Public Health Flashcards
Give 3 examples of work related MSK disorders.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome.
- HAVS.
- Tenosynovitis.
- Rotator cuff problems.
Why is c.difficile hard to destroy?
It is acquired in spore form and so is hard to eradicate.
What is the WHO definition of palliative care?
Palliative care improves the quality of life of patients and families who face life threatening illness. It provides pain and symptom relief and spiritual and psychological support from diagnosis to the end of life and bereavement.
Seedhouse’s ethical grid: describe the outer layer.
Is the intervention likely to be affected by external considerations e.g. risks, law, use of resources.
What is the difference between patient compliance and adherence?
Patient adherence is more patient centred, it empowers patients and considers them as equals in care. Patient compliance is often viewed as uncaring, condescending and passive.
Define specialist palliative care.
Palliative care provided by health professionals who specialise in palliative care and work within a multi-disciplinary specialist care team.
What are the two main options for treating a patient deemed incompetent?
- Can someone make decisions on their behalf e.g. lasting powers of attorney.
- A healthcare professional can make decisions if it in the patient’s best interests.
Name 2 hallucinogens and describe their effects.
- Ecstasy and ketamine.
- Alter sensory perception and thinking patterns, loss of sense of reality.
What 4 questions can be asked to assess mental capacity?
- Does the patient understand?
- Can the patient retain the information?
- Can they use the information to weigh up options and make a decision?
- Can they communicate their decision?
Describe the Health Belief Model (Becker 1974) of behavioural change.
The individual needs to believe that there are consequences and that they are susceptible to disease. They need to believe that taking action reduces the risks and that the benefits will outweigh any costs.
What kind of diseases can prevalence be found for?
Prevalence can only be found for stable conditions, it is unsuitable for acute disorders.
What is the main difference between infection and colonisation?
Infection results in harm to the individual whereas there is no harm in colonisation.
What is the Bradford Hill criteria?
A group of minimal conditions necessary to provide adequate evidence of a causal relationship.
What is concordance?
Concordance is the expectation that patients will take part in treatment decisions and have a say in the consultation; it is a negotiation between equals.
What types of study are most useful for epidemiology?
Ecological and cross-sectional.
What must you tell someone about their treatment in order for them to make an informed decision?
- What is the treatment.
- How you’re going to do it.
- Risks.
- Benefits.
- Alternative options and their risks/benefits.
Work out the mortality from lung cancer cases:
- UK population: 61.4 million.
- Lung cancer deaths in 2009: 34,509.
(34,509/61,400,000) X 100,000 = 56.6 per 100,000 per year.
Give 2 diseases that are examples of somatic symptom disorder.
IBS and fibromyalgia.
What are the key principles of adherence?
- Improve communication.
- Increase patient involvement.
- Understand the patient’s perspective.
- Provide and discuss information.
- Assess adherence.
- Review medicines.
Give 4 symptoms of burnout.
- Diminished personal contact.
- Work avoidance.
- Increased minor illness.
- Feelings of failure.
What are the 7 key domains for energy balance?
- Food production.
- Food consumption.
- Individual activity.
- Societal influences.
- Individual biology.
- Individual psychology.
- Activity environment.
Define appetite.
A desire to eat food.
Appetite is affected by olfactory, gustatory, cognitive and visual stimuli.
What did the Black Report 1980 confirm?
The Black Report confirmed that health inequalities were widening.
What is Gillick competence?
It can be used to determine whether children under 16 have competence to make decisions about their care. It asks whether the child understands the consequences of their decision.
Will c.diff be killed by alcohol hand gel?
No! C.diff is resistant to conventional cleaning and is only killed by soap and water.
What do the NICE guidelines say is the first line treatment for bulimia nervosa and binge eating?
CBT.
Give 4 consequences of falls in the elderly.
- Fracture.
- Head injury.
- Fear/anxiety.
- Loss of independence.
Define alcohol abuse.
A pattern of drinking which is likely to cause harm.
How does leptin switch off appetite?
Leptin inhibits NPY and AGRP.
Leptin activates POMC and CART.
Appetite is decreased.
Ethical analysis: define conscientious objections.
Moral claims that are based on an individual’s core ethical beliefs e.g. when a doctor refuses to provide certain treatments because they believe it would violate their personal beliefs. It is important to balance conscientious objections with professional obligations - respect patient autonomy.
What can affect mental health?
