Adult Health Flashcards
Case Study:
Mr X = presented to A&E with metacarpal fractures a few weeks ago, here for a check up
Smoking history, VBA about smoking cessation worked
Suffered from mild depression in 2001 - treated with SSRIs for 6 months
Served in the military, but currently unemployed
Two children
Mentions he is ‘stressed’ - cannot find a new job, misses the military and his friends
What are the key social determinants and lifestyle behaviours identified in this case that would be important in taking a holistic approach to this man’s health?
Stress from lack of job
Odd sleep schedule - going back to bed in the mornings for an hour or two
Parent of two children
Used to smoke, but has now quit - hopefully does not relapse from stress
Missing his friends
As the registrar, is there anything you would want to be aware of for your own health in this case?
x
How does Mr. X compare with Alex who you met in 1a- specifically thinking about lifestyle and social factors that will be impacting health?
stress - Not all stress is negative, but ongoing chronic stress can be toxic
Both Alex and Mr. X are dealing with financial stressors. This will be taking up a lot of their cognitive bandwidth, making other aspects of life more stressful. In both cases there are negative lifestyle behaviours which may be related to faulty coping mechanisms- binge drinking, smoking, gambling.
What else might be affecting Mr.X?
Besides health behaviours and the financial worries inherent in unemployment how else might leaving the military be impacting Mr. X?
No longer has a regime/ timetable so can feel derailed
Loss of friends
unemployed = feel detached from his support networks,
Social connection and social support are key components for mental health, and for bolstering your perceived ability to work though stress.
- protective impact that positive social relationships have within the context of ACEs.
- men in this study are more likely to report a lack of meaningful social connection. This is a common finding, and may relate to reasons for men also not seeking help for mental health.
- Belonging to a social group:
- is important for health.
- can help form our sense of identity and purpose in society
- history of depression. = risk for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,
What stats show there is men’s heath inequality in healthcare?
Males live shorter lives than females
Suffer life-limiting diseases soon
And gap between male and female life expectancy is greater in higher income countries
How do nature and nurture impact men’s health?
Initially thought to be mostly biological differences that led to men leading shorter lives
Now, also thought to be partially due to social constructs about gender and identity
Sex VS gender?
Sex = male or female, biological, assigned at birth
Gender = man or woman, social construct, personal identity
How many years on average do men die earlier than women?
What are the common causes?
5 years
IHD (ischaemic heart disease), road injury, lung cancer, COPD, stroke
Why do men die of CVD and resp diseases more than women?
Oestrogen thought to be CVD protecting
Men = greater tobacco use and poorer diet
Why do men die from injuries more than women?
They take more risks
Work in more ‘dangerous’ jobs - agriculture, industries
What are health seeking behaviours?
Men are 2x as likely to have inadequate health literacy than women
Men are less likely to seek help when they need it
Tend to attribute health concerns to ‘getting old’
Present to doctors with more progressed health issues = harder to treat
Why do men have worse mental health?
Do not seek help
Find mental health to be ‘stigmatising’ - do not talk to friends or GP
Less socially connected as they get older
More likely to substance abuse, alcohol abuse and be homeless
Suicide rate differences between men and women?
Women = more likely to attempt
Men = more likely to complete a suicide attempt
Men = more violent suicide attempts
How can suicide rates be lowered?
Generational change in culture
Work place health initiatives - can influence better health behaviours: better work hours, more efficiency, provide mental health first aid courses, suicide prevention, promote mental health discussions
Social prescribing - ‘Men in sheds’ = men connect shoulder to shoulder = shared connection
What is self-care?
WHO = what people do for themselves to establish and maintain health, and to prevent and deal with illness
- Can modify personal + intermediate risk factors for NCDs
- Help with communicable disease via risk avoidance, good hygiene, health literacy
What are the 7 pillars of self-care?
- Knowledge and Health Literacy
- Mental wellbeing
- Physical activity
- Healthy eating - high fibre with nutrients, not overeating
- Risk avoidance
- Good hygiene practices - oral, digital, sleep
- Rational use of products and services - responsible use of medications
What is the self-care continuum?
- Healthy behaviours ———————> acute conditions and trauma
- Daily choices –> lifestyle –> self-managed ailments –> minor ailments –> long-term conditions –> acute conditions –> compulsory psychiatric care –> major trauma
Why is self-care effective?
Lack of self care e.g. unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, excess alcohol
= Raised BP (hypertension), obesity, raised BGL
= Chronic disease = heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, lung diseases
= Higher mortality rates
Also reduces spread of communicable diseases - risk avoidance, good hygiene, awareness and literacy
How can self-care be integrated into daily behaviours?
Activation, incentivisation, nudges, gamification, personalisation
Can be achieved by lifestyle medicine, lifestyle modifications > drugs, person-centred medicine, doctors as coaches, democratisation of self-care, and Health is All Policy (HiAP) approach
What technologies influence self-care behaviours?
eHealth and mHealth Diagnostics Fitness trackers Nudges (notifications) Internet pharmacies AIs BP monitors Sleep apnoea monitors Glucometer Heart rate monitors
Health apps/wearables
etc.
What is the paradigm shift?
Self-care not accessible to all
Poor self care –> government interventions –> Good self care
What can affect self-care?
Inequalities Homelessness Alcohol / substance dependency Suicide Social isolation / loneliness
How can we influence good self-care behaviours?
From a young age - to make self-care behaviours a habit
Starting with workplace interventions
How common is substance misuse?
1 in 9 adults between 16-59 have used an illegal drug in the past year
Often substance misuse is greatest between teens - tapers off as they get older
Diverse group of people use drugs - both illegal and prescribed
Why may people misuse drugs?
Family influence / childhood
Parties / clubs
Pain
How does substance misuse affect the users?
Physical health affected by how drug is used - inhaled = lung issues; injections = infections and blood clots
Social health affected e.g. maintaining formal work, normally go for informal work e.g. sex work, drug dealing etc.
What is the support / treatment available for substance used?
Support from GPs and secondary care (psychiatric services)
Specialist drug services provided by third sector organisations
Local drug and alcohol services
Outreach workers
Psychological therapies to work through childhood issues
Drug testing organisations - find what is in the drugs and promote safer use of them
Specialist club drug clinics
Lifestyle changes - better relationships
What is the support for misuse of prescription drugs?
Discuss with GP - try other medications
Try non-medication approaches - exercise and psychological therapies
What drug is prescribes to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings for opioids such as heroin?
Methadone
What is alcohol misuse?
>14 units / week OR Binge drinking: Men >8 units /session Women >6 units /session
Are men or women more likely to misuse alcohol?
Men - 2x as likely to drink more than 14 units /week
Men and women both peak in excessive drinking between 55-64 y/o
What is the relationship between socioeconomic status and alcohol misuse
Inverse relationship between socioeconomic status and alcohol misuse
More deprived = lesser alcohol abuse
BUT
More deprived populations experience greater harm from alcohol than more affluent ones