The critical social purpose fulfilled by the science of Social epidemiology
Introduction
Social epidemiology is a word that finds its derivation from the aspects as well as methods of classic epidemiology (Berkman and Kawachi, 2000). Epidemiology, according to Rothman, Greenland, and Lash (2008), has its roots from a combination of three words epi meaning among, demos meaning the people, and logos referred to as the science of study. The definition of the term epidemiology is a literal translation from Greek meaning the study of what affects people in large numbers. Researches concerning various social conditions and the way they influence as well as determine the health conditions of populations have for long been a matter of great importance and interest for public health in general. In the past few decades the relationship between social sciences and epidemiology was forged. This relationship was promoted through the desire to distinguish and document the extensive spectrum of determinants of health, from a miniature level where specific biological aspects operate, to a bigger level where social conditions in which populations live are expressed (Rothman, Greenland, and Lash, 2008). This effort has led to the emergence of social epidemiology. Social epidemiology is a result of the combination of the social as well as behavioral sciences with the study of the distribution and determinants of illnesses and injury in the human population.
Social epidemiology is not a completely novel discipline. The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, made his first observation and recording of the way climate, living conditions, in addition to peoples professions had an impact on the various types of diseases that were affecting them. Hippocrates recommended that before physicians made any diagnosis it was important that they observe various outward behaviors of a patient (Berkman and Kawachi, 2000).
Social epidemiology, as illustrated by Berkman and Kawachi, (2000), mainly deals with the study of how society in conjunction with different forms of social groups impact on the health and the well being of people and populations. It exploits the epidemiologic scope of host, agent, and environmental factors to focus clearly on the social determinants in infectious illnesses progression and transmission. Social epidemiology particularly deals with the studies of the frequency, distribution, as well as social determinants of the states of health in society. Social epidemiology therefore, goes further than the analysis of specific risk factors to comprise the study of social aspects wherein the health-illness phenomenon comes about (Berkman and Kawachi, 2000). Social epidemiology augments the traditional epidemiological approach with features and methods from other disciplines for example economics, demography, economics in addition to biology so as to make clear the path between exposure to social aspects of the environment and its impacts on the health of the population. However, this fusion of techniques develops a procedural challenge (Oakes and Kaufman, 2006). Social epidemiology, as asserted by Cwikel (2006), makes it easy to integrate the social role of populations in the customary etiological approach to the health of populations and as an outcome allows a better comprehension of the way, where and why inequalities have an effect on health. Social epidemiology, in this regard, can greatly contribute to the development of health management as well as the elimination of inequalities in health.
The critical social purpose fulfilled by the science of Social epidemiology
The primary aim of public health professional is the improvement of physical environment including housing, sanitation, nutrition and water supply among others. Improvement of physical environments in the United States has resulted in a drastic increase in life expectancy. This improvement as scientists forecast will lead to reduction in social inequalities in health. However, the continued growth as well as maintenance of social disparities in many countries, as indicated by Kaufman and Cooper (1999), has augured for the need for the outlook of social epidemiology. Therefore, even as diseases have come and gone with some being completely eradicated, others have emerged and numerous noninfectious diseases have been a major cause of death and disability, social disparities in health remain. These disparities require an epidemiologic approach to understanding causes of illness that utilize social experience as more direct etiologic factor of illness and disability than is the case with the traditional view (Berkman and Kawachi, 2000). Social epidemiology comes in hardy and provides an evidence-based technique for public health activities. It assumes that the distribution of ups and downs in a particular community corresponds to the distribution of health as well as diseases. The purpose of social epidemiology is to categorize social features affecting the pattern of illness and wellbeing in a society and to comprehend its mechanisms (Oakes and Kaufman, 2006). Social epidemiology therefore seeks to identify the impacts of social variables on the populations.
Social difficulties are distinctively included in social epidemiology due to the fact that many of the modern world challenges in public health for example obesity, violence, child abuse, drug abuse, and infectious diseases are related to both individual habits and general trends in the social structure such as distribution of social resources, wealth, media influence and market forces (Kaufman and Cooper, 1999). Researchers of social problems can enhance their practice and research by using the techniques of social epidemiology. These techniques clearly reveal the way social problems are fundamentally associated with the health status of the population.
