- 18 Mar, 2021
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Epidemiology Final Project (Research case study on Cholera Outbreak in Haiti 2010)
You are a new field epidemiologist just hired by the World Health Organization. Over the next nine weeks you will be sent on a series of outbreaks around the world that you will need to investigate. For the cholera outbreak in Haiti 2010, you will need to work with your team to solve the case, collecting data, analyzing data, and answering key questions along the way. When you have completed the seven cases you will prepare a written and oral report.
Written Report: Once you have completed all cases you are assigned by WHO, you will need to write up a formal report that summarizes the location of the outbreak, vector, prevalence, and incidence. Be sure to validate your conjectures with the only data you collected. Indicate the risk of spread and infection as well as mortality rates. Then suggest ways to decrease the risk of the disease spread and mortality rate. Lastly, plan how you intend to alert the population about your findings: the key is to use only the level of sophistication for your informational campaign that is consistent with the type of communication that is appropriate for the audience.
In-person Presentation: Choose one of the outbreaks (cholera in Haiti) and design an oral PowerPoint presentation (public service announcement) on the outbreak, risk, and measures to decrease spread or morbidity. This is a presentation to be conducted in the first person as a new field epidemiologist. Get into character that might include dress, speech, etc. Remember you are attempting to get the message out to the people (as many as possible) about the outbreak, the cause, the vector, and the risk as well as how one might protect themselves. Be realistic for the time but use all you know now about epidemiology to make your case. (10 – 15 min)
Key points to consider when writing you formal report and making PowerPoint presentation.
1. Address the Person, Place, Time and Population Perspective for your outbreak in the project (Cholera Outbreak in Haiti 2010). You will need to research primary and secondary documents.
2. Looking for a Cause. Determine how you will focus the study in your role. How will you determine the cause, what tools will you use, and how will you determine frequency, prevalence, and incidence? Identify vectors that cause and spread the disease. What are the risks for being infected? What is the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease?
3. Map the origin and spread of the cholera outbreak. Then determine the mode of transmission, and possible vector. Finally determine the mortality and any morbidity of the disease.
4. Calculate the incidence and prevalence of the cholera outbreak at a point in time for the year given in the project description. Measure the frequency? Begin to collect this initial data on the outbreak. Be sure to site your sources. While you will find plenty of data on the outbreak now because of research over the years, what would have been available at the time? Find at least two personal accounts, diaries, or other historical documentation. Cite your sources.
5. Pull together all the data you have been able to collect on the Cholera outbreak. Summarize the data and then evaluate it for holes, limitations.
6. Determine the risk of the outbreak (Cholera Outbreak in Haiti 2010). Include measures of association and public health impact. Display all of your data in graphs, tables, scatter grams – this should include data on risks, mortality, morbidity, frequency, incidence, prevalence, etc.
7. Now that you have completed your investigation on the cholera outbreak, you want to inform the public of the risk, vector, how to prevent the spread and how to protect families in your area. You need to design a means of disseminating the information you believe is most pertinent and responsible. Remember the year and what media of dissemination are available to you.