introduction Flashcards
(21 cards)
what is the definition of health ?
health: a state of complete physical, mental and social well being, not merely the absence of disease.
what is illness ?
this is the unique response of a person to a disease
what is disease ?
is a disorder or malfunction of the mind or body. this leads to a departure from good health.
what are the two types of illness ?
acute and chronic
what is acute illness?
generally has a rapid onset of symptoms and doesn’t last very long
what is chronic illness ?
this is a broad term that encompasses many different physical and mental alterations
why has human population and life expectancy increased ?
better nutrition, water quality, hygeine and sanitation which prevents a lot of disease and improves survival rates in childbirth and surgery.
what is a DALY ?
is a measure of overall disease burden, expressed as a cumulative number of years lost due to ill-health, disability or early death.
how do we calculate DALY’s ?
years lived with disability plus the years of life lost
what do DALY’s do ?
they give us a better idea of the cost of health problems to a population rather than just counting how many people die
what can increase the risk of getting an infectious disease ?
lack of access to clean water, population density, local pathogens, poor hygeine, awareness and sexual behaviour.
access to vaccines and drugs is also a big factor.
are developing or developed countries at more risk from infectous disease ?
developing countries are at more risk from infectious diseases, however, if a new virus/strain emerges then this effects the developed countries.
what is a pandemic ?
this is when a new virus/strain emerges and it has high human to human transmission.
how do pandemics affect developed countries ?
modern cities are connected by air travel and have overcrowded public transport as well as shared office spaces. the virus can also spread through the elderly in care homes due to there being a high concentration from the aging population.
what risks can cause chronic disease (non-infectious) ?
age, genetics, lifestyle factors and the environment
can genetic predisposition to a disease be controlled ?
no
what are examples of lifestyle factors that can put you at risk for chronic disease ?
obesity and lack of excercise
smoking
alcohol and recreational drug use
access to food
what are examples of environmental factors that put you at risk for chronic ilness ?
air/water quality
housing/working conditions
access to food
what risks are associated with obesity ?
type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems and cancer
what are examples of environmental factors ?
pollution of the air, water, soil/food
weather/climate
availability of water, sanitation, food, infrastructure and healthcare
