Humanity has repeatedly faced various epidemics and pandemics throughout its existence. Poor nutrition, unsanitary conditions and a low level of medicine led to the rapid spread of terrible diseases, such as smallpox, cholera, and typhus, which claimed more than one million lives. Today, thanks to the development of medicine and the science of epidemiology, it has been possible to take a step forward in the study and containment of various diseases and even to take some completely under control. The epidemiological situation is monitored by epidemiologists. Another area of activity of an epidemiologist and, perhaps, the most noticeable, dynamic and exciting is epidemiological investigation.
When mass cases of disease or rare infectious conditions are registered among the population, epidemiologists go to the hearth. Here, scientists speak about the so-called epidemiological focus, which includes sick people (sources of infection) and the surrounding space within which the disease spreads for a certain time (Aschengrau & Seage, 2020). During the investigation, epidemiologists, if necessary, put on personal protective equipment, including anti-plague suits, masks, and gloves, and begin to search for the very causes that worked fatally and led to diseases (Aschengrau & Seage, 2020). The main task of an epidemiologist is to understand as quickly as possible how an etiological agent, such as a microbe, spreads, and with the involvement of various city services, implement a number of sanitary and anti–epidemic measures to eliminate the causes that contribute to this.
Priority areas of epidemiological activity aimed at broad segments of the population include:
- A paradigm for maintaining and promoting health, well-being and disease prevention by addressing the underlying causes, all determinants of health outside the health sector and substantially increasing investment in the country;
- Reorienting health care systems towards primary health care and HIA care. This reduces the cost that citizens do not pay for services out of their own resources;
- Urgent strengthening of health systems and tools to prepare for emergencies, epidemics and pandemics at all levels through good governance and financing;
- Using science, research innovations, epidemiological monitoring data and digital technologies and essential tools for implementing health interventions. These measures are also crucial for disease prevention, timely diagnosis and management of patients, prevention and early detection of and rapid response to epidemics and pandemics (Aschengrau & Seage, 2020);
- strengthening WHO as the leading and guiding body in the organization of health protection on a global scale, located at the center of the global health architecture.
Medical and demographic processes – reproduction of the population, generational change, the nature and rate of population growth, changes in the birth rate, mortality, marriage, age and sex structure, migration, urbanization – are closely interrelated with political, socio-economic processes taking place in society. Indicators of the medical and demographic situation, being one of the characteristics of public health, reflect the effectiveness of socio-economic transformations in society (Aschengrau & Seage, 2020). That is why the medical and social aspects of demography are not only the object of scientific analysis, but also the most important practical application in the study of public health and healthcare.
The study of migration processes is important both for the state as a whole and for practical health authorities. The process of urbanization changes the ecological situation (3/4 of the total amount of pollution is associated with the growth of urbanization), requires a revision of planned standards of medical care, changes in the network of medical institutions, changes the structure of morbidity and mortality of the population, affects the epidemic situation of the region. Speaking about the birth rate in human society, it should be remembered that it is determined not only by biological (as in the animal world), but, above all by socioeconomic living conditions, ethnic traditions, religious attitudes and other factors (Aschengrau & Seage, 2020). The total fertility rate depends on a number of demographic characteristics and, first of all, on the age-sex structure of the population, so it gives only the very first approximate idea of the birth rate.
Natural growth is the most general characteristic of the natural movement of the population. It can be expressed as an absolute number of the difference between those born and those who died for a certain period of time (more often for 1 year). It should be noted that the same values of natural population growth can be obtained with different indicators of fertility and mortality. In this regard, the natural growth of the population should be assessed only in relation to the indicators of fertility and mortality. High natural growth can be considered as a favorable demographic phenomenon only with low mortality. A significant increase in high mortality characterizes the unfavorable situation with the reproduction of the population despite the relatively high birth rate. Low growth with high mortality rates also indicates an unfavorable demographic situation.
Reference
Aschengrau, A., & Seage, G. R. (2020). Essentials of epidemiology in public health. Jones & Bartlett Learning.