Global health and Childhood illnesses (Epidemiology) Flashcards
WHO definition of health?
State of complete mental, physical and social wellbeing - not solely the absence of disease
How can we assess global health?
Mortality
Morbidity
NB. This only assesses health as an absence of disease
Describe the key global trends?
Lower income countries have:
Lower life expectancy
Higher infant mortality
Higher maternal mortality
Contributors to mortality and morbidity in low income countries?
Low national income related to:
- Nutrition -> high infection susceptibility, stunted growth, increased risk of pregnancy complication
- Sanitation
- Housing and shelter (including small spaces)
- Educational prospects
- War and conflict
- Health care deficiencies - low key service provision such as immunisation, maternal healthcare, child care, HIV/AIDS testing and treatment programmes, poor access, pay at point of care
Contributors to mortality and morbidity in high income countries?
- High saturated fat and salt intake
- Tobacco smoking
- Hypertension
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Alcohol intake
Typically unequally distributed to those at lower income within the country
Mortality causes in infancy?
Pneumonia
Diarrhoea
Malaria
Injury
AIDs
Pertussis
Meningitis
Mortality causes in 15-60 year olds?
Infectious disease
Accidents
Suicide
Violence
Maternal death
Non-infectious disease
Mortality causes in 70 years and over?
Chronic disease such as cancer, heart disease, CVD
Who is at highest risk for Meningococcal disease?
Children
Young adults - especially military recruits and students
Meningitis belt is an area in Africa which experiences many epidemics, mainly in the dry season
How is the spread of Meningitis controlled?
Surveillance - notifiable disease
Management of contacts - prophylactic Abx for those in some household to prevent early disease transmission and hopefully eradicate + meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (also for those visiting meningitis belt.
Immunisation - Meningococcal B and C routine.
