Chapter 5: Health and Prevention Flashcards
Health
a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being; not just the absence of illness or disability
Activities of daily living (ADL)
bathing, dressing, transferring, using the toilet, eating
Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL)
provide a functional assessment of health status by degree of independence an individual can maintain (e.g. ability to use the telephone, go shopping, prepare meals, do chores, use transportation, take medicine, handle finances, etc.)
Behavioral risk factors for chronic (non-communicable) disease
tobacco use, alcohol use, unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle, obesity
Cardiovascular disease
a set of abnormal conditions that develop in the heart and arteries; leading cause of death worldwide
Atherosclerosis
fatty deposits (plaque) collect at an abnormally high rate, reducing the width of arteries and limiting blood circulation
Arteriosclerosis
general term for thickening and hardening of arteries; part of normal aging
Coronary (ischemic) heart disease
atherosclerosis affects the arteries that feed the heart muscle
Myocardial infarction
acute condition in which blood supply to part of the heart muscle (myocardium) is severely reduced or blocked
Hypertension
chronic abnormally elevated blood pressure (greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg systolic or 90 mm Hg diastolic), measured as systolic and diastolic
Systolic
pressure exerted by blood as it is pushed out of the heart during contraction
Diastolic
pressure when blood is relaxed between beats
Congestive heart failure
heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body’s other organs; person is unable to exert oneself without exhaustion and may experience swelling due to edema (fluid buildup)
Cerebrovascular disease
disorders of circulation to the brain
Ischaemic stroke
artery leading to the brain is clogged by a blood clot/plaque/other particle
Transient ischemic attack or ministroke
same cause as stroke but the artery blockage is temporary and symptoms last for less than 24 hrs, often followed by full strokes
Metabolic syndrome
refers to people having a cluster of symptoms associated with high-risk factors for cardiovascular and related diseases
Metabolic syndrome symptoms
high blood sugar, blood pressure, low hdl and high hdl (cholesterol), high triglycerides, excess fat around waist
Most common cancers
lung, colorectal, breast, prostate, skin, stomach
How does cancer develop?
an interaction between genetic inheritance and random mutations that cause the body’s cells to malfunction (due to exposure to environmental agents e.g. carcinogens like radiation)
Top modifiable risk factors for cancer
smoking, physical inactivity, and excess weight
Musculoskeletal diseases
conditions that develop in the bones and joins; not fatal themselves but can lead to injury or bodily harm that cause death
Arthritis
general term for conditions affecting joints and surrounding tissues that cause pain, stiffness, and swelling
Osteoarthritis
most common; affects joints in the hips, knees, neck, lower back, and hands that are vulnerable injuries sustained through overuse
Cancer treatments
radiation, surgery, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapies
Osteoporosis
loss of bone mineral content due to an imbalance between rates of bone resorption and bone growth; more frequent in women because of lower bone mass
Diabetes
inability of body to metabolize glucose because it either cannot produce insulin, cannot properly use insulin (insulin insensitivity) or does not make enough
Type 2 diabetes or Adult-onset diabetes
insulin insensitivity; gradually reduces an individual’s ability to convert dietary glucose to a form that can be used by the body’s cells
Symptoms of diabetes
fatigue, frequent urination, unusual thirst, weight loss, blurred vision, frequent infections, slow healing of sores
Insulin resistance
body’s tissues fail to respond to insulin signal, so insulin produced by the pancreas cannot bind to cells’ receptors and excess glucose is excreted in urine instead
Hypoglycemia
blood sugar levels are too low causing an individual to be nervous, jittery, faint, and confused
Ethnicities at higher risk of developing diabetes
South Asian, Hispanic, Arab, Asian, African
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
group of diseases that involve obstruction of the airflow into the respiratory system
Symptoms of COPD
coughing, excess sputum, difficulty breathing
Chronic bronchitis
long-standing inflammation of the bronchi, airways that lead into the lungs
Chronic emphysema
permanent destruction of the alveoli, narrowing of bronchi causing difficulty in exchange of oxygen and CO2
12 main determinants of health
