Links Between Disease and Wealth

Question 1

Links between economic and social development, and the epidemiological transition

Answer 1

As countries develop, the health and wellbeing of the nation should also improve as more money is available to spend on agriculture, health services and basic infrastructure

Question 2

Links between economic developments and disease

Answer 2

• Investment in agriculture to raise yields and farming efficiency in order to provide adequate good-quality food
• Improved infrastructure so that food can be stored and distributed efficiently and basic services such as energy, sewage and clean water can reach the whole population
• Investment in the health service

Question 3

Links between social developments and disease

Answer 3

• Better education on sanitation, healthy diet and the spread of disease
• Advances in medical care and availability of basic medicines and vaccinations
• Better education and more opportunities to become fully trained health care professionals
• Reduced infant mortality rates

Question 4

Disease in ACs

Answer 4

• Communicable diseases have largely been eliminated through diagnoses, treatment, high standards of living, clean water and good nutrition
• Prolonged life in ACs means that degenerative illnesses have increased
• In ACs, overnutrition and excess consumption of sugar, fats and salts has increased the incidence of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes

Question 5

Disease in LIDCs (and EDCs)

Answer 5

• Overnutrition is becoming and increasing problem in EDCs as affluence increases and dietary choices change. Other non-communicable diseases such as cancer are now increasing in EDCs and LIDCs
• Geography is also a factor in the prevalence of communicable diseases in LIDCs. Tropical and sub-tropical locations give rise to diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, sleeping sickness, yellow fever and Ebola
• Communicable disease accounts for the majority of deaths in the poorest countries because of poverty, lack of resources, inadequate nutrition, water pollution, lack of sanitation and poor hygiene