Chapter 7 Non-Communicable Diseases

Question 1

Health:

Answer 1

health is the state of physical and mental well-being

Question 2

Non-communicable disease (NCD):

Answer 2

a disease which cannot be spread between individuals

Question 3

Communicable disease (CD):

Answer 3

a disease that can be spread between individuals either directly or indirectly

Question 4

What is good health?

Answer 4

complete physical and mental well-being - it is about feeling good and having a good state of mind

Question 5

What are diseases?

Answer 5

• diseases are disorders that affect part of or all of an organism
• diseases caused by infections are communicable diseases e.g. measles, salmonella
• diseases not caused by infections are non-communicable diseases e.g. cancer, diabetes

Question 6

Examples of diseases interacting through one causing or worsening another:

Answer 6

• if the immune system of an individual is poor, then they are more likely to become infected with a communicable disease as the body is less able to fight off any pathogens
• infections by viruses in certain parts of the body can trigger the growth of cancers e.g. liver cancer can result directly from infection by hepatitis virus
• the reduction in physical health preventing an individual from carrying out many tasks and/or reducing their life expectancy can lead to mental illness, such as depression

Question 7

How does diet (lifestyle factor) affect health?

Answer 7

• eating too little or too much food, not enough nutrients or the wrong type of food prevents you from having a good, balanced diet
• this can have a big effect on mental and physical health causing issues such as type 2 diabetes or obesity

Question 8

How does stress (lifestyle factor) affect health?

Answer 8

• physical and mental stress place strain on our bodies
• can lead to high levels of cholesterol leading to problems such as CVD, cancers and mental illnesses

Question 9

How do life situations (lifestyle factor) affect health?

Answer 9

where you live, your financial status, your ethnic group, your access to medical care and the levels of hygiene in your area are some examples of factors which may affect your physical and mental health - can lead to communicable diseases such as diarrhoea and malaria, or non-communicable diseases like heart disease

Question 10

How is disease incidence information often displayed?

Answer 10

often displayed on frequency tables and diagrams, bar charts, histograms and scatter diagrams

Question 11

What is a condition that a poor diet could induce or worsen?

Answer 11

diabetes may be induced due to a higher levels of glucose in the blood caused by a poor diet

Question 12

What is a condition that high levels of stress could induce or worsen?

Answer 12

• cardiovascular disease (high BP)
• type 2 diabetes

Question 13

What is a condition that life situations (e.g. poverty or recent bereavement) could induce or worsen?

Answer 13

• poor sanitation could cause cholera
• tuberculosis from poor ventilation

Question 14

Explain why being overweight may increase the risk of stroke:

Answer 14

being overweight leads to higher levels of cholesterol which leads to the narrowing of the arteries which may cause a clot/blockage in the brain leading to a stroke

Question 15

What is the link between infection by a pathogen and asthma?

Answer 15

virus/bacterial infection —> causes cold/bronchitis —> more mucus —> can induce an asthma attack

Question 16

What is the link between cancer and mental health problems?

Answer 16

cancer —> increases stress —> depression and other mental health problems

Question 17

What may mean that a person is more likely to suffer from infectious diseases?

Answer 17

defects in the immune system may mean that an individual is more likely to suffer from infectious diseases

Question 18

What can severe physical ill health lead to?

Answer 18

depression and other mental illness

Question 19

What are diseases a major cause of?

Answer 19

diseases communicable and non-communicable are major causes of ill-health

Question 20

Factors that may affect health:

Answer 20

• defects in the immune system that mean an individual is more likely to suffer from infectious diseases
• viruses living in cells can be the trigger for cancers
• immune reactions initially caused by a pathogen can trigger allergies such as skin rashes and asthma
• severe physical ill health can lead to depression and other mental illness

Question 21

What can immune reactions trigger?

Answer 21

Immune reactions initially caused by a pathogen can trigger allergies such as skin rashes and asthma

Question 22

What can severe physical ill health lead to?

Answer 22

Severe physical I’ll health can lead to depression and other mental illnesses

Question 23

What may defects in the immune system mean?

Answer 23

Defects in the immune system may mean that an individual is more likely to suffer from infectious diseases