Influenza Epidemiology and Intervention - Special Academic Support

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Introduction

At least once in a lifetime, an individual undergoes a distressing period when they experience flu. Whether mild or severe, the virus that causes flu spreads in the body, weakening its immunity. The influenza virus multiplies at different rates in the respiratory organs causing different mildness or severe flu levels. The discussion focuses on the epidemiology of influenza, including the intervention put in place to stop the virus from spreading from one person to another during any form of contact.

Influenza

The causes of influenza are viruses referred to as influenza virus A, B, or C. The symptoms depend on the type of virus that affects the respiratory organs. Medical experts refer to the viruses as part of the RNA that commonly affects the respiratory system. The RNA strands replicate once they enter a host, especially when from a bird or another host that initially had the flu. The influenza virus weakens the body immunity, making it impossible for the viral envelope to stay within the host. The mucus release is an attempt of the body to release antigens that would prevent further manufacture of proteins that promote the process of replication. It explains why people that have contact with those suffering from influenza will always get the flu since the virus is always seeking to replicate in a new host (Potter, 2002).

Symptoms and treatment

Doctors often recommend bed rest to prevent cross infection and reduce the effects of sore throat that naturally accompany fever. Arguably, no treatment directly targets the virus; they only help to reduce the effects such as muscle pain. Influenza occurs promptly, and the running nose takes 48 hours to begin immediately one has an attack. Influenza is airborne and common in children. Sometimes, it causes vomiting, digestion problems, and nausea while in complex situations, pneumonia occurs (Potter, 2002). Other people deal with sinuses, worsened asthma cases, and complications for people suffering from chronic diseases. Besides supplements to dry the mucus, patients with complications have to undergo further treatment, and in case of pneumonia or sinus, one has to carry an inhaler all the time.

Demographics

In children and the elderly, flu renders most of them immobile, and they can easily infect other people around. They feel muscle pain, lose appetite, endure severe headache, and sometimes have to endure increasing body temperatures. Influenza has different treatment options including antiviral options. However, for purposes of prevention, a vaccine exists that the CDC and WHO recommends for children, the elderly, and people doing strenuous jobs. The mucus membrane faces the worst effects of influenza because they make other parts of the body vulnerable to the virus (Barry, 2005). Once people touch, breathe the same air, and get into contact when the germs exist, chances of acquiring flu are very high. Other targeted demographics are people living in areas that experience tropical temperatures because such temperatures promote replication and transfer of viruses. The Northern and Southern Hampshire interchange the period between April and November each year for the spread of flu. The flu spreads very fast when temperatures are very cold or very high. At least 24.9 million died from flu in 2014 most of who were from Europe and East Asia.

Health determinants

Socio-economic factors

Different types of flu require diverse treatment approaches. Currently, the US spends over $10 billion on treatment of common flu annually. The number could triple by 2020 in case another stubborn virus such as the Spanish fever, the H2N2, or the H1N1 appears. Researchers and biologists constantly use money to establish updated laboratories in order to handle influenza epidemics in the future. Socio-economic factors are determinants of healthy living because an unhealthy society directly affects productivity (Nelson & Williams, 2014).

Physical environment

The physical environment consists of the resources people use daily including water and air. They also incorporate cultural elements that either support or reduce the risk of disease acquisition. Some countries including Finland and Canada spend about 18% of the national income on the health docket. They sponsor sensitization social healthcare programs such as proper breastfeeding, the significance of cleanliness in reducing infections, and other school based programs. The intention is to create awareness about the physical environment at a national level and prevent the spread of communicable diseases such as influenza. Haiti among other countries susceptible to waterborne diseases struggle to develop sustainable programs, but issues of economic stability constantly sees the country channel resources to other national programs (Raphael, 2009).

