Health and Society Flashcards
Incidence
The percentage of susceptible individuals who developed a given condition/disease over a defined time period
How can case definitions change measures of disease frequency
Depending on the criteria used to define a case, differing numbers of individuals within a population will qualify as having or not having a certain condition. Therefore, all statistical measures are influenced by case definition.
What is a count?
Literally counting the number of people with a condition/disease etc.
Specific rates
Calculated for SPECIFIC population groups
Age adjusted rates
Calculated as if the age distribution among different populations were equal, enabling a fair comparison of data without skewing things
Why are population approaches to prevention more effective than individual prevention methods in combination with population ones?
- They aren’t
- A combination of individual and population approaches to prevention are required for improving population health.
What is an epidemic?
Higher than expected number of cases of a certain disease within a population or region compared to what would be expected.
What is an outbreak?
Localised epidemic
How do you calculate an odds ratio?
Sick = S, Risk factor = R
OR = (SR/SX)/(XR/XX)
What is a primary preventative measure?
Whole-population promotion of healthy behaviours and environments
What is a secondary preventative measure?
Screening, case finding, early detection and intervention. [For people with known risk factors/asymptomatic]
Is notification and surveillance of disease important for prevention
Yes.
Describe tertiary a preventative measure
- For people with established disease/disease with complication
- Designed to prevent/delay complications/hospitalisations/death
Inequity vs inequality
Inequity: inequality of outcome
Inequality: equality of opportunity
List some social determinants of health
- Age
- Sex
- Individual lifestyle factors
- Social and community networks
- Living and working conditions
- Socioeconomic factors
- Politics and values
What is public health?
- Efforts organised by society to protect, promote and restore health
Demographic transition
Poor development: high birth/death rates
Good development: low birth/mortality rates
Epidemiological transition
Change from higher mortality rate in childhood due to disease and poor quality of life to more deaths occurring due to chronic disease.
What is health promotion?
Enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health
