Epidemiology and Pathophysiology definitions Flashcards
What is health?
a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not just the absence of disease or infirmity
What are some aspects of WHO’s definition of health?
positive vision of health, holistic and inclusive, idealistic, broadens health activity beyond prevention of disease and establishes a basis for action
What are some broad determinants of health?
biological, individual, environmental, social, cultural, political and economical
What are some examples of external factors of health?
education, employment and income, natural environment, family and community, health services, law and order, housing, political and social stability
What is public health?
The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts and informed choices of society, organisations (public and private), communities and individuals
What is epidemiology?
Study of the distribution and patterns of health events, health characteristics and their causes and influences in well defined populations
What are the three aims of epidemiology?
- describe disease patterns in human populations
- Identify causes of disease (aetiology)
- provide data essential for the management, evaluation and planning of services for the prevention, control and treatment of disease.
What disciplines is epidemiology combined from?
medicine, health sciences, social sciences, statistics and (to an extent) detective work.
What does epidemiology include?
outbreak investigation, disease surveillance, screening (medicine), bio-monitoring and clinical trials
How does the discipline of biology help epidemiology?
better understand disease processes
How does the discipline of biostatistics help epidemiology?
make efficient use of data and draw appropriate conclusions
How does exposure assessment and social science help epidemiology?
understand proximate and distal risk factors and their measurement
What is health inequity?
measurable differences, variations and disparities in the health achievements of individuals and groups
What are inequalities a result of?
inequities
What are some inequities?
class, gender, race and ethnicity
What is social stratification?
structures inequalities between different groupings of people. People get different access to social rewards and opportunities
What is acute pain?
pain in response to an injury or illness which is typically time limited, accurately diagnosed and responsive to treatment
What is chronic pain?
pain that persists beyond the time of healing of an acute disease/injury which may occur continuously or intermittently over months or years.
What is pathology?
The medical science concerned with all aspects of disease but with special reference to the essential
nature, causes, and development of abnormal conditions, as well as the structural changes that result from the disease processes
What is physiology?
The science concerned with the normal vital processes of animal and vegetable organisms , especially as
to how things normally function in the living organism rather than to their anatomic structure, their biochemical
composition, or how they are affected by drugs and disease.
What is a population?
a group of people with a common characteristic
What is incidence?
The number of people diagnosed with the condition in a period of time
What is prevalence?
The number of people living with a condition in a period of time
What are clinical features?
the practical observation and treatment of a person with a disease or other ailment
What is a symptom?
A subjective complaint that is noticed by a person
with a disorder
What is a sign?
A manifestation noticed by an observer
What is aetiology?
Aetiology (or etiology) is the science and study of the causes of disease and their mode of operation
What are some aetiological factors?
Biologic agents (bacteria, viruses), physical forces (trauma, burns, radiation), chemical agents (poison, alcohol), nutritional excesses or deficits
What are risk factors?
conditions or factors that contributed to the development of the condition
What is prognosis?
The probable outcome orprospect of recovery from the disease
What are some common treatments/interventions?
Surgical, pharmacological, lifestyle and psychological
