Distribution and preventation of disease

Question 1

What is asthma?

Answer 1

A chronic disease characterised by frequent moments and attacks of wheezing and breathlessness.

Question 2

Describe the prevalence and distribution of asthma

Answer 2

• Roughly 334 million have asthma, with mostly dependants being effected
• Around 14% of children have asthma
• Most asthma deaths occur in less developed countries
• Most asthma cases occur in more developed countries

Question 3

What percentage of people in the following areas have asthma?
USA, UK and Australia

Europe, Japan and South America

Eastern and South-East Asia and Africa

Answer 3

USA, UK and Australia - 10% of under 18s

Europe, Japan and South America - 5-10% of under 18s

Eastern and South-East Asia and Africa - 0-5% of under 18s

Question 4

What are the main triggers of asthma?

Answer 4

• Air pollution, cold air, allergens in home, exercise, obesity, psychological stress, medication, smoking, family history, respiratory infections and caesarean births.
• It happens that many of these factors are found much more commonly in Western Societies

Question 5

What jobs could lead to cases of asthma?

Answer 5

• Baker
• Carpenter
• Hairdresser
• Cleaner

Question 6

How is asthma being combatted?

Answer 6

• Avoid triggering factors (harder in LICs)
• Take preventative medicine
• NGOS such as Global initiative for Asthma and WHO are researching into environmental and genetic causes of asthma.
• Global Asthma Network has 335 centres in 135 countries, producing a global asthma report each year

Question 7

What is Malaria?

Answer 7

• A vector spread disease which can kill. Symptoms include:
• Fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur.

Question 8

Describe the prevalence and distribution of malaria

Answer 8

• Found broadly in the tropics and
  
  • South America
  • Africa
  • South-East Asia
• No cases in a few Northern African countries, despite most countries in central Africa having at least 1 million cases a year
  
  • Tunisia
  • Egypt
  • Morocco
  • Libya
• No malaria in North America, Europe or Oceania

Question 9

What is the global prevalence of malaria?

Answer 9

• As estimated 3.4bn people are at risk in 92 countries and 1.1bn at high risk
• Each year 300-500 million people get infected
• Roughly 15 sub-saharan countries account for 80% of malaria cases
• In 2015, there were 200 million cases, 90% of which occured in Africa

Question 10

What are the links between malaria and the socio-economic environment?

Answer 10

• Limited health education
  
  • People can’t make informed decisions about their health and how to use
    equipment, e.g. bed nets
• Low income
  
  • People can’t afford treatment or means of prevention
• In areas of poor health, there are more infected people are more sources of infection
• Poor quality housing puts people at risk

Question 11

What are the links between malaria and the physical environment?

Answer 11

• Malaria mosquitoes can only survive in warm countries
  
  • E.g. African countries
• High temperatures decrease development time of parasites in mosquitoes
• Mosquitoes breed in still bodies of water
  
  • Crop Fields
  • Lakes
  • Pools
  • Wetlands
  • Puddles

Question 12

What are some strategies to prevent malaria?

Answer 12

• Insecticide-Treated Nets
• Indoor Residual Spraying
• ## Vaccine - WHO recommends the RTS,S/AS01 Malaria vaccine among children living in areas with a high malaria transmission

Question 13

Name 2 diarrhoeal waterborne diseases

Answer 13

Cholera and Hepatitis A

Question 14

What factors contribute to higher rates of waterborne disease/cholera cases?

Answer 14

• Topography: Drainage and mixing water sources is a big problem especially in LICs - waste water can mix with drinking water
• Technology: Poor filtration and protection of water can result in infection
• Education: Being uneducated in safe water and how to properly clean it can result in illness
• Stagnant water: Has a much higher chance to become infected and infested with bacteria. Additionally, malaria mosquitos spawn on stagnant water, due to its warmth and humidity.

Question 15

What strategies are there to help improve water security in LICs?

Answer 15

• Better water filtration systems: Human sewage can find its way into clean water
• Introducing water safety plans which includes education about how to properly clean water and general sanity and hygiene education.
• Prioritise availability/inexpensive approaches
• Cover water
• Boiling water kills pathogens/germs

Question 16

What is the Epidemiological transition model?

Answer 16

• States that over time, infections diseases such as influenza, yellow fever and malaria are replaced by chronic and degenerative diseases such as heart disease, cancer and dementia.
• ## Deaths from infections diseases are decreasing whilst deaths from chronic and degenerative diseases are increasing.

Question 17

What factors are advancing the Epidemiological transition?

Answer 17

• Use of antibiotics
• Sanitation
• Mortality from depression, heart disease and road traffic accidents will replace traditional infections and malnutrition.

Question 18

What are the top 6 causes of death in LICs?

Answer 18

Respiratory infections (91/100,000)
HIV/AIDS
Diarrhoeal diseases
Strokes
Heart Disease
Malaria

Question 19

What are the top 6 causes of death in HICs?

Answer 19

Heart Disease (158/100,000)
Stroke 
Cancer
Alzheimers
Obstructive Pulmonary disease
Respiratory Disease