Diagnostic prevention and health Flashcards
Diagnostic prevention and health
Definition of health
Well-being in terms of physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.
Homeostasis
a self-regulating process by which a living organism can maintain internal stability while adjusting to changing external conditions.
Illness (feeling unwell)
Does not define a specific pathology, but refers to a person’s subjective experience, such as discomfort, tiredness, or general malaise (discomfort). The way a patient reports symptoms is influenced by his or her cultural background
Sickness
The way a patient perceives and presents his symptoms. Cultural conventions likewise affect where the boundary between disease and non-disease is placed.
Disease
Implies a focus on pathological processes that may or may not produce symptoms and that result in a patient’s illness.
Prevalence
Number of people in a population who have a disease or other health outcome at one point in time. Prevalence = incidence x average duration of disease
Incidence
Number of people in a population who develop a disease or other health outcome over a period of time (i.e. new cases over a period of time).
Difference between Prevalence and Incidence
Prevalence includes all cases, both new and pre-existing, in the population at the specified time, whereas incidence is limited to new cases only.
Risk factor definition
Any attribute, characteristic or exposure of an individual that increases the likelihood of developing a disease or injury.
Examples of risk factor definition
Examples: underweight, unsafe sex, high blood pressure, tobacco, alcohol consumption, unsafe water, and hygiene.
Determinants of health
- The social and economic environment: higher income and social status are linked to better health.
- Education: low education levels are linked with poor health, more stress and lower self-confidence.
- The physical environment: safe water, clean air, healthy workplaces, safe houses etc.
- Social support networks: greater support from families, friends and communities is linked to better health.
- Culture: traditions and beliefs of the family.
- Genetics
- Health services: access and use of services that prevent and treat disease.
- Gender: men and women suffer from different types of diseases at different ages.
- The person’s individual characteristics and behaviors
Categories of determinants of healtg
- Policymaking
- Social factors
- Health services
- Individual behavior
- Biology and genetics
SHD (social determinants of health)
conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life.
WHO (World Health Organization)
agency of the United Nations (UN) that acts as coordinating body on public health issues.
CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
responsible for controlling the introduction and spread of infectious diseases and provides consultation and assistance to other nations and international agencies to assist in improving their disease prevention.
Main demographic changes related to health
- World population growth
- Fertility rate TFR (females 15-49)
- Infant (0-1) and child (0-5) mortality rate (IMR and CMR)
- Life expectancy at birth
Determinants of infant mortality rate (IMR)
- Child’s health status
- Mother’s health status
- Socio-economical resources
- Food quality and availability
- Environmental factors (safe water, overcrowding, sanitation, waste disposal, etc.)
- Healthcare system quality and coverage (childbirth and maternity care)
- Extreme events: famine, wars and violence, epidemics, natural disasters
Epidemiology
Investigates infectious diseases and epidemics.
Epi – above
Demos – population
Logos – study
Frequency
indicates both how often the disease appears and the temporal pattern (when).
Distribution
indicates both the geographic pattern of the appearance or presence of the disease and the characteristics of the host population (age, sex, various categories etc.) is different from trend.
Determinant
to be considered as synonymous with risk factor or casual factor.
Health/disease
epidemiology studies, in addition to the sick, also the healthy: better, sick in comparison with healthy. There are factors that contribute to maintaining health or healing: why did this person get sick? Why did this other stay healthy?
Population
a set of individuals who have one or more characters in common (they are present in the same geographical area, or have the same age, or other). The term therefore has a different meaning from the more common one.
Two basic epidemiological assumptions
- Human diseases don’t occur at random or by chance.
- Human diseases have casual and preventive factors.