Epidemiology

So right now im procrastinating, I have a very important test in a few hours, 10% in a paper I need to pass with 90+% to shave a few years of my degree. Only problem. Its boring. Not boring oh dam nothing exciting happened today. No boring, in a banging my head against a wall would be more interesting.

Basically I'm about to blog about Epi as a form of study to kinda keep myself interested!
Epidemiology is basically counting people, counting sick people, and then counting dead people when they die. The whole idea is that if we know whats causing people to die, and its preventable then we can do something about it. Eg. on a fiscal level implement health reforms invest in new treatments, or improve social services.
Ultimately its about using data to save lives. Good idea, easy concept, often intuitive.
For example the main determinants of an individuals health are, Socioeconomic, cultural and environmental conditions -> Living and Working conditions -> Social and Community influences -> Individual life style factors -> Age, sex, & hereditary factors. ie these things all effect the individuals health, which is defined at "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." by the World Health Organization.
The data is collected in many ways, such as routine data collection, registries or reports. The quality of data depends on its source and the likelihood that it is incorrect or has a form of bias.
NOIDs (Notifiable infectious diseases) are diseases that medical clinicians have a moral and legal obligation to contact health monitors. This is an example of passive surveillance which is one of three types of surveillance used to monitor health, the others being sentinel and active. With Active being when monitoring services are actively tracking down information about incidence and prevalence whilst sentinel is when key sites are monitored, eg. emergency rooms in key hospitals.
There are several different types of studies used in epidemiology to figure out whats going on. One example is cohort studies. These studies follow a population and measure potential risk factors of a disease. These studies can be done historically using routinely collected data already available or be Prospective or concurrent, selecting a population and following them until a conclusion can be made about the outcome examples of this study include the Dunedin Multidisciplinary study, and the British Doctor study.
Other types of studies include ecological (correlational) studies which compare larger scale populations based on environmental factors such as pollution or sunlight hours, and are suitable for discovering basic level causes but sometimes results on a population level fail to hold true at an individual level. These types of studies are good for hypothesis generation.
Another study type is a cross sectional study. These studies provide a snapshot of the health of a population, but are useless at providing incidence data as they only truly capture prevalence information, this means its good for stable diseases ie. You have it and can't lose it. but not for diseases with a short prevalence.

Sigh, Study.... Shot me now!

Theme Thursday - Equal

Well my week has been fulled with economics. It used to be my favourite subject. I Loved how an understanding of it gave insight into everyday things. It used to excite me, I'd tell people about the wisdom I'd just found or the links in everything. Cause when you boil everything down in a pot, almost everything is economics. Which can be summed up in the simple sentence "Economics is the study of people and how they use there limited resources to fulfill there unlimited needs and wants". That can be even further simplified into the sentence people respond to incentives.
Supply and Demand. The point at which people agree to purchase so much of a good or service and other people agree to produce that amount. When the supply is equal to the demand. The incentives could be the need to eat, money, clothing, anything. The point is in any given market there is equilibrium. The point at which everyone is happy! We have allocative efficiency as everyones surplus' are maximised.
This is a perfect market right? If only everything was this simple.
Its not, one person consuming one good might cause someone else pain. Think a drunk driver hitting another car. You now have an example of a negative externality of consumption for alcohol. Now an economist would tell you that any such good although it has negatives also has its positives and so a corrective tax should be placed not a total ban of the good.And we will have allocative efficiency again! Consumption of the good will fall until it equals the desired social quantity! The tax revenue can be used to fix the problem, reduce the number of drunk drivers.
If you understand that you could almost get 5 NCEA credits in NZ!

I hope nobodies been bored to death. I was working on an assignment pretty much all week and that's been the crux of it. Sigh, the boredom of assignments. -.-

SCHOOL!!!

Eating Truffles with your Mum.

POKEMON!

Well, today? It was a day like many others before it. It was a school like, school day which as every student knows means several boring drilling hours of school with about 1hr and 10mins of free time, which can be spent anywhere within the confines of the unwalled re-education facility. Not only is this a sad day that nothing has really happened its also, a sad day because it never really looked like anything was ever going to happen. I woke up as usual, in a ZOMBIE like state I showered got dressed and just managed to jump into the car on the way to school.

