Population and Environment - Population Flashcards
What is health?
The state of being free from mental and physical illness or injury
What is mortality?
The number of deaths in a population
What is morbidity?
The incidence of ill health and disease
What can information about the death rate lead to?
- Helps assess a country’s healthcare system
- Determines focus public health action
- Encourages lifestyle changes
- Prioritises government spending
How does the WHO measure global health?
- Healthy Average Life Expectancy (HALE)
- Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY)
What is the HALE?
The average number of years that an individual lives in full health
What is the DALY linked to?
The theory of chronological age versus biological age
What do DALYs measure?
The gap between current and ideal levels of health
How do economic developments impact health?
- Increased yields and farming efficiency to provide good quality food
- Food storage and transport infrastructure
- Health service investment
How do social developments impact health?
- Education on sanitation and disease spread
- Vaccinations and advancing medical care
- Better education for healthcare professionals
- Reduced IMR
What does the epidemiological transition model state?
As a country develops, the main cause of death transitions from being CDs to being NCDs
What is the relationship between climate and disease?
- Drought can lead to famine and illness
- Flooding can cause the spread of water- and vector-borne diseases
- Low levels of sunlight can lead to SAD
What is the relationship between topography and disease?
Areas of flat relief can experience a higher incidence of disease during periods of flooding (e.g. dysentery in India and China)
What is the relationship between earthquakes and disease?
- Poor living conditions in emergency shelter can lead to cholera outbreaks
- Poor sanitation as infrastructure is damaged
- Health infrastructure is damaged
What is the link between air quality and health?
- Air pollution can cause cardiovascular and respiratory illness
- Use of charcoal for cooking in LICs leads to indoor air pollution
What is the link between water quality and health?
Inadequate drinking water and poor sanitation can lead to water-borne disease spread
How many people are at risk from malaria globally?
3.2 billion at risk
What is the global distribution of malaria?
90% of deaths occur in Africa
What is the seasonal incidence of malaria?
Occurs in wet seasons
What are the environmental factors leading to malaria transmission?
- Warm, wet climates
- Presence of mosquitos
- Stagnant water for mosquitos to breed
- Wind velocity and direction
What are the human factors leading to malaria transmission?
- Low economic development
- Poor sanitation and healthcare
- Nearby settlements
- Poor sanitation
What are the impacts of malaria?
- Reduces HALE
- Children spend less time in education
- Pressures on the healthcare system
How can malaria be managed?
- Anti-malarial medication for travellers
- Diagnosis and treatment
- Quinine as medicine
- Mosquito nets and IRS
What are some symptoms of malaria?
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Chills
