Research Methods for Social Epidemiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research Methods for Social Epidemiology - Essay Example In looking at Beaglehole’s work on Basic Epidemiology a general understanding of the discipline can be comprehended. The World Health Organization (2002) defines social epidemiology as â€Å"the study of how society and different forms of social organization influence the health and well-being of individuals and populations†. The appearance of social inequalities in the way that economic related issues are concerned are ways in which the study of a society can reveal needs that must be addressed to thwart the way in which disease affects the lives of members of a social group in comparison to the way it affects those of another group. It has been shown through the work of social epidemiologists that inequities within the economic social structure of a nation can lead to inequities within the medical care that is available and provided. By looking at the ways in which this research is approached, an understanding of the impact of these kinds of studies can be assessed for merit and for future responsibility toward social change. Dennis Raphael (2000) has created a study of the inequities that exist in the health care within the United States. His research is based on U.S. statistical information on economics and health, correlating the two to create conclusions about the way in which economic inequalities create diverse general health implications. With the use of secondary research to prove his hypothesis, he is able to create support for his points of interest and create strong connective dialogue for his theories. However, one of the weaknesses of this use of secondary research is that much of the information is not recent to his publication date of 2000. As an example, in the section that makes a connection between health differences in relation to race, the statistics that are being used are from 1985 and 1987. With this topic, the way in which