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Using Epidemiology to Inform Community Health Programs and Policy

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The Epidemiology of Aging

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Abstract

There’s an increasing awareness of the need to bring together aging ­services research and research on the mechanisms of health and aging. The application of epidemiologic methods to aging services research requires an expansion of traditional epidemiology to include greater flexibility and methods, access to large administrative data sets that allow only partial control over selection bias in the identification of diagnostic groups and service episodes, and the incorporation of new measures that account for program access and reach. The use of traditional epidemiologic tools in aging services research is demonstrated by the increasing number of randomized controlled trials in this area. The ultimate goal of aging services research is to find methods for delivering effective medical and supportive care services to older adults which may enable them to continue living in the community. This may involve evaluating particular programs or assessing the implementation of evidence-based programs that were developed for different settings or populations. It may also involve assessing changes in national policy or attempts at quality assurance in hospitals and nursing homes. Such research is critical for the implementation of rational policy and it demonstrates the value of expanding epidemiologic tools into aging services research.

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Abbreviations

AAA:

Area Agencies on Aging

ADAMS:

Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study

AMI:

Acute Myocardial Infarction

AoA:

Administration on Aging

CCDE:

Cash and Counseling Demonstra­tion and Evaluation

CHS:

Cardiovascular Health Study

CMS:

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Health ABC:

Health Aging and Body Compo­sition Study

HMO:

Health Maintenance Organization

HQA:

Hospital Quality Alliance

HQID:

Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration

HRS:

Health and Retirement Survey

ICD:

International Classification of Diseases

IOM:

Institute of Medicine

MCBS:

Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey

NCOA:

National Council on Aging

NDI:

National Death Index

NEEP:

Number of Events Prevented in a Population

PACE:

Program for All-Inclusive Care

PCT:

Pragmatic Clinical (or Controlled) Trial

RE-AIM:

Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance

SEER:

Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results

SOF:

Study of Osteoporotic Fractures

US:

United States

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 208 Parran Hall, 130 DeSoto St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA

    Steven M. Albert Ph.D.

  2. Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Pittsburgh, 130 DeSoto Street, Crabtree Hall A613, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA

    Julie Donohue Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Steven M. Albert Ph.D.
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  2. Julie Donohue Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Steven M. Albert Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, A527 Crabtree Hall, DeSoto Street 130, Pittsburgh, 15261, Pennsylvania, USA

    Anne B. Newman

  2. Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, DeSoto Street, A510 Crabtree 130, Pittsburgh, 15261, Pennsylvania, USA

    Jane A. Cauley

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Albert, S.M., Donohue, J. (2012). Using Epidemiology to Inform Community Health Programs and Policy. In: Newman, A., Cauley, J. (eds) The Epidemiology of Aging. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5061-6_11

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