2a. As countries develop economically, the frequency of CD's decreases, while the prevalence of NCD's increases

Question 1

What is the Epidemiological Transition?

Answer 1

The change in the incidence, distribution & control of disease both temporal + spatially

Question 2

Stages of the Epidemiological Transition: Stage 1

Answer 2

The age of pestilence & famine
- Poorer regions (Amazon tribes, The Taureg etc)
- CD’s dominate
- Little sanitation
- Very few countries in this stage

Question 3

Stages of the Epidemiological Transition: Stage 2

Answer 3

The age of receding pandemics
- LIDC’s
- Basic sanitation + amenities
- CD’s most common
- Living standards slowly improving

Question 4

Stages of the Epidemiological Transition: Stage 3

Answer 4

Era of degenerative + man made disease
- EDC’s
- life expectancy approx 60-70 yrs
- NCD’s on the rise
- Disease associated withe enviromental change
- CD’s decreasing due to increased medicines

Question 5

Stages of the Epidemiological Transition: Stage 4

Answer 5

Delayed degenerative dieases
- AC’s
- CD’s decreasing
- Development in medicines = delayed onset degenerative diseases
- NCD’s mostly managed (50% all cancers in UK cured)
- Rise in life expectancy to 80 yrs

Question 6

Prevalence of CD’s in LIDC’s: Socio-economic

Answer 6

• poor healthcare services
• Lack of resources
• little investment into social resources
• Low literacy levels

Question 7

Prevalence of CD’s in LIDC’s: Health

Answer 7

• Undernutrition = lack of food to maintain bodyweight
• Malnutrition = Unbalanced diet (protein + vitamin deficiency)
• ## Poor diet = weak immune system = increased risk of bacterial + viral infections

Question 8

Prevalence of CD’s in LIDC’s: Environmental

Answer 8

• Water pollution due to lack of hygiene = increased risk of waterborne diseases e.g Cholera
• Poor drainage of water can create breeding grounds for vectors (mosquitos + snails)
  High temperatures + abundant rainfall = ideal conditions fro CD’s

Question 9

Prevalence of NCD’s in AC’s: Socio-economic

Answer 9

• Increased investment into infrastructure, social amenities + healthcare
• Increased life expectancy due to better overall health
• Higher disposable incomes to spend on food, drugs, alcohol etc = increased risk f NCD’s

Question 10

Prevalence of NCD’s in AC’s: Health

Answer 10

• Increased access to processed foods = increased risk of NCD’s e.g CVD, Diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer etc
• Increased risk in developing world

Question 11

Prevalence of NCD’s in AC’s: Environment

Answer 11

• 70% cancer deaths occur in middle income countries

Question 12

Case Study of health impact of air pollution: Delhi, India

Answer 12

• Industrial hub
• Government focusing on industrial growth
• PM 2.5
• EDC = fast growing
• 2nd largest global city
• Highest smog levels = NW India

Question 13

Air pollution in Delhi: Causes

Answer 13

• Large volumes of CO2 trapped in Hymilaya
• Construction industry
• Rapid growth
• Large vol of vehicles without emission tax
• Growing population
• Smog due to late farming period of rice = farmers burn their old crops stubble

Question 14

Air pollution in Delhi: Impacts

Answer 14

• Deteriorating eyesight
• Cardio vascular problems
• Impacts health fro the future
• 30,00 deaths per year
• x1 day posed to smog = equivalent to smoking x40 cigarettes
• Smog worsens in winter due to stable high air pressure

Question 15

Air pollution in Delhi: Management

Answer 15

• Construction stops in October - November to decrease pollution levels
• Restrictions of vehicles

Question 16

What links are there between smog & water cycle?

Answer 16

• Monsoon season washes away the smog = decreased PM 2.5
• Water vapour condos around the PM 2.5 - this gets heavy and eventually falls as rain

Question 17

Causes of Rural air pollution

Answer 17

• Lack of electricity = dependancy on biofuels e.g. animal dung + paraffin
• Indoor air pollution = 1 million premature deaths per year

Question 18

Causes of Urban air pollution

Answer 18

• Burning of fossil fuels = particulate pollution (PM 2.5)
• Construction
• Largest threat to human health - PM 2.5 penetrates into lungs
• Respiratory diseases = 1.7x high in Delhi than rural areas
• Lung function is reduced by 40% in urban areas

Question 19

Governments attitude towards air pollution

Answer 19

• Prioritises financial gain over health pf population
• Globalisation = increased opportunities for EDC’s as TNC typically move to them = increase job security & incomes for population

Question 20

National strategies to reduce risk

Answer 20

• STOP Subsidies for fuel & diesel
• Restrictions on stubble burning
• Building of metro systems to reduce combustion from cars & promote public transport

Question 21

Global solutions

Answer 21

• International treatys/agreements to set goals in reducing GHG emissions
• World cancer day = increased attention around the severity of the global cancer epidemic = increased pressure put on governments to help reduce it