Good preparation in both categories is needed to facilitate a smooth field experience. The preparations can be grouped into two broad categories: (a) scientific and investigative issues, and (b) management and operational issues. Regardless of when the decision to conduct a field investigation is made, you should be well prepared before leaving for the field. Sometimes investigators collect enough information to perform descriptive epidemiology without leaving their desks, and decide that a field investigation is necessary only if they cannot reach a convincing conclusion without one. More commonly, officials discover an increase in the number of cases of a particular disease and then decide that a field investigation is warranted. Only occasionally do public health officials decide to conduct a field investigation before confirming an increase in cases and verifying the diagnosis.

The numbering scheme for this step is problematic, because preparing for field work often is not the first step.

Conceptually, control measures come after hypotheses have been confirmed, but in practice control measures are usually implemented as soon as the source and mode of transmission are known, which may be early or late in any particular outbreak investigation.Įach of the steps is described below in more detail, based on the assumption that you are the health department staff member scheduled to conduct the next field investigation. For example, the order of the first three listed steps is highly variable - a health department often verifies the diagnosis and establishes the existence of an outbreak before deciding that a field investigation is warranted. The steps listed in Table 6.2 are presented in conceptual order in practice, however, several steps may be done at the same time, or the circumstances of the outbreak may dictate that a different order be followed.

Doctors in training step 2 vs becker