To set policy and plan programs, public health officials must assess the health

 To set policy and plan programs, public health officials must assess the health of the population or community they serve. Multi-discipline teams must assess what health services are available, accessible, effective, and efficient. To do this, they must find answers to many questions. The methods of descriptive and analytic epidemiology provide ways to answer these and other questions. With answers provided through the application of epidemiology, communities and officials can make informed decisions that will lead to improved health for the population. How can epidemiological data assist you when identifying health problems in a community?