Answer 2 for HLT 362 Discuss the historical application of statistics in the field of health care
The historical application of statistics in health care has played a critical role in comprehending various health-related issues, making informed decisions, and enhancing all-around health outcomes. The historical application of statistics in healthcare can be traced to the 17th century when John Graunt used mortality data to study the causes of death in London. The data would identify the rise and spread of certain diseases in the community (Charters & Heitman, 2021). Additionally, in the 18th century, Daniel Bernoulli utilized statistics to study the effectiveness of smallpox vaccination in his community, concluding that immunization is critical in controlling smallpox spread (Costantino et al., 2020). The utilization of statistics in health care has significantly influenced how to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases (Lv & Qiao, 2020). By using statistical methods to analyze data, we can better understand the causes of disease, identify effective treatments, and improve the quality of care for patients. Therefore, applying statistics can guide the development of assessment tools, measure the effectiveness of public health interventions, allocate resources more efficiently, reduce medical errors, and improve the quality of care.
The development of the Framingham Heart Study is a prominent example of the application of statistics in improving healthcare operations. It was initiated in 1948 as a longitudinal study conducted in Framingham, Massachusetts, to identify risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (Pathiravasan et al., 2022). It made a significant contribution to the understanding of heart diseases, including how to prevent the condition. Statistical techniques were utilized to collect and analyze data from a representative sample of the population, which included approximately 5,200 men and women (Andersson et al., 2019). The study identified significant risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity, diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and physical inactivity. The study highlighted the significance of preventative measures and the impact of the effectiveness of population-based interventions (Andersson et al., 2019). Overall, the statistical findings influenced the development of policies to advance healthcare and the development of target interventions to advance healthy behaviors, such as smoking cessation campaigns, initiatives to increase physical activity, and population-wide blood pressure and cholesterol screenings.
References
Andersson, C., Johnson, A. D., Benjamin, E. J., Levy, D., & Vasan, R. S. (2019). 70-year legacy of the Framingham Heart Study. Nature Reviews Cardiology, 16(11), 687–698. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-019-0202-5
Charters, E., & Heitman, K. (2021). How epidemics end. Centaurus, 63(1), 210–224. https://doi.org/10.1111/1600-0498.12370
