Health & Disease Flashcards
(18 cards)
What is an epidemic?
- Occurs when an infectious disease spreads rapidly to many people,
- Higher than expected incidence rate
- Cholera epidemic after Haiti earthquake 2010
What is a pandemic?
- Occurs when a disease spreads across a large area, such as an entire country, continent or whole world
- Happens when an epidemic extends beyond its area boundary
- 1918 Spanish flue spread from Europe to Russia, India, Asia and Africa
- COVID-19 spread from China to all around the globe
What is an endemic?
- Disease that is constantly present at low levels in a particular region
- Consistently present in that community
- Malaria in sub-Saharan Africa
What are the challenges to manage infectious diseases?
Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases
- Disease appearing in a population for the first time
- Rapidly increasing in incidence and geographic range
- eg. SARS emerging in China
- Dengue Fever re-emerging in USA, emerging in Europe
Diseases spreading globally
- Efficiency of modern transportation and communications, faster and more efficient travel & transport (land, sea, air)
- World is more interconnected than ever before, easier for diseases to spread
- Global traveler numbers risen significantly
Factors for re-emergence of malaria? CAIR
- Climate change
- Higher temperatures at higher altitudes due to global warming
- Increases more favourable breeding sites and reduces time for mosquitoes to develop
- Average temp in Central Highlands in Kenya allowed mosquitoes to emerge in areas of higher altitudes - Air travel
- Increased in air travel, vectors transported to new areas
- Re-emergence of malaria in France - Insecticide-resistant mosquitoes
- Use of DDT (chemical pesticides) was replaced by pyrethroids (ineffective against mosquitoes) which build up resistance to chemicals
- Mosquitoes resistant to insecticides found in >60/64 countries - Resistance to anti-malarial drugs
- Increased usage of counterfeit or incomplete doses of ACT (Artemisinin combination therapy) allows parasites to build resistance
- Migrant workers in Thailand went back to India and brought back surviving parasites
What are the indicators of health in DCs & LDCs?
- LIFE EXPECTANCY
DCs, higher at 70=90
LDCs, lower at <70 - INFANT MORTALITY RATE
(no. of infant deaths/live births)
DCs, lower IMR
LDCs, higher IMR
What are the social reasons for variation of health in DCs/LDCs?
- DIET
DCs
- Higher disposable income, lower % of income spent
-> higher consumption of meat & non-staples
- Higher meat + excess food consumption -> OBESITY (excessive fat accumulated in body)
LDCs
- Lower disposable income, higher % income spent
-> higher consumption of cereals & staples
- Lower variety of food -> less nutritious food due to poverty & rising prices -> MALNUTRITION ( Insufficient nutrients due to unbalanced/insufficient food)
- LIFESTYLE CHOICES
DCs
- More disposable income, more nutritious/balanced diet
- Lower smoking rate
- Sedentary lifestyle
LDCs
- Less disposable income, less nutritious/unbalanced diet
- Higher smoking rate (make up 80% of global 1 bil)
- More physical activity (farming, labour)
- EDUCATION
DCs
- More can afford formal education, fewer children left out of sch
- Education compulsory in some LDCs, incl. women
- Women more informed on healthcare+nutrition, lower IMR, care for children more effectively
- More resources, Higher skilled labour, More investment in education
- More educated society -> more informed, live healthier, healthier pop.
LDCs,
- Fewer can afford formal education
- More children uneducated due to poverty
Less educated society, less informed, unhealthier, unhealthy pop.
What are the economic reasons for health variation in DCs/LDCs
- AFFLUENCE & POVERTY
DCs
- Fewer under poverty line, more people affluent
- Can afford NUTRITIOUS food + HEALTHCARE, more resistant to disease, stronger immune system
- CLEAN living conditions, better housing w sanitation facilities, less disease spread
- Afford VACCINATIONS against diseases for kids
LDCs (opposite)
- More under poverty line
- Cannot afford nutritious food + good healthcare -> vulnerable to INFECTIOUS diseases & MALNUTRITION
- POOR living conditions & sanitation facilities, -> vulnerable to INFECTIOUS diseases
- MORE PRONE to nutrition diseases nor given vaccines (eg. kwashiorkor)
INVESTMENT IN HEALTHCARE + ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE
DCs:
- Invest MORE in healthcare
- Higher doctor-patient ratio & patient bed ratio
- Greater access to high quality medical treatment & facilities (Sweden, UK)
LDCs: (opposite)
- Invest LESS in healthcare
- Lower doctor-patient ratio & patient bed ratio
- Poorer access to high quality medical treatment & facilities (Bangladesh, Ghana)
What are the environmental reasons for variations of health in DCs/LDCs?
- LIVING CONDITIONS
DCs:
- Better living conditions + sufficient living space
LDC:
- Poorer living conditions
- Dirty environment, cramped, improper drainage, (diseases spread by pests as live close tgt) - ACCESS TO POTABLE WATER
DCs:
- Well developed water supply infrastructure (reservoirs, storage tanks etc.)
