factors affecting and variations in health status Flashcards
factors contributing to Australia’s health status - smoking
- Cardiovascular disease - smoking reduces airflow to our blood and therefore increases heart rate and blood pressure. Smoking also increases atherosclerosis, increasing the risk of heat attacks. This increases the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and the mortality rates associated with the disease
- cancer - the chemicals within cigarettes can can increase tumors and ultimately lead to cancer. Therefore, mortality rates are increased as a result of cancer. It also damages cells within the lungs increasing lung cancer rates.
- prenatal/infant - tobacco reduces blood flow to the infant , increasing the risk of low birth weight and underdeveloped immune systems. They are ore likely to suffer form premature death, increasing the under 5 mortality rates.
- asthma - smoking damages airways causing them to become swollen and narrow. This increases the prevalence of asthma and thus increases mortality rates as a result of asthma attacks
respiratory diseases - smoking damages airways, reducing oxygen flow to the lungs. This increases the chance of developing respiratory diseases and infectious diseases, resulting in increased mortality rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. - infectious diseases - smoking can damage immune functioning, increasing infectious diseases pneumonia
factors contributing to Australia’s health status - alcohol
- High BMI - alcohol contains kilojoules and so increases the chance of gaining weight leading to increased morbidity of obesity.
- cancer - the risk of cancer in the mouth, throat, stomach and bowel, liver and breast is increases with alcohol consumption. Cancers are the leading cause of premature death, contributing to mortality rates and DALY.
- liver disease - alcohol is filtered in the liver and so can increase the chance of liver scaring and reduced liver functioning. This increases morbidity rates of liver diseases such as cirrohosis.
- mental health - alcohol is a depressant and can lead to symptoms of depression. his increases injuries as a result of self harm and mortality rates of suicide.
- foetal problems - alcohol consumption while pregnant increases the chance of the infant being born prenatally, with a low birth wight or with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder
- injuries - alcohol can decrease judgement and motor skills, increasing the likelihood of engaging in risky behaviours such as drink driving. This increases the prevalence of injuries and mortality rates of road accidents.
factors contributing to Australia’s health status - high body mass index (BMI)
- cardiovascular disease - high BMI puts strain on the heart, increasing blood pressure and cholesterol increasing atherosclerosis. This increases rates of cardiovascular disease.
- type 2 diabetes - high BMI can increase fatty acids and inflamation, leading to insulin resistance. This leads to impaired glucose regulation, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality of type 2 diabetes
- mental health - high BMI can increase depression and anxiety.
- osteoporosis - High BMI puts strain on joints causing cartilage to wear down. This increases YLD due to osteoporosis.
- Cancer
- type 2 diabetes
- arthritis and osteoporosis
- asthma
factors contributing to Australia’s health status - under consumption of vegetables and fruit
- high BMI - Underconsumption of vegetables may result in increases consumption of other energy dense foods, increasing BMI.
- cancer - underconsumption of the antioxidants in vegetables can increase the chance of free radicals which can in turn, increase morbidity and mortality rates in relation to cancer and CVD.
- neural tube defects - nutrients from vegetables such as folate play a role in the development of the nervous system. Underconsumption of folate can lead to an underdevelopment of the nervous system and thus neural tube defect which contributes to morbidity and mortality among infants.
factors contributing to Australia’s health status - under consumption of dairy
- osteoporosis - dairy products provide calcium which is essential for strengthening bones. Underconsumption of it can cause weak and fragile bones, increasing rates of osteoporosis.
- dental caries - underconsumption od dairy can lead to calcium deficiencies, resulting in tooth decay and cavities. this increases the prevalence of dental carries.
factors contributing to Australia’s health status - high intake of fat
- high BMI- overconsumption of any type of fat can lead to excessive weight gain, increasing obesity
- cardiovascular disease - saturated and trans fats can lead to an increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) which gets stored in the walls of blood vessels, narrowing arteries (atherosclerosis). this increases the risk of cardeovascular disease.
