Other Flashcards
What does the health belief model and Theory of Planned Behaviour say the most important factor in addressing behaviour change is?
Health Belief: Perceived Barriers
Theory of Planned Behaviour: Intention
What are the key determinants of health?
- Genes
- Environment
- Lifestyle
- Health care
What are some developing food behaviours?
- Maternal Diet
- Breastfeeding
- Parenting Practices
- Age of introduction to solids and types of food given
What is a health need assessment for?
Systematic method for reviewing the health issues facing a population
Therefore to determine resource allocation
What aspects of public health are involved in Health Needs Assessments and resource allocation?
- Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs
- Types of health care need: Felt, Expressed, Normative, Comparative
- Health needs assessment (Resource allocation)
- Approach to Health Needs Assessments: Epidemiological, Comparative, Corporate
- Resource allocation Methods: Libertarian, Maximising, Egalitarian
What aspects of Public Health are involved with evaluation of health services and assessing the quality of health care?
- Evaluation: Assessment of whether a service achieves its objectives
- Donabedian Framework: Structure, Process, Outcome
- Maxwell’s Dimensions of Quality of Health Care: 3A’s and 3E’s
What is bias?
A systemic deviation from the true estimation of the association between exposure and outcome
What are some types of bias?
Selection bias: selection of participants
Information Bias: observers recall and reporting, instruments wrong
Allocation bias: Different participants in different groups
Publication Bias: Trials with negative results are les likely to be published
Lead time bias: Earlier screening does change survival outcome
Length time bias: diseases with slower progression more likely to be identified by screening
Explain what these features mean on the Bradford Hills Criteria:
- Strength
- Dose response
- Consistency
- Temporality
- Reversibility
- Biological Plausibility
- Coherence
- Analogy
- Specificity
- Strength - The strength of the association
- Dose-response – does a higher exposure produce higher incidence?
- Consistency – similar results in different studies and populations
- Temporality – does the exposure precede the outcome
- Reversibility – removing exposure reduced risk of disease
- Biological plausibility – does it make sense biologically
- Coherence – logical consistency with lab information e.g. incidence of lung cancer
with increased smoking is consistent with lab evidence that tobacco is carcinogenic - Analogy – similarity with other established cause-effect relationships in the past e.g.
thalidomide in pregnancy, not other teratogenic drugs show similar effects - Specificity – Relationship is specific to the outcome of interest e.g. introducing
helmets reduced head injuries specifically, it wasn’t that there has been an overall
lower injury rate
Should you ever inform parents about a childs actions?
No but encourage them to inform
What should you do if an Under 13 year old presents saying they have had sex?
Refer to social services
What are the Fraser Guidelines?
- Does she understand the advice?
- Has the doctor encouraged her telling the parents?
- Will she have sex anyway?
- Is the mental/physical health going to be effected if you don’t give it
- Best interests
What is Gillick’s Competency?
Does a child under 16 have capacity to make own medical decisions?
Clinical judgement made by the doctor; age, capacity, maturity
What are some different types of error and what do they mean?
- Sloth = inaccurate documenting/not checking results for accuracy
- Fixation/loss of perspective = focus on one diagnosis – confirmation bias
- Communication breakdown = unclear plan/not listening and explaining well - - - - - -
- Poor team working = some individuals out of depth and others underutilised
- Playing the odds = choosing the common and dismissing the rare
- Bravado/timidity = working beyond competence/not having confidence to object
- Ignorance = lack of knowledge (can be conscious or unconscious incompetence)
- Mistriage = over or under-estimating the severity of the situation
- Lack of skill = not having appropriate skills/training/practice
- System error = environmental/technological/equipment failure\
Define Public Health
The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and improving health through organised efforts of society
What should be considered in a health needs assessment?
Need: ability to benefit from an intervention
Demand: What people ask for
Supply: What is provided
What does the epidemiological perspective look at?
Size of population
Services available
Evidence base
What are the different approaches for disease prevention?
Primary Secondary and Tertiary Prevention
- Population approach: Prevention approach delivered to everyone to shift risk factor distribution curve
- High Risk Approach: Identify individuals above a cut off and treat them
- Prevention Paradox: Preventative measures which benefits the population has little impact to individual participants
How many UK Screening programs are there?