- Adequate supply of safe drinking water channelled to homes
LDCs:
- Lack of potable water to majority
- Water-borne diseases (cholera, dysentery) as a result of consumption of contaminated water
PROPER SANITATION
DCs:
- Proper sanitation, safe storage+ treatment & disposal of waste
LDCs:
- Improper sanitation/ disposal of waste -> spread of diseases
What are degenerative diseases?
Breakdown of physiological/bodily functions, tissues & organs OVERTIME,
- More prevalent in DCs, cuz of LONGER life expectancy
- Associated with lifestyle choices, eating habits, bodily wear & tear, genetics
CORONARY HEART DISEASE
- Higher disposable income -> overconsumption of meat + sedentary lifestyle
- Smoking
- Leads to obesity & heart disease
CANCER
- Smoking, unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle, excessive alcohol
ALZHEIMER’S, STROKE
What are infectious diseases?
Contagious diseases transmitted by bacteria, viruses, fungi
- More prevalent in LDCs, poverty, poor living conditions, diet, healthcare
- Spread by air, food, water, physical touch
- As LDCs develop, infectious becomes less prevalent, degenerative becomes more prevalent
- Infectious occurs in DCs but rarer
What is expansion diffusion? (Malaria & HIV/AIDS)
LIKE A RIPPLE/ INK SPOT ON PAPER
- Spreads outwards from a source
- Takes place through contact with people, affected with distance
- More likely to occur when people interact/ have contact
- Disease spreads outwards from its place of origin very rapidly, to many people
What is relocation diffusion? (HIV/AIDS)
LIKE TELEPHONE CONVO; UNAFFECTED BY DISTANCE
- Introduction of disease to a location outside its current geographical range
- Leaps over great distances & intervening populations
- Occurs when a community migrates (can create new epicentre)
Roles of individuals managing spread of diseases? AP
AP
1. Awareness
- Being aware of diseases & conditions of spread -> take precautions
- Being mindful about hygiene (aware of HFMD, COVID & prevention)
- Practice precautionary measures
- Exercise social responsibility
- Spray repellents, wearing masks, protective clothing -> reduce contact, spread of vector-borne diseases
- Removal of potential breeding sites of mosquitoes
- Obtain timely vaccinations & follow travel advisories by eg. WHO
Roles of communities managing spread of diseases?
Vellore India,
Geographical Information System (GIS), monitors dengue outbreaks
- Identifies locations of infections, pinpoints start of outbreaks
- Locates potential breeding zones, (targeted for control)
+ve:
- Community volunteers help collect data for mapping outbreaks
- Identifying & Reducing breeding sites is effective long-term measure due to lack of vaccine
- Alerts public of impending dengue outbreak
-ve:
Street areas not available for mapping in some areas
R/s betw. pinpointing disease & potential environmental risk factor difficult to prove
eg. Working adults spend most time outside homes & could be infected elsewhere->inaccurate mapping
Roles of government managing spread of diseases? (Precautionary & mitigation)
- PRECAUTIONARY
Thermal fogging Thailand
- Distribution of insecticides by fogging by heat
- Used for malaria outbreaks, applied once a week for 4 consecutive weeks
+ve: Kills adult mosquitoes outdoors
-ve: Expensive & has to be regular to be effective
Traffic hazard due to reduced visibility
- MITIGATION
Border Controls, COVID19, SARS
Detection & Isolation of infected
Private Ambulances for those suspected of SARS
Home quarantines
+ve: Govt intervention controls spread of disease ->early detection
WHO officials praised SG handling SARS&COVID
- Prompt & Open reporting of cases
- Encourage other countries to learn from SG
- Stringent measures contained SARS in SG
-ve: Asymptomatic, or symptoms not associated w SARS
More infections, makes disease harder to detect & contain
Roles of International organisations in managing spread of diseases?
WHO, DOTS 1993-2011 against TB
- Directly Observed Treatment, short course for TB
Consisting of 5 Components
1. Political commitment (increased & sustained financing)
2. Case detection thru quality assured biological science
3. Standardised treatment (Supervision & patient support)
4. Effective drug supply & management system
5. Monitoring, evaluation & impact management system
+ve:
Global treatment success rate high since ‘94, 77% of patients treated
Success rate >90% after ‘98
-ve:
Targets not met in 2000
Lack of lab skills & infrastructure, funding & qualified staff
Several factors affect likelihood of treatment success eg. severity, HIV, drug resistance, malnutrition etc.
Roles of NGOs in managing spread of diseases?
HIV Health & Rights: Sustaining Community Action Strategy
International HIV/AIDS Alliance (IHAA)
- Increase access to HIV health programmes
- Support community-based organisations
- Advocate for HIV health & human rights
+ve:
Individual countries take up more ownership, implement strategy
Measurable goals for whole alliance, organisations work w.
tgt w. national plans shape future strategies
-ve:
Not all countries have funds/resources, depends on goodwill of other countries or international organisations to help
Success depends on will of governments to target their resources & work w civil society in national responses