- type 2 diabetes - increased fat can lead to change in cell composition leading to impaired glucose regulation. This increases type 2 diabetes.
- Cancer - colorectal cancer
factors contributing to Australia’s health status - high intake of salt
- osteoporosis - excessive salt can lead to calcium being secreted into the urine, leading to calcium deficiency. This results in higher rates of osteoporosis.
- cardiovascular disease - increased blood volume and hypertension, causing water to be pulled into the blood vessels, increasing blood pressure. this increases the prevalence of CVD
factors contributing to Australia’s health status - high intake of sugar
- high body mass - excessive sugar consumption leads to it being stored at fat tissue, causing weight gain and increasing the prevalence of obesity.
- dental carries - sugar provides a food source for bacteria which can contribute to dental decay and increases the prevalence of dental carries.
factors contributing to Australia’s health status - low intake of fibre
- high BMI - underconsumption of fibre can increase consumption of other energy dense foods contributing to weight gain
- colorectal cancer - adds bult to faeces, reducing the risk of cancerous cells developing
- type 2 diabetes - fibre reduces absorption of glucose and helps regulate blood sugar levels
- cardiovascular disease - fibre reduces the levels of LDL, thus reducing the prevalence of cardiovascular disease
factors contributing to Australia’s health status - low intake of iron
anaemia - iron is a core component of haemoglobin which helps carry oxygen around the body. This increases the prevalence of anaemia.
biological factors contributing to variations in population groups
factors that stem from the body including its systems and functioning
- body weight - high BMI makes individuals more susceptible to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, respiratory problems, low self esteem and some cancers
- blood pressure - causes hypertension increasing the risk of kidney failure, cardiovascular disease or stroke
- blood cholesterol - excessive fate intake can lead to high levels of low density lipoproteins (LDP) which can get stuck in blood vessel walls, increasing cardiovascular disease
- glucose regulation - can cause glucose to be prevented from being absorbed into the cells, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
- birth weight - low birthweight can result in a baby being more susceptible to infectious disease as a result of underdeveloped immune system
- genetics - sex, hormones, hereditary diseases
sociocultural factors contributing to variations in population groups
- socioeconomic status: income, education and occupation
- unemployment: financial position, mental health and access to resources
social connections and social exclusions: people fail to actively participate in society. - mental health, homelessness, disabilities - social isolation: individuals are not in regular contact with others.
cultural norms: gender stereotypes, diet, medicine, alcohol - access to healthcare : cultural and financial
food security: having reliable access to nutrition, safe and culturally appropriate foods.
early life experiences: behaviours of women while pregnant, positive parenting, good diet
environmental factors contributing to variations in health status
- housing: ventilation, hygiene, safety, sleeping, overcrowding
- work environment : UV, dangerous conditions, hazards
- urban infrastructure: roads, network, transport, water networks, electricity, geographic location
climate: UV, drought, bushfires
Variations in health status between Indigenous and
non-Indigenous - biological factors
- Indigenous Australians experience overall lower health status compared to non-indigenous Australians.
- body weight: indigenous Australians are more likely to experience high BMI and thus suffer from weight related conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease
- birth weight - indigenous mothers are more likely to give birth to a baby with low birthweight and thus have increased U5 mortality rates
- blood pressure: indigenous Australians are more likely to experience hypertension and thus have higher prevalence of heart disease and stroke
- glucose regulation - indigenous Australians are more likely to experience impaired glucose regulation and thus suffer from type 2 diabetes and kidney disease
Variations in health status between Indigenous and
non-Indigenous - sociocultural factors
- socioeconomic status: indigenous Australians are more likely to have lower levels of education and thus lower levels of health literacy. this increases their likelihood of making poor choices such as poor diet.
- unemployment: Indigenous Australians are more likely to experience lower levels of employment,
- early life experiences - indigenous mothers have higher rates of smoking and alcohol during pregnancy leading increased low birthweight and u5 mortality
- food security: lower incomes, lower health literacy
- social exclusion: indigenous Australians are more likely to experience social exclusion and thus have resulting mental health problems