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.
The causal or risk factors or determinants can be:
- necessary or not,
- sufficient or not.
Ignaz Semmelweis:
Discovered that the incidence of puerperal fever (childbed fever, kraamvrouwenkoorts) could be drastically cut by the use of hand disinfection in obstetrical clinics.
John Snow:
Discovered that cholera was spread through a local public water pump. By pushing the local health authorities to close the water pump, the end of the epidemic started.
Jonas Salk:
Discovered a vaccine for people who had polio (salkvaccin).
Leading causes of death globally:
- Ischemic heart disease (when the heart gets insufficient oxygen like narrowed arteries)
- Stroke
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (lung disease)
Number of deaths by cause:
- Cardiovascular diseases (strokes, heart diseases)
- Cancers
- Respiratory diseases (lung diseases, asthma, bronchitis, COPD)
Levels of prevention:
Primary: intervention implemented before there is evidence of a disease or injury. Risk reduction. Example: encouraging exercise to prevent overweight.
Secondary: intervention implemented after a disease has begun but before it is symptomatic. Early identification. Example: check BMI at every check-up.
Tertiary: intervention implemented after a disease or injury is established. Stop bad things from getting worse. Example: help obese people lose weight.
Health promotion
Health promotion means helping people take more control over their health by not just focusing on individual actions but also on improving the environment and society, aiming to prevent health issues at their roots rather than just treating them.
Fundamental conditions and resources for health:
- Peace
- Shelter
- Education
- Food
- Income
- A stable eco-system
- Sustainable resources
- Social justice and equity.
Key elements of health promotion
- Good governance for health
- Health literacy (knowledge to make healthy choices)
- Healthy cities
Health promotion action means:
- Build healthy public policy.
- Create supportive environments.
- Strengthen community actions.
- Develop personal skills.
Global health
looking at how the world is connected and how it affects our health. It focuses on making sure everyone, no matter where they live, has a fair chance to be healthy.
First dimension: Global Health studies how the transfer of health risks changes because of faster travel, closer communication, and new forms of economic connections between countries.
Second dimension: Global Health works on strategies to prevent health issues from concentrating in certain areas and aims for a balance between worldwide efforts and local approaches.
Difference between International health and global health
International health usually deals with health problems in poorer countries and the sharing of resources from richer to poorer nations.
Global health looks at how health is connected worldwide, beyond just rich and poor countries, considering things like where diseases are, how the world is changing, and how global health decisions are made.
Factor that affect health:
- Global ecosystem
- Natural environment
- Built environment
- Activities
- Local economy
- Community
- Lifestyle
- People
One health approach
aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people animals and ecosystems. They recognize that the health of these factors are connected.
Infection
entry and multiplication of an infectious agent in the body of man or animals. Does not always cause illness. (catching cold from a virus)
Contamination
presence of an infectious agent on a body surface or in clothes, bed, toys. (germs on a doorknob that can make you sick if you touch it)
Infestation
reproduction of arthropods on surface of body or in clothing (lice, mite)
Zoonosis
infection transmissible from vertebrate animals to man. (covid – from bat to human)
Epizotic
outbreak (epidemic) of disease in animal population. (bird flu among chickens)
Enzotic
endemic occurring in animals. (constant presence of virus in group of animals)
Epidemic
unusual occurrence in a community of disease. (sudden rise of flu in a town)
Endemic
constant presence of a disease within a given geographic area or population group. (malaria constantly affecting people in specific region)
Pandemic
epidemic that usually affects a large percentage of population on a worldwide basis (covid worldwide)
Sporadic
occur irregularly from time to time and generally infrequently. (occasional cases of food poisoning)
Droplet and airborne transmission
respiratory infections >5 = direct transmission, <5 indirect transmission. (face mask)