Personality

Countries have responsibilities, but at an individual level, each person plays a role of protection from viruses and bacterial infections. The body constantly fights against foreign material by releasing antibodies. When the immune system is low, the body finds it difficult to fight back. The children, the elderly, and people doing strenuous jobs have weak immunity, and this explains why they become vulnerable to communicable diseases. For instance, a person working in a cement or chemical manufacturing firm is exposed to the chemicals even when with a facemask daily. A prolonged immunity weakness interferes with the ability of the body to release antibodies that will protect the respiratory organs from the influenza virus (Raphael, 2009).

The epidemiologic triangle

Intervention: Avoid Crowds and Birds

According to the epidemiology triangle, influenza takes different forms with the first case handled in the 1980s as the Russian or Asiatic flu. The most recent is the flu pandemic of 2009 to date that overtook the H1NI virus. People should avoided crowded places or birds in order to avoid transmission of the flu virus. In environments where people cough or sneeze most of the time, the chances of flu acquisition remain exceptionally high. They could be public gatherings or cultures, which do not promote clean health behaviours that promote germs transmission. Annually, the US records up to 249,000 cases of flu fatalities that the society can prevent through vaccination as indicated in the intervention for the agent. Actually, vaccines boost the body immunity, enabling the respiratory organs to avoid replication of the RNA strand (Barry, 2005). The chances of women and children suffering from flu and its related cases are common. As a result, medical experts advice mothers and children to undergo the intervention program during post natal hospital visits. Markedly, type A has the ability to infect humans and other animals including birds. Type B is common in humans and cannot transfer to animals through exposure or touching and sneezing. Type C affects domesticated animals and human beings. Only type A can reoccur since it weakens the immunity to give room for other viruses to affect the body (Wang & Tao, 2010).

Community health nurses

Education

Without the help of community health care nurses, the CDC and the WHO would lack data in relation to deaths caused by influenza and other diseases. Healthcare providers need to organize forums of awareness creation to reduce the cases of deaths caused by influenza and other diseases. Through surveys, education, healthcare campaigns, and free treatment programs, nurses collect enough data to provide the healthcare organizations with the ability to recommend proper treatment programs. Influenza keeps changing its nature and gets complex over the years. For instance, the US should save about $18 billion to cater for the prevalence of a flu case that is worse than the Russian flu and the H2N2 (Nelson & Williams, 2014).

Treatment

Nurses offer treatment while analyzing the treatment trends. They recommend the right medications for patients while reporting on complex scenarios that do not respond to vaccination or antiviral drugs. So far, no nurse has recorded allergic reactions to the vaccination recommended by the CDC and the WHO (World Health Organization). In addition, the nurses ensure that the treatment offered does not have effects on the patient that develops complications such as asthma. During treatment, the nurses advise patients to avoid alcohol and take bed rest for quick recovery (Nelson & Williams, 2014).

The CDC

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention often carry out research to inhibit the virus that keeps mutating. Besides recommendation of drugs, it plays the socio-economic role of education. It spends resources in educating people about germs and the spread of bacteria and viruses. The educated population will take the right measures that include staying warm, washing hands regularly, and avoiding overcrowded places, which may put them at high risks of acquiring flu.

Conclusion

People suffering from flu always carry handkerchiefs or tissues most of the time. Medical experts recommend tissues because of the ability to dispose-off such materials easily and reduce the spread of the virus to other hosts. They appear weak and degenerated with constant intake of water to prevent dehydration. Besides a running nose and a high fever, patients get tired and cough especially in children.

References

Barry, J. M. (2005). The great influenza: The story of the deadliest pandemic in history. New York: Penguin Books.

Nelson, K. E., & Williams, C. M. (2014). Infectious disease epidemiology: Theory and practice. Burlington, Mass: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Potter, C. W. (2002). Influenza. New York: Elsevier.

Raphael, D. (2009). Social determinants of health: Canadian perspectives. Toronto: Canadian Scholars Press.

Wang, Q., & Tao, Y. J. (2010). Influenza: Molecular virology. Norfolk, UK: Caister Academic.

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