evaluate the nature of the outbreak, the number of people affected, the type of care offered, and how to prevent one from contracting the disease. The data can also be used to establish preventive measures of avoiding future outbreaks. It is important to have accurate and reliable epidemiologic data in the medical field.
Reference
Dey, S. K., Rahman, M. M., Siddiqi, U. R., & Howlader, A. (2020). Analyzing the epidemiological outbreak of COVID‐19: A visual exploratory data analysis approach. Journal of Medical Virology, 92(6), 632–638.