Health Flashcards
What is the HLE (healthy life expectancy)
Number of yeas a newborn child can be expected to live in full health, without major disease
What is the definition of health?
Physical, mental and social well being with the absence of disease
What is morbidity
Illness
What is mortality
Death
What is prevelance
The total number of cases in a population over a given time
What is incidence
Number of new cases in a population over a particular time period
What are the 6 reasons for high morbidity of infectious diseases in poor countries
Malnutrition reduces effectiveness of the immune system. Poor sanitation and overcrowding increase spread. Poor healthcare access. Little health education. Disease vectors more common due to climate (eg Mosquitos in Africa)
What are the 2 reasons for high morbidity of non communicable disease in wealthier countries
More older people due to higher life expectancy so more likely to get degenerative diseases. Unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking and obesity
What is the mortality rate
How many people in a given population die over a period of time
What are two reasons that the risk of dying from diseases greater in poorer countries
Malnutrition so weakened immune system. Limited access to healthcare.
Why is disease a global issue
Because diseases can easily spread to other countries, eg if people travel
What do WHO do
Work with governments to eradicate and prevent disease, eg vaccinations in poor countries against polio
Why is it often difficult to improve healthcare in poorer countries
Lack of funding, remote populations, health spending is low. High prevelance of disease so funding spend on treatment rather than prevention or education
What is the impact of foreign aid to improve the health of poorer countries
It helps to improve the healthcare system but longer term solutions are needed to allow the country to be self reliant
How can the issue of health in remote populations in poorer countries be combated
Training locals in basic healthcare and employing them to provide health services to their local communities
What are the advantages and one disadvantage of training locals in basic healthcare
Relatively inexpensive. Creates jobs for locals. Increases self reliance. Can’t replace fully trained medical professionals.
Background to the case study for health approaches in a poor country
Ethiopia in eastern Africa. Life expectancy is 52, infant mortality rate is 8%. Poor nutrition, sanitation and access to healthcare
How does foreign aid help in ethiopia
Improves health and sanitation. Some money spent on prevention eg vaccines and contraceptives
Wat is the approach to training locals in Ethiopia
Health extension programme funded by foreign aid
How is money used in Ethiopia to prevent diseases
Eg since 2005 millions of insecticide treated bed nets have been given out, and in the first year of this malaria cases fell by 20%
What is a key barrier to improving health in wealthier countries
People ignoring advice on lifestyle changes that would reduce their chance of developing diseases.
What are 4 measures for reducing disease in wealthier countries
Vaccinations eg mmr. Health awareness campaigns. Support to improve health eg stop smoking. Early diagnosis eg cancer screenings
What’s the background to the case study for approaches to health in a wealthier country
England, UK. 3000 women a year diagnosed with cervical cancer and 99% caused by HPV virus
What are the solutions to the case study of health in the UK
HPV vaccine now offered to all females aged 12-13. Cervical screening offered to all women over 25. Death rates from cervical cancer decreased 70% since this began.
What is the cost of disease in terms of health
Increased poor health, potential permanent disability or death
What is the cost of disease in terms of economic development
Slower development due to increasing death rates so less taxes. Decrease in productivity due to time off work. Increasing health care costs.
What is the cost of disease in terms of lifestyle
Increased poverty as people can’t work, impaired education due to teachers or students being too I’ll to attend school.
Tell me some stuff about malaria
Infectious disease caused by parasites and transmitted by mosquitoes. Can be treated with drugs but life threatening if left untreated.
What’s the distribution of morbidity of malaria and reasons why
86% cases in Africa. In 2006 there were 250 million global cases. Climate limited education and poor healthcare
Whats the distribution of mortality from malaria and what are the reasons for this
91% malaria deaths occur in sub Saharan Africa. Poor nutrition so reduced immune system. Poor healthcare. Drugs too expensive or not available.