income and social status, employment and working conditions, education and literacy, childhood experience, physical environment, social support and coping skills, healthy behaviors, access to health services, genetic endowment, gender, culture, race
Lifespan
maximum longevity or the oldest age to which any individual of a species lives
Average longevity or average life expectancy
the age at which half of the individuals born in a year will have died
Factors that influence life expectancy
genetics, gender, environment
Active life expectancy or healthspan
years living in a healthy state or independently
Dependent life expectancy
remaining years living in a dependent state
Illness
presence of a physical or mental disease or impairment
Immunosenescence
gradual deterioration of the immune system from natural age advancement
2 types of immunity
innate and adaptive
Innate immunity
rapid but non-specific response when body detects anything foreign
Adaptive immunity
slow response when body recognizes a virus and carries out a specific response for every encounter
Immune system changes in older adults
more susceptible to certain infections and consequences from illnesses, higher risk of cancer, less benefit from immunizations, longer time to build immune defenses, autoimmunity
Autoimmunity
immune system can begin attacking the body itself
Acute diseases
develop over a short period of time and cause a rapid change in health; contracted less as we age but impact becomes more severe
Chronic diseases
last a longer period of time (at least 3 months) and may be accompanied by residual functional impairment that needs long-term management
Non-health-related quality of life
things in the environment (entertainment, economic resources, arts) that can affect overall experience in life
Health-related quality of life
all aspects of life that are affected by changes in one’s health status
Type 1 diabetes
body cannot produce insulin; generally develops among children and adolescents; treated with insulin, diet planning, and exercise
Risks of diabetes and having high blood sugar
damage and narrowing of arteries, nerve damage, chronic kidney disease, lower limb amputation, diabetic retinopathy (blindness), heart attack, stroke, erectile dysfunction,
Type 3 or Gestational diabetes
impacts ~20% of pregnant women; managed through diet, exercise, meditation
Prevention of diabetes
maintain a healthy weight with physical activity (cardio) and healthy diet (whole grains, lean meat), screening if 40+
Barriers to self-care for individuals with diabetes
adherence to frequency of dose and type of therapy, attitudes and cultural beliefs (on insulin therapy, meds, injections), comorbidities, poor patient-practitioner communication, lack of social support, finances
Stages of cancer (0-IV)
no cancer but have abnormal cells, cancer is small and concentrated, cancer is larger, cancer has grown into nearby tissues or lymph nodes, cancer has spread to other body parts (advanced or metastatic)
Common signs and symptoms of cancer
fatigue, unexplained weight loss, fever, pain, skin changes, unusual lump
Fear of cancer recurrence
one of the most common problems for cancer survivors and their carers
Post-traumatic growth
positive psychological change experienced as a result of the struggle with highly challenging life circumstances
Haemorrhagic stroke
arteries or blood vessels within or on the surface of the brain bursts (e.g. aneurysm)
Effects of stroke
weakness or paralysis in arms and legs, speech, reading, writing, swallowing, vision, memory, thinking problems, losing bowel and bladder control, muscle pain and headaches, fatigue, pseudobulbar affect
Pseudobulbar affect
sudden and uncontrollable laughing or crying
Modifiable risk factors of stroke
high bp, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, being overweight, smoking, excessive drinking, drug use, inactivity
Non-modifiable risk factors of stroke
age, ethnicity (higher for POC), gender (higher for males), family history of heart disease, type 1 diabetes
Challenges for spousal caregivers
changes to assumptive world, unprepared for caregiving role, burden of daily demands, shifts in relationship (marital strain, lack of support for caregiver, intimacy, or increased closeness)
Stress
negative emotional, subjective experience accompanied by predictable changes; circumstances that threaten or are perceived to threaten one’s well-being and tax their ability to cope
Fast pathway in fight or flight response
sympathetic adrenal medullary pathway; nerve signals from brain signal the release of adrenaline; increased heart rate, lung volume, and blood to muscles
Slow pathway in fight or flight response
hypothalamic pituitary adrenal cortical pathway; hormones released from brain trigger release of cortisol