Actually, i didnt realise the significance of this individual ride, the last time I'd ever see that vehicle. . . And what ever lost and hidden treasures that live with in it, as my Mum's got herself a knew car. The same, a rav4 just this ones the 2009 model, so basically imagine a shiney mini, then imagine a shiney tank with the interior of a mini. Thats the new vehicle in my household.

Anyway back on track, I arrived at school did the locker thing no surprises there, as usual even though one people had promised to do something a few weeks ago and im still waiting, but that'd envolve effort on there part and they're far to lazy to do anything like that!

We spent first period in a computer lab researching something to do with ism's a complete waste of time if you ask me! I spent the lesson looking up random stuff on the net. . . That was kinda related to ism's like this site http://phrontistery.info/isms.html with lots of ism's!

The rest of the day was, as it should and i wont bore you with it any longer, seeing as its 1/4 past 11 and im tired as a Snorlax. Although I'd like to say that if infact you've managed to read to this line you are a champion, otherwise those who havnt you are losers. :)

Useless blog 101!

:) - Smile

:( - Sad Face

<:) - Party

<@ - Rose

:] - Alternative Smile

:[ - Alternative Sad Face

;) - Wink

:'( - Tear

<3>

^_^ - Contented Smile

:P - Tongue Out Smile

Enjoy the Silence.

ARGHHHH!!!! I dont know, School! Argh its soooo boring! I thought Yah! Friends in my classes. . . It seems everyone feels like me. . . And Just is meh! The people I thought would want to sit with me just plain dont. I dont know why! I dont know how long I can cope! Its all so boring!!! I'm finding subjects hard, like english, People using words to discribe things that I have never heard before!!! Its REDICULOUS!!! and why's it all about Love?!?!

Also, I dont feel very energised at the moment. I just feel so drained, all the time. It sucks, I eat food and that doesnt help. I do things and they dont help! Its like a drained, starving yet not hungry, tired, and bored sort of feeling. My stomuch feels like its knotted all the time, like something bads going to happen. I sometimes dont even want to get out of bed, I dont think i can deal with everything. . . It's to much. I dont feel like im close to anyone really. Well thats a lie, I kind of do. I dont feel like they have time for me anymore. That they want to have that time. Should I need them too?

School is sosososososo boring at the moment. . . Iv been back for two days and i just want to explode in some classes. Would it be pathetic to have a mental health day after only two days back?

I know I'm not physically ill or anything. Cause somethings make me happy, feel normal. Thats whats wrong. I dont feel normal. I dont really feel anything. . . Well I feel somethings. Im not sure if i should feel those things though. Not allowed to... Those feelings arent wanted. Im desperate for something to make everything seem better... What should I do?I dont want to be at home, but I dont know who will do anything with me? If they'll want to! Home's boring. . . All there is MYYEARBOOK, FACEBOOK, BEBO, and MSN. Theres nothing really exciting. Theres they drums but I never feel motivated to go practise or play. They're just something else to do. . . They dont enthrill or inspire. . . I have books to read, sure they're interesting. Mainly I read them cause the people who lent me them want them back. They're not bad books or anything. They're great books! They're just very heavy. . . Involve alot of thought, effort. Thinking, and processing Idea's. I Like them I truely do though. . . What ever happened to happy endings though? And Why are they always at the end? Why cant something good happen at the start of one of the books?

I have goals. I have aims. Im not sure what the motives of them are. Is it for myself? Is it for someone else? Is it to impress someone? Im not sure.

Man I hate cats!!! Why cant they just leave me alone!?!?! AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!

My Day!