Mental health can depend upon life experiences and life context. Gender, race, religion, social class etc. can all influence mental health.
Describe the pharmacological management of spasticity.
Anti-spasticity drugs e.g. Baclofen and Tizanidine.
Give an example of an SSRI.
- Citalopram.
2. Sertraline.
Define psychological dependence.
The feeling that life is impossible without the drug, Feelings of fear, pain, shame and guilt if not on the drug.
Give 5 trigger factors for conflict and assault in the workplace.
- Waiting times.
- Well being/state of mind.
- Medication, side effects.
- Frustration.
- Drug/alcohol abuse/withdrawal.
What is primary prevention of STI’s? Give examples.
Primary prevention aims to reduce the risk of acquiring an STI in the first place.
- Awareness campaigns - reduce risk behaviour.
- Vaccination for hep B and HPV.
- One to one risk reduction discussions.
What investigation might you do to see if someone is infected with chlamydia?
Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT).
- Females: self vaginal swab.
- Males: first void urine.
Define satiation.
What brings an eating episode to an end.
What are controlled drugs?
Drugs which are ‘dangerous or otherwise harmful’ and have the potential for abuse or misuse.
Give 3 methods of screening for alcohol consumption.
- Clinical interview e.g. asking about drinking in a patient history.
- CAGE questions.
- AUDIT tool.
What are the 4 four broad categories that can influence an individual’s health?
- Biological factors e.g. gender, ethnicity.
- Personal lifestyle e.g. exercise, diet.
- The physical and social environment e.g. air pollution.
- Health services.
Define alcohol dependence.
A set of behavioural, cognitive and physiological responses that can develop after repeated substance use.
What can norovirus cause?
Gastroenteritis; diarrhoea and vomiting.
Give 5 different societal opinions to substance misuse.
- Addiction is a disease.
- Genetics influence addictive tendencies.
- Punishments should be greater for those who use drugs.
- Addiction is due to up bringing and a lack of moral values.
- Poverty, social exclusion and mental health should be targeted to help deal with addiction.
Focal virtues: define trustworthiness.
The ability to be relied on and trusted.
What are the challenges of virtue ethics?
Virtue ethics don’t focus on consequences. They are culture specific and too broad for practical application. It’s not always clear how to solve a moral dilemma using virtue ethics.
Ethics: what is deontology?
Features of the act determines worthiness. Deontology teaches that acts are right or wrong, people have a duty to act accordingly. Do unto others as you would be done by.
How can endogenous infections be prevented?
- Good nutrition and hydration.
- Antisepsis.
- Control the underlying disease.
- Remove lines and catheters.
- Reduce antibiotic pressure e.g. short courses.
Define incidence.
The rate at which new cases occur in a population during a specified time period.
Could any pregnant lady request an abortion?
No. You need a medical reason to request a termination e.g. physical or mental risk to the mother.
Give an advantage and a disadvantage of a cross-sectional study.
- Quick and cheap. Rapid insight into current events in a community.
- Prone to bias, no time reference, could be reporting medical oddities.
Describe the trans-theoretical model of behavioural change.
- Pre-contemplation (no intention of giving up smoking).
- Contemplation (consider quitting).
- Preparation (get ready to quit in near future).
- Action (engaged in giving up).
- Maintenance (steady non-smoker).
- Relapse?
What is the disengagement theory?
The process by which older people disengage themselves from roles they previously occupied in wider society.
Section 2 of the mental capacity act: what can cause an impairment or disturbance in the functioning of the mind or brain?
- Schizophrenia.
- Needle phobia.
What is the best way to prevent conflict?
Good communication and good body language.
What are the five focal virtues?
- Discernment.
- Conscientiousness.
- Trustworthiness.
- Integrity.
- Compassion.
(TICCD)
Give 3 ways of telling if an illness is due to work.
- Symptoms improve when away from work.
- Characteristic rash distribution e.g. contact dermatitis.
- Cluster of cases in a work place.
Give 5 benefits of work.
- Reduced mortality.
- Earning an income.
- Feelings of accomplishment.
- Life structure.
- Fitness.
Give 5 reasons why students are so vulnerable to mental health issues?
- Academic stress.
- Financial concerns.
- Alcohol, drugs.
- Peer pressure.
- Unrealistic expectations.
What are the 3 main features of the national drug strategy 2010?
- Reduce demand.
- Restrict supply.
- Build recovery in communities.
Describe the association between mortality and unemployment.
Mortality is greater in the unemployed.
