5.1. 5.2, 5.3 - Definitions of Health, Disease and Susceptibility Flashcards
What is the definition of health according to the WHO?
A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
What are the two main types of diseases?
Communicable and non-communicable diseases.
What are communicable diseases?
Diseases that can be transferred between individuals, such as viral infections like flu and bacterial infections like the common cold.
How can communicable diseases be transmitted?
Through air particles from coughing (droplet infection), from parasites in faeces (faecal-oral route), or through bodily fluids.
What are non-communicable diseases?
Diseases that cannot be transferred between individuals, often with a genetic component or acquired due to lifestyle factors.
Give examples of non-communicable diseases.
Cardiovascular disease, asthma, and diabetes.
What is susceptibility to disease?
The increased risk of developing other diseases due to the presence of one disease.
How does having HIV affect susceptibility to other diseases?
It impairs the immune system, leaving individuals at risk for many opportunistic infections.
What is the effect of HPV on women’s health?
Having HPV can increase a woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer.
