Lecture 3: Lifestyle and respiratory disease Flashcards
How many viruses cause the common cold?
> 200
What % of colds are caused by rhinovirus?
30-50%
How many colds do children get a year?
7-10
How many colds do adults get a year?
2-5
How many people who are exposed to a cold virus will develop a cold?
1 in 3
What could be the explanation for a link between being cold and getting a cold?
Acute cooling of the body surface causes reflex vasoconstriction in nose and upper airways which inhibits respiratory defence
Onset of common cold symptoms caused by conversion of asymptomatic subclinical infection into a symptomatic infection
How much is a megadose of vitamin C?
> 200mg
How much is the RDI of vitamin C?
40mg
What is the relationship between vitamin C prophylaxis and cold incidence?
No significant reduction in average people but significant reduction in those in extreme environments (marathon runners, skiers, arctic soldiers)
What is the relationship between vitamin C prophylaxis and cold duration?
Significant reduction in both adults and children
What is the relationship between vitamin C therapy and cold duration?
No significant effect
What is the relationship between echinacea prophylaxis and cold incidence?
No individual trials revealed significant effect
Pooled results released 10-20% reduction in risk
What is the relationship between echinacea prophylaxis and cold duration?
No significant effect
What is the relationship between stress and risk of getting a cold?
Chronic stress increases the risk of common cold
Developing a cold not predicted by acute stress (<1 mo) but is predicted by chronic stress (>1 mo)
What 4 factors are related to risk of developing a cold?
Smoking
Lack of exercise
Poor sleep efficacy
Drinking more alcohol
What is the link between sociability and developing colds?
Lower the sociability the higher the risk
What is the link between SES and developing colds?
Increased subjective SES associated with decreased risk of colds
Association was independent of objective SES
Poorer sleep and health behaviours among lower SES may mediate association between subjective SES and colds
What is the impact of hand washing on risk of colds?
Risk reduction ranged from 6% to 44%
Pooled results indicate hand washing can cut risk of respiratory infection by 16%
Psychosocial interventions to promote hand washing can reduce respiratory disease
What were the outcomes of the students in halls of residence study?
Alcohol gel dispensers installed in rooms, bathrooms, dining hall
Significant increase in hand-hygiene behaviour
Significant reduction in symptoms, illness rates, absenteeism
What % of 12-14 year olds in Britain are diagnosed with asthma, current users of inhalers, and have 4+ attacks of wheezing?
21% ever diagnosed with asthma
16% current users of inhalers
10% 4+ attacks of wheezing
How many people worldwide experience asthma?
300 million
What is the effect of anxiety disorders on asthma symptoms?
Symptoms are exacerbated by anxiety
Moderate-severe asthma symptoms rose from 14-24% following 9/11
Exposure to inter-personal conflict exacerbates asthma symptoms in children and adolescents
Is the likelihood of hospitalisation and duration fo stay better predicted by psychological factors or objective symptoms in asthma?
Psychological factors
What % of males and female deaths are caused by cancer of lung and throat?
7% male
5% female
What % of men and women smoke?
10% men
14% women
What are current smoking cessation methods?
Nicotine replacement
Buproprion (zyban)
Smoking cessation groups
Education (e.g. quit line)
Buddy systems
Hypnotherapy
Self-help / bibliotherapy
How effective are the NHS smoking cessation programs?
Effective for supporting smokers to quit in the short- and longer-term
Group interventions appear to be more effective than one-to-one interventions within NHS services
‘Buddy’ systems may increase effectiveness of one-to-one interventions
Intensity of intervention appears to be integral to efficacy
What is likely to be the most effective way to quit smoking?
Combining behaviour therapy and nicotine replacement