What is the association between variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) and BSE?
vCJD and BSE are caused by the same prion strain suggesting transmission from BSE infected cattle to the human food chain.
What personality traits are susceptible to psychological illness?
- Perfectionism.
- High self criticism.
- Low flexibility.
- High discipline.
- High empathy.
How does Baclofen work as an anti-spasticity drug?
Baclofen is a GABA analogue. It reduces calcium influx and so suppresses release of excitatory neurotransmitters.
Give 5 risks of falls in the elderly.
- Weakness.
- Poor vision.
- Dizziness.
- Home hazards.
- Loss of coordination.
- Delirium.
- Loss of mobility aids.
Describe the criteria for diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder.
A - >1 somatic symptom that is distressing and disrupts daily life.
B - Excessive thoughts, feelings and behaviours related to these symptoms.
C - Chronicity - > 6 months.
What can cause chlamydia?
Chlamydia trachomatis.
Gram negative
Give 3 physical characteristics of the obesogenic environment.
- Increased car culture.
- Lifts/escalators.
- TV remote controls.
What satiety hormone is expressed in white fat cells?
Leptin.
What can staff do to prevent the transmission of infection?
- Barrier precautions; gloves and aprons.
- Isolation.
- Good hand hygiene!
Give 5 barriers to concordance.
- The patient may not want to engage in discussions with their doctor.
- It may lead to worry.
- Patients may just want the doctor to tell them what to do.
- Time, resources and organisational constraints.
- Challenging, patient choice may differ significantly from medical advice.
Describe a cross-sectional study.
Looks at the population at a point in time - prevalence study!
Define handicap.
An inability to fulfill one’s role e.g. parental, vocational or recreational.
Work out the incidence of new lung cancer cases:
- UK population: 61.4 million.
- New lung cancer cases per year: 39,000.
(39,000/61,400,000) X 100,000 = 63.5 per 100,000 per year.
What 4 things need to be considered when deciding what’s in the patients best interests?
- Will the patient have capacity in the future? If so when?
- Consider the patient’s past and present wishes/feelings.
- Consider the patient’s beliefs and values that would influence a decision.
- Consult with anyone who needs to be consulted e.g. lasting power of attorney, carers etc.
How can depression and anxiety be evaluated?
- GAD-7 - anxiety.
2. PHQ-9 - depression.
Young people with chronic ill health are more likely to engage in health risk behaviour. What is the potential consequence of this?
Health risk behaviour is associated with non-adherence to medical therapy and so these young people could become very poorly.
What can doctor’s do to help manage obesity?
- Educate patients - make every contact count.
- Signpost to weight management programmes.
- Prescribe exercise.
- Refer for surgery.
Give 3 things that consent must be.
- Voluntary.
- Informed.
- Made by someone with capacity.
Who can provide generalist palliative care.
- GP’s.
- Hospital doctors.
- Nurses and district nurses.
- Nursing home staff.
What is section 3 of the mental capacity act?
A person is unable to make a decision for themselves if they cannot:
- Understand the relevant information.
- Retain the information.
- Weigh up the information.
- Communicate their decision.
5 signs of stress: what changes occur in the biochemical stage?
Endorphin and cortisol levels are altered.
Describe a RCT.
An intervention is given and compared to a control group.
How does variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) differ from CJD?
Presents younger: mid-twenties compared to 60’s for CJD.
Focal virtues: define compassion.
Showing concern for others.
Give the 2 characteristic features of bulimia nervosa.
- Recurrent episodes of binge eating: eating large amounts of food in discrete periods of time and having a lack of control over eating.
- Inappropriate compensatory behaviour to prevent weight gain - purging.
Do epidemiological studies look for cause?
No! They look for relationship not cause.
Define at risk drinking.
A pattern of drinking which brings about the risk of harm.
What are the advantages of Seedhouse’s ethical grid?
It provides structure and function for analysing ethical problems. It is based on moral theory.
Give 3 disadvantages of patient compliance?
- It is passive, the patient MUST follow the doctor’s orders.
- It is professionally focused and assumes the doctor knows best.
- It ignores problems patients have in managing their health.
How can the environment be altered to aid infection control?
- Design: hospital beds spaced further apart.
- Ensuring a clean environment.
- Infectious individuals can be isolated.
Describe the management for breast cancer.
- Wide local excision – removal of tumour.
- Mastectomy +/- reconstruction.
- Radiotherapy.
