Health Issues Flashcards

Question

Why is health bad in wealthier countries?

Answer 1

Ageing populations mean there is a higher proportion of older people due to a high life expectancy and a low birth rate, so more people suffer from age related illnesses. Lifestyles choices also affect health. Choosing to eat healthily, exercise, not smoke and reduce alcohol consumption can improve your health. The key barrier to improving health in richer countries is people ignoring advice of lifestyle changes that would reduce the chance of developing diseases.

Answer 2

A great deal of money is spent on preventative health care, such as providing vaccinations against diseases, health awareness campaigns to promote good lifestyle choices, providing support services to help people improve their health (e.g. quitting smoking) and early diagnosis such as screening.

Answer 3

Nearly 3000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year in England, which can cause death if left untreated. 99% of all cervical cancers are caused by a virus called HPV (human papillomavirus).

Answer 4

Some forms of cervical cancer are preventable by stopping infection with HPV. A HPV vaccine is now offered to all girls aged 12-13 in England. Cervical screening is offered to all women over 25 in England. Unusual cells can be detected early, allowing treatment to prevent cancer. Death rates from cervical cancer have decreased by nearly 70% since screening began.

Answer 5

Increases poor health in the population and in some cases permanent disability and death.

Answer 6

Slow economic development due to increasing death rates (so fewer taxes go to the government), decreasing productivity (due to days lost from work) and increasing health care costs.

Answer 7

Increased poverty (due to days lost form work and increasing health care costs), impaired learning (due to days lost from school) and a downward spiral as the poorest families are trapped in poverty.

Answer 8

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites.

Answer 9

By mosquitos.

Answer 10

It can be cured with anti-malarial drugs, and can be prevented by using bed nets and insecticides.

Answer 11

Most cases of malaria are found in tropical areas, e.g. sub-Saharan Africa. In 2006 there were neatly 250 million global cases of malaria, of which 86% occurred in the poorest countries in Africa. The reason for this is because the mosquitos that carry malaria can only survive in warm countries, limited health education so people are not informed about have to avoid malaria and poor health care so people that have malaria are less likely to be treated.

Answer 12

In 2006, 91% of global deaths from malaria were in sub-Saharan Africa. This is because there are a high number of cases, poor health care (anti-malarial drugs aren't affordable or available) and poor health and nutrition which reduces the body's ability to fight infections.

Answer 13

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that destroys the immune system. It eventually causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), which causes death.

Answer 14

Sexual contact, sharing needles, blood transfusions and contaminated medical equipment.

Answer 15

There's not cure for AIDS but you can slow down the development of HIV to AIDS by using antiviral drugs. HIV can be prevented by practising safe sex, screening blood donors and by using sterile medical equipment.

Answer 16

66% of the population (and 90% of children) living with HIV/AIDS are in sub-Saharan Africa. This is because in this society people are more reluctant to get tested for HIV/AIDS, gender inequality means that in some African countries men are socially dominant which makes women less likely to insist on condom use, limited health and sex education (people aren't aware of what HIV is and aren't informed of how they can avoid it) and the limited health care means that people with HIV/AIDS are less likely to be diagnosed, so they're more likely to pass on the disease.

Answer 17

Over 70% of global deaths from HIV/AIDS occur in sub-Saharan Africa. This is due to a high number of cases, poor health care (antiviral drugs that prolong life aren't affordable or available) and poor health nutrition and hygiene increase the risk of other infections that can be fatal because HIV destroys the immune system.

Answer 18

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a disease where the heart doesn't get enough blood. It can lead to a heart attack.

Answer 19

CHD has no cure but can be controlled with treatment such as aspirin or surgery. Early diagnosis and access to healthcare can increase life expectancy. The risk of CHD can be reduced by lifestyle changes such as eating healthily, exercising and not smoking.

Answer 20

CHD is non-communicable so it is more common in wealthier countries such as the UK and USA. Reasons for this are the ageing population (as your risk of developing CHD increases as you get older) and lifestyle factors (an unhealthy lifestyle and being overweight increases your risk of developing CHD). However, cases of CHD are increasing in poor and newly-industrialised countries as their wealth increases. Reasons include the increasing life expectancy, and social economic and cultural changes (people are adopting Western diets and lifestyles).