Establishing the distribution of illness in addition to social problems and comprehending the significant risk factors and the relationship with each other are a major part of the social epidemiology. Factors that aggravate the outcome of specific health or social conditions such as behaviors, attributes, exposures and genetic characteristics are referred to as risk factors. Cwikel (2006), states that social epidemiology deals with the identification as well as determination of the distribution of risk factors. Social epidemiology, as noted by Kaufman and Cooper (1999), also puts into practice what is known regarding a particular medical condition with an aim of maintaining and improving health and well being of the population. Social epidemiology gives a lot of emphasis to the biological and psychosocial determinants of illness and health. It emphasizes on the utilization of multidisciplinary strategies to analyze difficult social challenges.
The approach of social epidemiology brings to light the understanding that social aspects can be on either side of the equation of determining the factors that affect health and disease. These factors can either be independent variables or dependent variables. Independent variables are aspects theorized to put across the phenomena of health and illness. Dependent variables are the social outcomes that social epidemiology tries to understand. Social epidemiology puts more emphasis on the promotion of health and eradication of diseases (Rothman, Greenland, and Lash, 2008). One principle aim of social epidemiology is to emphasize on the need to establish public health leadership for minority groups, to direct efforts on illnesses as well as conditions that greatly affect minority communities, for example intentional injuries, infant mortality and HIV. Health promotion comprise the establishment of suitable as well as helpful health care delivery organizations, health policy in addition to human environments by way of combining health advocacy and education. Various methods of health promotion include epidemiological, social, educational in addition to behavioral features of establishing interventions in health education (Berkman and Kawachi, 2000).
There are various disciplines associated with social epidemiology. Some of these disciplines include public health social work also referred to as medical social work, medical sociology, health education, demography in addition to health psychology. Public health is one of the oldest professions associated with social epidemiology. Public health comprises of empirical as well as experiential features and methods of health education, community and social development. Sociology on the other hand is the study of social processes and peoples behaviors in society (Kendall, 2008). Medical sociology deals with social effects of health and diseases, and the interrelation between various social organizations and the health care delivery systems. Medical sociology also deals with the way of conduct of healthcare professionals in addition to that of the general population. Health psychology, according to Oakes and Kaufman (2006), utilizes the scientific know-how obtained from the field of psychology to enhance as well as preserve health and to manage diseases mainly on personal level. Health psychology aims at establishing the causes and discriminating association of health, diseases, and loss of function. It mainly deals with treatment of people and their habits.
Social epidemiology, according to Cwikel (2006), concentrates more on the social aspect of life as compared to other forms of epidemiology. Contrary to others, it does not dwell much on the biological factors on the prevalence and incidence of diseases. As a subdiscipline of epidemiology, social epidemiology describes the causes of a disease, risk factors and the populations that are highly exposed to those risk factors. It also describes the factors that aggravate various effects of a certain health condition as well as influence the outcome of certain health programs. Social epidemiology concentrates on the role of social, behavioral in addition to psychological factors in giving an explanation to the distribution of diseases. Kendall (2008), states that the extent to which human beings are interrelated as well as embedded in a particular community is vital to a persons health and well being. This relationship is also vital to the health as well as vitality of the whole population. Social epidemiology therefore aims at explaining the association between social problems and various health issues. It utilizes specific procedures to come up with public health interventions with a sole purpose of promoting health. Social epidemiology has time and again utilized traditional techniques of observation and description to come up with consistent correlation between social aspects and health issues (Oakes and Kaufman, 2006).
Conclusion
Social epidemiology is the study of the impact of social interactions that is social norms, laws organizations, conventions, social conditions and way of conduct on the health of populations. Social epidemiology is a result of the combination of the social as well as behavioral sciences with the study of the distribution and determinants of illnesses and injury in the human population. One purpose of social epidemiology is to categorize social features affecting the pattern of illness and wellbeing in a society and to comprehend its mechanisms. Social epidemiology concentrates more on the social aspect of life as compared to other forms of epidemiology. Social epidemiology describes the causes of a disease, risk factors and the populations that are highly exposed to those risk factors. Social epidemiology concentrates on the role of social, behavioral in addition to psychological factors in giving an explanation to the distribution of diseases. Social epidemiology utilizes traditional techniques of observation and description to come up with consistent correlation between social aspects and health issues.
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