Global Determinants Of Health

Question 1

What is population science and what does it require?

Answer 1

• The study of populations.

- Requires the use of population samples to infer information, although these may not be representative.

Question 2

What is “demography”?

Answer 2

Study of changing structure of human populations.

Question 3

What is “epidemiology”?

Answer 3

Study of rates and causes of disease/other health factors in different groups.

Question 4

Name a global determinant that is the biggest threat to health in the 2nd half of the century.

Answer 4

Global warming

Question 5

What is the temperature tipping point for the occurrence of significant and irreversible negative consequences for the environment and human health?

Answer 5

+ 2 degrees over pre-industrial temperatures.

Currently on +1 degrees

Question 6

What is global temperature increase related to?

Answer 6

• Increased carbon emissions

- Do we have too many people or too many polluters?

Question 7

Name 3 socio-demographic factors that are important global determinants of health.

Answer 7

1. Demographic transition
2. Economic transition
3. Behaviour and lifestyle

Question 8

What are the 4 stages of the demographic transition?

Answer 8

Stage 1

• high birth rate
• high (but fluctuating) death rate

Stage 2

• continuing high birth rate
• declining death rates

Stage 3

• declining birth rate
• declining death rate

Stage 4

• low (but fluctuating) birth rate
• low death rate

Question 9

How does the economic transition affect share of employment?

Answer 9

Transition from low to high per capita income:

• agriculture significantly decreases
• services significantly increases
• industry increases and then decreases

Question 10

How does the economic transition affect demographic transitions?

Answer 10

Economic activities of a population change according to population development/wealth.

Question 11

Is global climate change more likely to be caused by demographic (too many people) or economic (too many polluters) transitions?

Answer 11

• Correlation between increasing world population and total carbon emissions - climate change caused by too great a population?
• BUT limited increase in per capita emissions - caused by too many polluters.

Question 12

How is global wealth distribution linked to % of CO2 emissions?

Answer 12

• Richest 10% responsible for ~50% of total lifestyle consumption emissions.
• Poorest 50% responsible for ~10% of total lifestyle consumption.

Question 13

Which population characteristics act as global determinants of health?

Answer 13

• Population size
• Population shape
• Age-specific rates

Question 14

Give an example of age-sex specific rates affecting population health?

Answer 14

• Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease overtook ischaemic heart disease as greatest cause of death in UK due to ageing population.

Question 15

What is the socio-demographic index (SDI)?

Answer 15

Measure of socio-demographic development, based on:

• average income per person
• educational attainment
• total fertility rate

Question 16

How does economic transition affect SDI?

Answer 16

• Poorest countries = low SDI

- Richest countries = high SDI