Headstart Flashcards
Health status, Burden of Disease & Health and Wellbeing
health status
An individuals or a populations overall health, taking into account various aspects such as life expectancy, amount of disability and levels of disease risk factors.
life expectancy
The number of years of life, on average, remaining to an individual at a particular age if death rates do not change.
mortality rate
The number of deaths caused by a particular disease, illness or other environmental factor in a 12 month period, usually expressed per 1000 or 100, 000 people.
infant mortality rate (IMR)
The rate of deaths of infants between birth and their first birthday, usually expressed per 1000 live births.
under 5 mortality rate (U5MR)
The number of deaths of children under five years of age per 1000 live births.
low birth weight
A baby born under 2.5kg.
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
An umbrella term that describes a range of conditions that can occur in children exposed to alcohol before birth.
neural tube defects
Conditions characterised by damage to the brain and spine, and to the nerve tissue of the spinal cord during prenatal development e.g. spina bifida.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
The unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old. SIDS is sometimes known as crib death because the infants often pass away in their cribs.
cardiovascular disease (CVD)
All diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Caused mainly by reduced blood supply to the heart, brain and legs (usually caused by atherosclerosis).
atherosclerosis
The build up of plaque on blood vessel walls, making it harder for blood to get through.
coronary heart disease (ischemic heart disease)
When blood vessels feeding the heart oxygen are damaged or blocked. A heart attack occurs if one of the vessels becomes completely blocked (sometimes called ischemic heart disease).
cerebrovascular disease (stroke)
When blood vessels feeding the brain with oxygen become damaged or blocked.
There are two types of stoke:
Ischemic = blockage
Haemorrhage = damage
hypertension/high blood pressure
When blood is being pumped through the arteries at a harder and faster rate that is considered normal/healthy.
cancer
A range of diseases categorised by uncontrolled and abnormal cell growth. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body causing further damage.
lung cancer
Uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells in the lungs. These cells can eventually prevent healthy cells from transferring oxygen to the blood cells.
colorectal cancer
Uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells in the colon (large intestine/bowel) and rectum. Begin as non-cancerous polyps in the lining of the colon and develop into cancer if not removed.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Progressive, long term lung diseases where damage to the lungs obstructs oxygen intake making breathing difficult. Two most common forms are emphysema and bronchitis.
asthma
A chronic condition that affects the small air passages of the lungs. When exposed to certain triggers the airways narrow, making it difficult to breathe.
dementia
A collection of symptoms that are caused by disorders affecting the brain, it is not one specific disease but the leading cause is Alzheimers disease.
Alzheimers disease
A progressive and irreversible loss of brain function; as brain function deteriorates, it interferes with normal behavior patterns, thinking, memory, language, speech, attention, personality and ability to perform everyday tasks e.g. socialising, working. As brain cells continue to die, it will eventually lead to complete dependency on other people and ultimately death.
infectious/communicable diseases
Caused by infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses or parasites and can be passed from one person or animal to another.
maternal mortality rate (MMR)
The number of mothers who die as a result of pregnancy, childbirth or associated treatment per 100, 000 women who give birth (or per 100, 000 live births).
morbidity rate
Refers to ill-health in an individual and the levels of ill-health in a population or group.
musculoskeletal conditions
Ill health related to the muscles, joints and bones.
arthritis
A term used to describe a disorder of one or more joint.
osteoarthritis
The degradation of joints and cartilage, causing stiffness and tenderness, inflammation, pain and locking. Mainly due to wear of the cartilage over years.
osteoporosis
Porous bones, bone density thins and weakens, resulting in an increased risk of fracture (breakage).
overweight
When a person has a BMI of 25 or higher.
obesity
When a person has a BMI of 30 or over.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
A statistical measure of body mass using height and weight, formula = weight(kg)/height (m)2
diabetes mellitus
A metabolic disease which leads to high blood glucose levels from defective insulin secretion, insulin action or both.
incidence
The number (or rate) of new cases of a disease/condition in a population during a given period.
prevalence
The total number or proportion of cases of a particular disease or condition present in a population at a given time.
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
A virus that attacks the bodys immune system and therefore interferes with the bodys ability to fight infections. The virus can be transmitted through contact with infected blood, semen or vaginal fluids. There is no cure for HIV/AIDs and it eventually progresses to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).
self-assessed health status
An individuals own opinion about how they feel about their health, their state of mind and their life in general. It is commonly sourced from population surveys.
health and wellbeing
The state of a persons physical, social, emotional, mental and spiritual existence, characterized by an equilibrium in which the individual feels happy, healthy, capable and engaged.
physical health and wellbeing
Relates to the functioning of the body and its systems; it includes the physical capacity to perform daily activities or tasks.
social health and wellbeing
Relates to the ability to form meaningful and satisfying relationships with others and the ability to manage or adapt appropriately to different social situations.
mental health and wellbeing
The current state of wellbeing relating to a persons mind or brain and the ability to think and process information; it is associated with low levels of stress and anxiety, positive self-esteem, as well as a sense of confidence and optimism.
emotional health and wellbeing
Relates to the ability to express emotions and feelings in a positive (appropriate) way. It is about the positive management and expression of emotional actions and reactions as well as the ability to display resilience.
spiritual health and wellbeing
Relates to ideas, beliefs, values and ethics that arise in the minds and conscience of human beings. It includes the concepts of hope, peace, a guiding sense of meaning or value (purpose), and reflection on your place in the world (sense of beloning and/or connection).
dynamic
A constant state of change/continually changing, either rapidly or gradually over time.
subjective
Influenced by or based on personal beliefs, feelings or opinions; means different things to different people. Perceptions can be based on age, gender, past expereince, religion, culture.
disease
A physical or mental disturbance involving symptoms, dysfunction or tissue damage.
illness
A subjective concept related to personal experience of a disease or injury.
burden of disease
A measure of the impact of diseases and injuries. Specifically, it measures the gap between current health status and an ideal situation where everyone lives to an old age free of disease and disability. Burden of disease is measured in a unit called DALY.
DALY (disability adjusted life year)
A measure of burden of disease. One DALY is equal to one year of healthy life lost due to premature death and/or illness. DALYs are calculated as the sum of the years of life lost due to premature death (YLL), and the years lived with disability for people living with the health condition or it’s consequences (YLD).
HALE (health adjusted life expectancy)
The average length of time an individual at a specific age can expect to live in full health; that is, time lived without the health consequences of disease or injury.
YLL (Years of Life Lost)
A measure of how many years of expected life are lost due to premature death.
YLD (Years Lost due to Disability)
A measure of how many healthy years of life are lost due to disease, injury or disability.
