Population Health Approach Flashcards
What is meant by a population health approach?
This is concerned with understanding the distribution and causes of ill health (or goof health)
It involves identifying measures to break the cycle of disease
Solutions are often at a policy level
Who’s health is focused on when looking at a population health approach?
The health of the majority takes precedent
solutions are often outside of the health sector
What is meant by a necessary cause?
Presence is required for the occurrence of the event
you cannot have the disease without exposure to the cause
exposure doesn’t always lead to outcome (disease)
What is meant by a sufficient cause?
A factor whose presence leads to an effect
exposure alone would induce outcome (disease), but other exposures may induce the same outcome
What is meant by the ‘prevention paradox’?
Most ‘cases’ of disease come from the population with low to moderate risk of disease
a preventative measure that brings much benefit to the population may offer little to each participating individual
many individuals must take precautions to prevent illness in a few
Why is the prevention paradox even more complicated than it seems?
- Risk factors for poor or better health are not confined to your current context
- most diseases have multiple causes
- most exposures are not within the agency of individuals to avoid