11 total:
3 in Pregnancy:
- Pregnancy infectious disease (HIV, Syphilis, Hep B)
- Thalassaemia and Sickle Cell
- Fetal Anomaly Screening (Downs, Edwards, Pataus)
3 In Newborns:
- NIPE
- Newborn Hearing screening program
- Heelprick blood spot
5 in Adults
- Cervical Cancer
- Breast Cancer
- Bowel Cancer
- AAA screening
- Diabetic Retinopathy
What are the 4 dimensions of Food insecurity?
- Availability of food
- Access - Economic and physical
- Utilisation: Opportunity to prepare food
- Stability of 3 dimensions over time
What is malnutrition in public health?
Deficiency’s, Excess or imbalances in a persons intake of energy and/or nutrients
Includes: Undernutrition, Overweight/obesity and Triple burden
Define Undernutrition and what it includes:
Define Overweight and obesity?
Undernutrition:
- Stunting: Low height for age
- Wasting: Low weight for height
- Underweight: Low weight for age
- Micronutrient Deficiencies: Lack of important vitamins and minerals
Overweight Excess diet
What is an Asylum Seeker?
Someone who is applying for refugee status
What is a refugee?
Someone who has been granted asylum status for 5 years
What healthcare can an asylum seeker access if their claim is refused?
Emergency NHS Services
Get charged for anything after that
What are common health problems for refugees?
- Injury and illness from war and travelling
- Communicable disease
- Lack of health screening and immunisations
- Malnutrition
- Untreated chronic disease
- Untreated Mental Illness
What are some barriers against Refugees/Asylum seekers?
- Reluctance of GPs to register them
- Illiteracy
- Communication barriers
- Lack of permanent site
- Mistrust of Professionals
What support do Asylum Seekers Receive?
- Vouchers to live off (may or may not be restricted)
- NASS support package
- Access to Emergency NHS services
- Not allowed to work initially and no control over location
What is a Never Event?
Serious largely preventable patient safety incidents that should not occur
What are some levels of Alcohol Dependency?
- Withdrawal Symptoms
- Cravings - strong desire to drink
- Drinking despite negative consequences
- Tolerance - drinking larger amounts to achieve the same effect
- Primacy - Neglecting basic physical needs such as food and water
- Loss of control
- Narrowing of repertoire - Start to drink only one type of drink in one place
What is the purpose of Disulfiram?
Promotes abstinence - Alcohol intake causes severe nausea and vomiting reaction due to inhibition of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase
What is the purpose of Acomprosate?
Reduces craving by acting as a weak NMDA antagonist - improves abstinence in placebo controlled trials
What components make up drug addiction?
Craving, tolerance, compulsive drug seeking behaviour and withdrawal
What can you offer a newly presenting drug user?
- Screening for blood borne viruses
- Health check
- Sexual health and contraception advice
- Check immunisation Hx
- Signpost to drug services
What is positive and negative conditioning in relation to drug use?
Positive Conditioning: Addiction increases desire to use drug
Negative Conditioning: People don’t quit due to unpleasant symptoms
What can an association between an exposure and outcome be due to?
- Chance
- Bias
- Confounding
- Reverse Causality
- True Causal Association
What are some types of information bias?
- Measurement
- Observer
- Recall
- Reporting
What is reverse causality?
When an association between an exposure and outcome are due to the outcome causing the exposure
What is Molluscum Contagiosum?
What is it caused by?
How does it appear?
Viral condition caused by the Molluscum Contagiosum Virus (MCV) a member of the poxviridae family
Causes pink pearly white papules with a Central umbilication
When should you refer if you suspect Molluscum Contagiosum?
- Patients with HIV and extensive disease
- Patients with eye lid molluscs refer to Ophthalmology
- Anogenital lesions
What is the Management of Molluscum Contagiosum?
Clinical Diagnosis
Non-pharmacological
- reassurance its a self limiting condition
- Precautions to prevent spread (not sharing towels)
- Not to scratch
Pharmacological is rarely required
- Imiquimod cream
- Podophyllotoxin
What is vulvovaginitis?
Who does it affect?
Inflammation and irritation of the vulva and vagina
Typically affects young girls (3-10 years)
What can exacerbate Vulvovaginitis?
