Reference no: EM133746200
PROCESS OF RISK ASSESSMENT FOR AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE:
Provide a detailed qualitative and quantitative description of the risk to human health, either in general or to a specific target population, due to a specific infectious disease agent by using the risk analysis model. Address each of the following categories in your analysis and report.
(1) Disease identification (2) Person factors (3) Place factors (4) Time factors (5) Risk Management
(1) Disease Identification (What?)
A. Purpose: Identifies infectious disease that presents risk to human health in a specific target population
B. How? Evaluation and summary of the agent and adverse effect of the infection in humans
i. Describe the basic biology of the disease agent
ii. Describe habitat, natural reservoir hosts, life cycle, and vectors
iii. Describe transmission cycles
iv. Present the case definition for the disease
v. Describe the full clinical spectrum of signs and symptoms associated with the disease
vi. Include mortality rates and case-fatality rates
(2) Person Factors (Who?)
A. Purpose: Understand and explain patterns in who acquires the infection
B. How? Through review of scientific studies and data
i. Describe group(s) exposed with special attention to pregnant women, children, elderly, health- or immune-compromised, occupationally or behaviorally exposed groups
ii. Describe specific human behaviors that increase their risk of exposure/infection
iii. Include quantitative data to compare disease frequency among groups
(3) Place Factors (Where?)
A. Purpose: Assesses variation and patterns in where the disease occurs geographically and according to other categories of place
B. How? Summarize available data on disease occurrence
i. Describe geographic distribution of the disease in the target population, for example by country, state, county, etc., or by other place factors
ii. Compare disease frequency (prevalence, incidence) among areas within the target population (i.e., include quantitative data showing variation by place)
(4) Time Factors (When?)
A. Purpose: Explain patterns, variation and frequency of the disease over units of time
B. How? Summarize available data on past and current disease frequency
i. Explain patterns of disease occurrence, for example: sporadic occurrence; outbreaks/epidemics; constant presence
ii. Explain trends in disease frequency over time, for example stable rates, increasing or decreasing frequency
(5) Risk Management (What Needs to be Done?)
A. Purpose: provides plan and recommendations for Best Course of Action to control, minimize, or prevent the problem in the target population.
B. How? Use all information from steps above combined with various environmental and social factors for the target population.
i. Consider socioeconomic conditions and limitations
ii. Consider political pressures and concerns
iii. Include legislation already in place or needed
iv. Educational factors
v. Cultural/behavioral factors
vi. Need for better diagnostics, treatments, or preventative measures like vaccines.