Informatics and Population Health
Public Health Surveillance monitors the impact of control
measures like vaccinations.
Public Health Informatics collects, compiles, and communicates
vaccination information.
Epidemiology determines where diseases originate, the spread
through populations, and possible preventive measures, but do
not monitor vaccine use.
Public Health Laboratories perform tests to confirm disease
diagnoses and conducts research and training. They do not
monitor vaccine usage.
Prevention Effectiveness provides economic information for
decision makers to assist them in selecting the best solutions
when there is a disease outbreak.
The first step is identifying the problem. Informatics are used by
surveillance systems to collect data about a health event.
The second step is identifying the cause. Informatics investigate
factors, environmental or personal behaviors, that might make
certain populations more susceptible to a health event.
The third step is looking at possible interventions. Data from the
past help guide proposed interventions.
The fourth step is implementing the intervention. This takes a lot
of collaboration between different agencies and informatics is key
in communication.
Electronic health (eHealth) technologies can communicate
through phones, mobile devices, and computers help clients
receive timely consultations, appointments, and resources
especially in remote areas and within vulnerable populations.
Data collection, analysis, and dissemination of information drive
quality decision-making in public health systems across states and
territories. However, analyzing how they would like to be educated
would help the public health system's decision.