Wet nappies
Use of chemicals or soaps in cleaning the area
Tight clothing that traps moisture or sweat in the area
Poor toilet hygiene
Constipation
Threadworms
Pressure on the area, for example horse riding
Heavily chlorinated pools
How does Vulvovaginitis present?
Typically presents before Puberty
Soreness
Itching
Erythema around the labia
Vaginal discharge
Dysuria (burning or stinging on urination)
Constipation
A urine dipstick may show leukocytes but no nitrites. This will often result in misdiagnosis as a urinary tract infection.
What is the management of Vulvovaginitis?
Patients have typically been treated for UTI/Thrush without improvement of Sx
General Advice:
Avoid washing with soap and chemicals
Avoid perfumed or antiseptic products
Good toilet hygiene, wipe from front to back
Keeping the area dry
Emollients, such as sudacrem can sooth the area
Loose cotton clothing
Treating constipation and worms where applicable
Avoiding activities that exacerbate the problem
What Helminth causes threadworms?
Enterobius vermicularis
How does threadworms present?
infestation is asymptomatic in around 90% of cases, possible features include:
- perianal itching, particularly at night
- girls may have vulval symptoms
How are threadworms diagnosed?
Apply Sellotape to the perianal area in the morning
This is sent to a lab for microscopy of eggs.
How is threadworms treated?
- combination of anthelmintic with hygiene measures for all members of the household
- mebendazole is used first-line for children > 6 months old. A single dose is given unless infestation persists
What are Head lice?
Pediculus humanus capitis are a parasitic infection of the scalp most commonly in school aged children.
What is the presentation of Head lice?
Infestation causes an itchy scalp. Often the nits (eggs) and even lice themselves are visible when examining the scalp.
What is the management of Head lice?
Treatment only indicated if a Live lice is identified
- Wet combing is first line
- Insecticides such as Dimeticone 4% and Malathion 0.5% can also be tried.
All Affected members of the household should be treated on the same day
What is Labyrinthitis?
Inflammation of the bony labyrinth of the inner ear, including the semicircular canals, vestibule (middle section) and cochlea.
The inflammation is usually attributed to a viral upper respiratory tract infection
How does Labyrinthitis present?
Labyrinthitis presents with acute onset vertigo, similarly to vestibular neuronitis.
Unlike vestibular neuronitis, labyrinthitis can also be associated with:
- Hearing loss
- Tinnitus
Patients may have symptoms associated with the causative virus, such as a cough, sore throat and blocked nose.
How is Labyrinthitis Diagnosed?
Clinical diagnosis
The head impulse test can be used to identify peripheral causes of vertigo
What is the management of Labyrinthitis?
Supportive care and short-term use (up to 3 days) of medication
- Prochlorperazine
- Antihistamines (e.g., cyclizine, cinnarizine and promethazine)
What is Vestibular Neuronitis?
What is the pathophysiology?
Vestibular neuronitis describes inflammation of the vestibular nerve. This is usually attributed to a viral infection.
Vestibular nerve is the portion of the CN VIII responsible for balance Therefore vestibular neuronitis does not involve the cochlear nerve (responsible for hearing) meaning that vestibular neuronitis does not cause hearing problems
What are the clinical features of Vestibular Neuronitis?
History of recent viral URTI
- Acute onset vertigo
- Horizontal Nystagmus
- Associated with nausea and vomiting
Vertigo attacks are more severe at the start lasting days but then start to resolve
They may be worsened by head movements
What test can be used to identify peripheral causes of vertigo such as labyrinthitis and vestibular neuronitis?
How is it performed?
What are the results of normal
What results suggest vestibular system issue (peripheral vertigo)
What are the results if there was a central cause of vertigo?
The Head Impulse Test
- Patient stares at examiners nose
- Examiner twists head in one direct rapidly whilst patient remains fixated on the nose
Normal would be if their eyes remained fixed on examiners nose
Peripheral cause of vertigo the eyes will saccade (Rapidly move back and forth) before fixing on the examiners nose again
Central cause of vertigo would have a normal head impulse test
What is the management of Vestibular Neuronitis?