Answer 21

CHD is one of the world's biggest killers. It caused 14% of global deaths in 1997. Over 80% of deaths occur in poor and newly-industrialised countries. This is due to poor health care (treatments aren't affordable or available) and limited health education (people aren't aware of the effects of lifestyle changes). Death rates are falling in wealthier countries though, because of improvements in diagnosing people at risk of CHD, developing effective treatments and awareness campaigns to prevent the disease.

Answer 22

Cancer is the uncontrollable growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body.

Answer 23

If detected early enough, many cancers can be cured or controlled with treatment. Many cancers are detected early through awareness of symptoms and regular screening. The risk of getting cancer can be reduced with lifestyle changes, such as eating healthily, exercising and not smoking. Some forms of cervical cancer can be prevented by having a vaccination.

Answer 24

Cancer is non-communicable so it is more common in wealthier countries. The most common types of cancer are prostate, breast and colon cancer. This is because of an ageing population and lifestyle factors. Cancer is becoming increasingly common in poor and newly-industrialised countries - especially liver, stomach and cervical cancer. This is because of increasing life expectancy and social, economic and cultural changes (adoption of a Western lifestyle).

Answer 25

Cancer is the world's second biggest killer, causing 13% of deaths in 2007. 75% of those deaths were in poor and newly-industrialised countries. This is because of poor health care and limited health education. Death rates are falling in wealthier countries though, because of improvements in diagnosis, treatment and awareness.

Answer 26

Companies that operate in more than one country. Some TNCs are very large, with huge budgets and powerful political influence.

Answer 27

How they treat employees, how they market products, how they sell products and which products they choose to research and develop.

Answer 28

TNCs influence global health by the way they treat employees; through the wages they pay, the safety standards and the healthcare they provide. For example, Namdeb diamond corporation runs a HIV/AIDS awareness program in Namibia and provides its HIV-positive employees with drug treatment.

Answer 29

TNCs influence global health by the way they market their products; such as tobacco, fatty foods and breast milk substitutes. For example, there are concerns that aiming fast-food advertising at children may contribute to long-term unhealthy eating choices and obesity.

Answer 30

TNCs influence global health by the way they sell their products; such as tobacco, medical drugs and medical supplies and how much they charge for them. For example, many African countries have to rely on the generosity of overseas governments and pharmaceutical companies to subsidise drugs because they can't afford them.

Answer 31

TNCs influence global health by which products they choose to research and develop; such as healthy foods and medicines. For example, Kraft Foods are developing a new food that kills intestinal worms. It's aimed at rural Africa, Asia and South America, where intestinal worms are a big health problem.

Answer 32

Companies that research, develop, produce and distribute drugs to treat disease.

Answer 33

They influence global health because they can choose which drugs to develop and what prices to charge.

Answer 34

There's more money in wealthier countries so pharmaceutical countries often choose to research and produce drugs for diseases that mainly affect wealthier countries, leading to improved health in wealthier countries. Some pharmaceutical countries use the profits they make in wealthier countries to subsidise research into diseases that facet poorer countries, leading to improved health in poorer countries.

Answer 35

There's more money in wealthier countries so pharmaceutical companies often choose to research and produce drugs for diseases that mainly affect wealthier countries, leading to improved health in wealthier countries. Some pharmaceutical companies use the profits they make in wealthier countries to subsidise research into diseases that facet poorer countries, leading to improved health in poorer countries.

Answer 36

GSK is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies.

Answer 37

GSK produces almost 4 billion packs of medicines and health care products each year, including one-quaker of the world's vaccines. It produces products for wealthy countries and poorer countries.

Answer 38

GSK produces almost 4 billion packs of medicines and health care products each year, including one-quaker of the world's vaccines. It produces products for wealthy countries and poorer countries.

Answer 39

GSK makes a large profit from drug sales but also donates some drugs to poorer countries for free. For example, GSK's donated 750 million albendazole tablets to treat over 130 million people with elephantitis (an infectious inflammatory disease). GSK also invests a large amount of its profit in community programmes to help people in need - 3.8% of their pre-tax profits (£282 million) in 2007.

Answer 40

Almost 4 million people die each year from tobacco- related illnesses. Death rates are rising because most tobacco-related illnesses take years or decades to develop. Due to them taking a long time to develop, they're usually a health problem that affects wealthier countries (because people live long enough for the disease to develop). As poorer countries develop and life expectancy increases, tobacco-related illnesses are becoming more common

Answer 41

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The treaty protects public health by restricting tobacco advertising, regulating the contents of tobacco products, making sure they're packaged and labelled correctly and regulating who they're sold to. It is hoped that these measures will help to reduce the number of global smokers, reducing the number of tobacco-related illnesses worldwide.