What is the morbidity like from HIV and aids and why
66% of the global population with HIV or aids are in Africa, as are 90% of the children. Limited diagnosis, social boundaries to contraception
What is the distribution of mortality from HIV and aids and what are the reasons for this
70% global malaria deaths occur in Africa. High incidence of morbidity of HIV and other diseases which can be fatal with the reduced immune system. Antiretroviral drugs aren’t available or affordable. Poor Hygiene increases risk of infectious diseases
What is the distribution of morbidity from chd and why
Most common in wealthy countries such as the uk and USA due to ageing populations and lifestyle factors.
Why are cases of chd increasing in poorer countries
Increasing wealth, life expectancy and people are adopting a more westernised lifestyle
What’s mortality like from chd
Caused 14% of global deaths in 1997
Why are death rates from chd falling
Awareness campaigns, diagnosis of those at risk, developing effective treatments
Tell me some things about cancer
It’s bad (knew you’d say this!) risk reduced by lifestyle changes. Most common is prostate, breast and colon. Caused 13% global deaths in 2007. Death rates falling due to better diagnosis, treatment and awareness of lifestyle factors.
Why is cancer being more common in LEDCs
Increased life expectancy and adoption of a more westernised lifestyle
How does the way tncs treat employees effect health
Safety standards, fair wages so can afford healthcare, do they provide healthcare? Namdeb diamond corporation provide HIV positive employees with drug treatment and runs awareness campaigns
How does marketing affect health tncs
Restrictions such as for tobacco and fast food. Concerns that marketing fast food to children could lead to long term unhealthy eating and onesity
How do prices affect health tncs
Eg tobacco and medicine. Many African countries rely on overseas governments to subsidise drugs as they can’t afford them
How does research affect health tncs
Kraft foods developing a new food that kills intestinal worms. Marketed at rural africa and rural Asia
How does research and production of pharmaceutical companies affect health
More money in wealthier countries so may develop drugs for diseases here as more profit. Some companies use profits to subsidise drugs for poorer countries
How does the pharmaceutical companies distribution and sales affect health
Drugs are expensive to research and develop so need to profit from sales. Companies have exclusive rights so can set prices
How does Glaxosmithkline handle research and production
4 billion packs of medicine each year. 1/4 of worlds vaccines. Drugs for chd and polio so for both rich and poor
How does Glaxosmithkline handle distribution and sales
Donated 750 million tablets to treat people with elephantiasis. Invests 5% of profits to community health programmes to help those in need.
Facts about smoking
1/3 global population over 15 smokes and 80% smokers live in poorer countries
What do WHO do about tobacco companies and what are they concerned about
They restrict advertising, packaging and age limits. Concerned that tobacco companies target countries without these restrictions and exploit their lack of knowledge
How does Philip Morris international handle research and production
In 2005 sold 800 billion cigarettes. Does research less harmful cigarettes.
How does pmi handle distribution and sales
Sticks to regulation in countries that have them. Has a responsible marketing policy and has health warnings on packaging
What’s the basic pattern for health in the uk
There’s a north south divide, worse in the north
What are the 6 things that affect health in the uk
Income. Age structure. Occupation. Education. Environment. Gender.
How does income affect health in the uk
Better access in richer areas due to inverse care law. More educated about health issues
How does age structure affect health in the uk
Older people more likely to get age related diseases and there’s more older people in rural areas because they like birdwatching or something. More older people means less taxes so less money to spend on healthcare services.
How does occupation affect health in the uk
Manual labourers are 3x more likely to suffer from poor health. However, more mental health issues for those in non manual jobs.
How does education affect health in the uk
Better educated more likely to choose healthier lifestyle. In north people generally have less qualifications.
How does environment affect health in the uk
Cities are more polluted so contributes to poor health due to air quality
How does gender contribute to health in the uk
Women live longer but are twice as likely to suffer from chronic illnesses
What are 4 healthcare provisions in the uk due to ageing
Specialised wards. Increased screening for age related illnesses. Residential care homes. Mobile health services
Where is your case study for health in the uk and say a fact
South west England. 20% over 60 and increasing.
What’s the provision of healthcare like in south west England and what does the government do
Prostate cancer rates 14% above uk average. More careers needed so 10% work in health sector. 14% care homes in England in south west. Government aims to reduce number of people on low income here so gives people over 60 a heating allowance