Self limiting condition and will resolve in weeks
- Prochlorperazine/Antihistamines can be used in severe attacks
- Referral If Sx do not improve after 1 week or improve after 6 weeks
- Patients may require admission if Severe nausea and vomiting/dehydration
What is the prognosis of Vestibular Neuronitis?
What may occur following the condition?
Symptoms are more severe for the first few days
They gradually resolve over 2-6 weeks
Patients may develop BBPV following vestibular neuronitis
What test is done to distinguish between peripheral and central causes of vertigo?
HINTS examination
- Head Impulse Test
- Nystagmus
- Test of Skew (Cover test)
What is the DVLA guidance for vertigo symptoms?
Patients must not drive and inform the DVLA if they get: Sudden and unprovoked episodes of disabling dizziness
What is multimorbidity?
Presence of 2 or more long term health conditions
What are the risk factors for Multimorbidity?
- Increasing age
- Female sex
- Low socioeconomic status
- Tobacco and alcohol usage
- Lack of physical activity
- Poor nutrition and obesity
How should Frailty be assessed?
Through Gait speed, Self reported health status or the PRISMA-7 Questionnaire
What is Caput Succedaneum
Collection of fluid between the periosteum and the scalp.
This fluid can accumulate following instrumental deliveries and Crosses suture lines
Typically it resolves within a few days
What is Cephalohaematoma?
Collection of blood between the skull and periosteum due to damaged blood vessels during prolonged instrumental delivery.
Blood does not cross suture lines as it is located below the periosteum.
This blood can also haemolyse leading to increased bilirubin and prolonged jaundice
What is Apnoea of Prematurity?
Apnoea is defined as periods where breathing stops spontaneously for more than 20 seconds, or shorter periods with oxygen desaturation or bradycardia.
These are very common in premature neonates
What are apnoeas caused by in neonates?
Apnoea occur due to immaturity of the autonomic nervous system that controls respiration and heart rate. This system is more immature in premature neonates.
Other conditions
- Infection
- Anaemia
- Airway obstruction (may be positional)
- CNS pathology, such as seizures or haemorrhage
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux
- Neonatal abstinence syndrome
What is the management for apnoea of prematurity?
Apnoea monitors in neonatal units
- Tactile stimulation (vigorous rubbing stimulates breathing)
- IV Caffeine can be used to prevent apnoea and bradycardia in recurrent episodes
What is retinopathy of prematurity?
Typically affects babies born before 32 weeks gestation.
Abnormal development of the blood vessels in the retina can lead to scarring, retinal detachment and blindness.
What is the pathophysiology of retinopathy of prematurity?
- Retinal blood vessels begin developing at 16 weeks and complete by 37-40 weeks
- This process is Driven by hypoxia
- Premature babies often require supplemental oxygen
- When the retina is exposed to high oxygen concentrations the Stimulation for new blood vessel development is lost
- When the hypoxic environment re-occurs there is excessive neovascularisation which leads to scarring and retinal detachment
How is Retinopathy of prematurity screened for?
Babies born before 32 weeks or under 1.5kg are screened by an ophthalmologist at
- 30 – 31 weeks gestational age in babies born before 27 weeks
- 4 – 5 weeks of age in babies born after 27 weeks
Screening occurs every 2 weeks until the retinal develops normally
What is the treatment for retinopathy of prematurity?
First line is transpupillary laser photocoagulation to halt and reverse neovascularisation.
Other options are cryotherapy and injections of intravitreal VEGF inhibitors. Surgery may be required if retinal detachment occurs.
What is the most accurate way to measure the gestation of a fetus?
Crown rump length
what are the main causes of preterm birth?
Uterine Infection
- ascending from vagina
- Transplacental (haematogenous)
- Retrograde seeding from peritoneal cavity
- iatrogenic
Uterine Ischaemia
- same process as pre-eclampsia
Overstretching of the uterus
- Polyhydramnios
- Multiple Pregnancy
Weakness of the Cervix/incompetence
- Following LLETZ
what is a screening method that can be done to screen for preterm birth?
TVUSS looking at cervical length
<25 mm suggests increased risk of preterm birth if between 16-24 weeks gestation.
What can be done to prevent preterm birth?
Vaginal progesterone
Cervical Cerclage