Well this'll be a Blog All about my Day at home! Lets see if i can make it interesting!!! :)

I Woke up! Still sore from my run with Siobhan on Tuesday. . . Muscles aching! I decided shower was the way to go! So i stumbled out of bed haf asleep, down the hall way into the door, into the patch of tiles thats been ripped up and into the shower... The gently warm water fell steadily onto me, making me more awake, yet sleepier all at the same time. After a quick rinse i decided to head back to my room, Towel wrapped around my waist.
With a quick check of my, bebo, myyearbook, facebook, and see if anyones online that i want to speak to. . . No. Ok Now get dressed! Oh dam, no clothes. . . I put them on the line yesterday and forgot to get them off! Bugger, Oh well time to put on what iv worn for the last few days... Poo it smells like man! better track down clean clothes soon!
So off i went to scower the house for clean clothing! Luckily some one else had remembered the washing jackpot! I grabbed my gears and quickly changed, Argh my running gear need to go through the wash. I make a mental note do some washing! (Whoop!)
I then preceed to watch all of Bam's Unholy Union! It was cute you could tell they really Loved each other. . . I got teary eyed at the ceremony! LOL! I then did that washing and pottered around before forcing myself to go for a run! Once out the door, i was like this is awsome! And i managed to do the much much bigger run than i expected. I was so proud of myself! :)

Btw have you Guys heard of the Wunder Boner? http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=hQAT2rKugIs watch it. Dont worry, its safe, trust me!

And I felt alone, on my balcony. . .

Well today has been one spent in near seclusion. My only company being a farting dog, a snuggly cat, and an old women telling me her life story.

I was asleep, and i was woken because my Dad needed phone numbers off his cellphone that he'd left in Christchurch. (He's at a comference in Auckland?) Then there was my Oma to talk to. I know her life story now! She moved to NZ from Germany after the war when she was 12. . . and im sure you care even less than i did. I wasnt really in the mood for it. I learned that my Granddad is even worse than i thought he was. Well according to his wife he is!

It was about 5 and i was wondering where everyone else was. Not having any sane human contact at all that day and none since about 2. I was feeling lonely. Well in they come through the door and i go to see whats up. Enquire why Mrs Bailey had rung. To be sworn at by my brother and witness him call my mother some not so nice words!

Well he's lost his computer now. Im very tired still. I should go to sleep earlier. Its hard to get to sleep when your minds as stir crazy as mine is with nothing working out right. Im sorry. My Life is a mess, like a four year old playing in a bath tub full of paint.

Why do I not get invited to meet up with anyone? I almost always free! Just a thought. . .

I Like you, Do you like me?
Lets get together have adventures it could lead to better days

And why is everyone so mean to everyone else? Why do people spread the past? Why would the care if they're your friend? Why would it be any of there business anyway?

AH!!!

Exams soon, im a bit worried. But not to much. . . Im gonna study lots on Thursday and Monday. So i should be all good! Im just stressed over other things. Its almost been a month. And nothings getting better. Well it doesnt seem to be anyway. And that makes me sad.

Im worried about other people. I wish people could be happy! I miss old times when it was fun. Before everyone got confused and screwed up and stressed! I wish people knew what they wanted.

I dont really know what im going to be when i grow up. I wish i did. I dont want a job. Works lame. Rather just sit in a room and do nothing.

I need to get more money i have $1.10 in my bank account at the moment. SO POOR!!! Im slowly eating through my cash supply. I think i need to start taking my lunch when i go out and taking a drink bottle. Save me like $8 a time! Thats over half my money per week! Theres a plan!

I got 2nd in Economic's. Im annoyed at myself, i shouldv studied for the tests now. . . No one ever remembers second place. People dont say well done im proud of you. They always go "Who came first?" next year im going to work harder, i want to get first in something.

I dont know how i feel about myself, I used to think i was smart, but im not, im average. I used to think i was kind and people would turn to me when they needed to talk, but they dont. I used to be happy all the time, but now im not. I rarely feel happy, happy. Most the time its just what can i do so im not sitting on my arse in front of the computer. People invite me to things but its not overly thrilling. Just average. I used to look forward to seeing people, now most people i dread it. I used to think people wanted to see me. Now i feel like baggage, i dont normally get a smile. If i do i get ditched for someone else if they come along. Maybe im boring?

Who know's i dont!

Im so tired. . . I need to go to bed on time. Prize giving tonight. I have to go sit through 2hrs+ of people getting 1st in this and 1st in that! So depressingly boring! Good for them though. But i only feel pride for a few people who won. I dont know if they care entirely that i do or understand how proud I am of them. I feel like everyone's growing with new relationships and im not. Everyone's making new friends and im not needed like i used to be, and im losing my place in peoples lives.

Maybe im just a grizzling. . .

Im going to go do something now!

Have fun in this game of life!