Answer 42

Some countries haven't signed the WHO treaty, and so they're are concerns that some tobacco companies are targeting these countries. Companies are accused of aggressive marketing to target vulnerable populations (e.g. young people), and exploiting people's lack of knowledge about the health effects of tobacco. This could increase tobacco related illnesses in these countries.

Answer 43

PMI is the world'd largest tobacco company and owns the world's top selling brand.

Answer 44

PMI sells a lot of tobacco products. In 2005 it sold 805 billion cigarettes world wide. But PMI does research and develop some potentially less harmful tobacco products, e.g. cigarettes that might reduce the exposure of the smoker to toxic chemical compounds. These measures could help to reduce the number of tobacco-related illnesses worldwide.

Answer 45

PMI does stick to the 'Framework Convention on Tobacco Control' in the countries that have signed it. But it uses a different range of advertising and marketing strategies in countries that haven't signed up, e.g. PMI offers adult smokers free samples of cigarettes where it's legal to do so. PMI does have a 'responsible marketing policy'. It's agreed not to market products to children and to put health warnings on all marketing materials and all packaging.

Answer 46

There is a North-South divide - people living in the South of England are healthier than those living in the North and Scotland.

Answer 47

In general, wealthier people tend to be healthier because they have better access to exercise facilities and health care, and are more educated about health issues. The pattern of household income in the UK broadly matches the pattern of life expectancy - household income in the North is lower than the national average, and household income in the South is higher than the national average.

Answer 48

Older people are more likely to suffer from age-related diseases. All regions of the UK have an ageing population, due to low birth rates and increasing life expectancy - but some areas have a higher proportion of older people than others because more retired people choose to live there e.g. rural and coastal areas like Devon.

Answer 49

If you do a manual job then you're up to three times more likely to suffer from poor health than if you do a non-manual job, this is because manual jobs include a higher risk of accidents and exposure to hazardous substances. More people do manual jobs in the North of England which may contribute to the higher levels of poor health. People doing non-manual jobs are more likely to suffer from stress and mental health problems.

Answer 50

The better educated you are, the more likely you are to choose a healthier lifestyle, such as eating healthily, exercising regularly and not smoking. This could be because poor education means poor knowledge of how to stay healthy. In 2003, 18.8% of the working-age population in the North-East had no educational qualifications, compared to just 10.7% in the South-West. This could contribute to the difference in health between the two areas.

Answer 51

If you live in a polluted area, then you are more likely to suffer from poor health. For example, London has a high mortality rate from respiratory diseases, thought to be caused by the poor air quality in the city. In contrast, Devon and Cornwall are countryside areas with much less pollution, which may contribute to better health there.

Answer 52

Women tend to live longer than men but they're twice as likely to have higher morbidity from chronic illnesses, and are three times as likely to suffer from migraines. Women are also less likely to take part in sports than men - some leisure facilities have introduced 'ladies only sessions to encourage participation.

Answer 53

Specialised wards are needed to care for the growing population of elderly people who have ill health. Increased screening is required for age-related diseases. There needs to be more residential care homes and carers. More mobile health services may be required to cope with the increasing elderly population, especially those in rural areas without family support. More older people in a population means more people are retired and fewer people are working - this can result in a declining tax base to pay for health and social services.

Answer 54

In 2001, 21% of the South-West's population were pension age or over (60+ for women, 65+ for men).

Answer 55

There are higher rates of diseases associated with old age - in 2003 the rate of breast cancer was 7% above UK average and the rate of prostate cancer was 14% above UK average. More carers and health workers are needed - in 2001, 11% of the working population of the South-West worked in the social and health care sector. More care homes are required - 14% of care homes in England are located in the South-West.

Answer 56

Although it has the oldest population structure, it's still the healthiest region in the UK - which suggests that age isn't the most important factor in poor health. Inland Revenue figures show that older people have lower personal incomes than average, so it could be their low income, rather than age, that's mostly affecting their poor health. So the most effective way of improving health in the region could be to focus on reducing the number of people living on a low income. For example, the government provides people over 60 years old with a heating allowance - grants of up to £4000 to insulate homes and making heating improvements. This is especially important in the South-West because this area has the highest proportion of energy-inefficient homes in England. The heating allowance improves health in the South-West because it helps reduce illness and speeds recovery int he elderly population.

Health Issues Flashcards

(80 cards)