Chapter 26 Communicable Disease Flashcards
Infectious diseases are categorized as public or community health problems
Because of their potential to spread and cause community-wide or worldwide emergencies, infectious diseases require organized, public efforts for their prevention and control
Public efforts are under the jurisdiction of official public health agencies at local, state, national, and international levels
Might be something can fix - alter pracs or not
Imp remember: In areas of health within a state, state laws usually prevail over federal law - US constitution not address health and 10th amendment - address any issues not addressed in constitution
The CDC is the national public health entity responsible for infectious disease control across the states
Pub health control of infectious diseases
All states have laws addressing infectious disease control, such as what diseases must be reported and who has authority to implement quarantines
Each state has a board of health and a department of health to implement state laws
Imp remember: In areas of health within a state, state laws usually prevail over federal law - US constitution not address health and 10th amendment - address any issues not addressed in constitution - Pub health control of infectious diseases
It has the responsibility for monitoring infectious diseases and for supporting local and state governments to control outbreaks and epidemics if assistance is needed
The CDC is the national public health entity responsible for infectious disease control across the states - Pub health control of infectious diseases
New cases
Incidence
Existing cases
Prevalence
The reduction of incidence (new cases) or prevalence (existing cases) of a given disease to a locally acceptable level as a result of deliberate efforts
Controlling new development of disease and existing cases
Control communicable disease
Controlling a disease within a specified geographic area and reducing the prevalence and incidence to near zero
Reducing prevalence
The result of deliberate efforts, but continued intervention measures are required
Elimination of communicable disease
Reducing the worldwide incidence of a disease to basically zero as a function of deliberate efforts (e.g., smallpox in 1977)
No need for further control measures
Possible under certain conditions - no naturally occurring cases since eradication; only in labs now
Key: naturally occurring eradicated - not made synthetically/kept in lab some place; if occurred know not naturally occurring case; could naturally develop again on own
Eradication
CDC has designated notifiable infectious diseases – health care providers encounter the disease must report them to, or notify, the local or regional health department; responsible for monitoring communicable disease in US
State health depts - monitoring and controlling communicable disease - determine which reported in jurisdiction; list what reported - based on one from CDC; mandate some people report certain disorders along with containing
Report to local health dept then to CDC
A list of infectious diseases designated as notifiable at the national level is provided in the weekly module of Canvas
States determine which diseases will be reported - communicable diseases; based heavily on CDC; make laws and responsible in this case
Defining and reporting communicable diseases
All health professionals should check with state health departments for reporting laws in their states
Processes for reporting vary by state - info on state health website
Reporting usually is done at the local or regional health departments level, who then report to the state and to the CDC
States determine which diseases will be reported - communicable diseases; based heavily on CDC; make laws and responsible in this case - Defining and reporting communicable diseases
Primary prevention
Secondary prevention
Tertiary prevention
Prevent of communicable diseases
Measures to prevent transmission of an infectious agent and to prevent pathology in the person exposed to an infection
Before infectious agent prevalent in community - be aware what coming and take efforts to stop from spreading
Examples: breaking the chain of transmission, immunization, changing the behaviors that lead to the exposure or pathogen
Primary prevention
Consists of activities to detect infections early and effective treat persons who are infected
Actions Prevents progression of disease and transmission of pathogen to others
Treat early - screenings, PCP visits, not stop infections - stop early and start treatments
Examples: reporting infectious diseases, investigating contacts, notifying partners, finding new cases, isolating infected people
Secondary prevention
Includes activities involved in caring for persons with an infectious disease to ensure that they are cured or that their quality of life is maintained
Mitigating long-term effects of disease
Most imp part: take antimicrobial agents completely
Examples: education to ensure patients adhere to a drug regimen - critical, education on protection measures for those caring for an infected individual
Tertiary prevention