- Chemotherapy.
- Hormone therapy – reduced oestrogen activity in oestrogen receptor positive disease e.g. tamoxifen.
What investigation might you do to see if someone is infected with syphilis?
Serology.
Describe the epidemiology of gonorrhoea.
- Peak age group: 25-30 y/o.
- Men > women.
What is secondary prevention of STI’s? Give examples.
Secondary prevention is case finding.
- Partner notification.
- Easy access to STI/HIV tests and treatment.
- Targeted screening e.g. national chlamydia screening programme.
Describe wider level interventions for managing obesity.
- Food supply: reduce energy dense ingredients and improve access to healthy foods.
- Media campaigns e.g. change4life, 5-a-day.
- Environment: improve cycle lanes etc.
- Sugar tax and subsidise healthy eating.
- Restrict the sale of certain foods and drinks in schools.
Describe the association between social class and smoking.
A greater percentage of people smoke in the lower socio-economic classes.
What kinds of questions are asked in the severity of alcohol dependence questionnaire?
- Asks about withdrawal symptoms.
- Relief drinking?
- Frequency of alcohol consumption.
- Speed of onset of withdrawal symptoms.
Give 5 characteristics of binge eating episodes.
- Eating much more rapidly than normal.
- Eating until feeling uncomfortably full.
- Eating large amounts of food when not feeling hungry.
- Eating alone because of feeling embarrassed.
- Feeling depressed or guilty afterwards.
Give 3 acute effects of excessive alcohol.
- Accidents and injury.
- Pancreatitis.
- Cardiac arrhythmias.
- Coma and death from respiratory depression.
- Gastritis.
Describe the management for those patients with gait problems.
- Identify the cause.
- Physiotherapy.
- Falls education.
- Walking aids.
- Drugs e.g. botulinum toxin.
Define secondary prevention.
Detecting a disease as soon as possible in order to alter its course and to improve health outcomes. SCREENING!
Give three psychosocial factors that could increase someone’s risk of MI.
- Depression/anxiety.
- High demand and low control at work, working more than 11 hours a day.
- Loneliness and social isolation.
Which brain structure is responsible for appetite regulation?
Hypothalamus.
- Lateral hypothalamus: hunger centre.
- Ventromedial: satiety centre.
Give 3 signs of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD)?
- Neuropsychiatric symptoms.
- Ataxia.
- Dementia.
Give 3 barriers to good communication.
- Language barriers.
- Deafness/blindness.
- Medical jargon.
Seedhouse’s ethical grid: describe the second layer.
Duties and motives. Is the intervention consistent with moral duties; keeping promises, telling the truth, minimising harm and maximising benefit?
What are virtue ethics?
Virtue ethics focus on the character of the person acting, are they integrating reason and emotion? An act is only virtuous if the person has the right mind set. Virtues are acquired.
5 signs of stress: what changes occur in the physiological stage?
Shallowing breathing, raised BP, more HCl produced.
Define patient adherence.
The extent to which the patient’s actions match agreed recommendations. It is more patient centred.
What is the main symptom of syphilis?
Primary chancre (non-tender ulcer) on the genital skin, nipples and mouth.
Any genital ulcer is syphilis until proved otherwise.
What is Gillick/Fraser competence?
If a child is under 16 they can be assessed as being Gillick/Fraser competent; this means they can make decisions about their care without parental involvement.
Write an equation that can be used to work out the number of units in a drink.
Strength of the drink (% abv) X amount of drink (ml) divided by 1000.
What is the role of CCK in satiety?
CCK delays gastric emptying and gall bladder contraction - appetite decreases.
Name 2 drugs that can prevent alcohol relapse.
- Acamprosate.
2. Disulfiram.
What type of study might also be known as a prevalence study?
Cross-sectional study; looks at the population at a point in time.
Name 3 vaccine preventable CNS infections.
- Tetanus.
- Measles.
- H.influenzae.
- TB.
Focal virtues: define discernent.
The ability to judge well.
Give an advantage and a disadvantage of a cohort study.
- Incidence can be determined, reduced chance of bias.
- Expensive, takes a long time and uses large populations. Difficulty with follow up.
5 signs of stress: what changes occur in the cognitive stage?
Negative thoughts, no concentration, worse memory, tension headaches.
What is neurological rehabilitation?
Restoration of the individual to the highest feasible functional level within the constraints of impairments and within the context of cultural milieu.
What inherited gene mutations can increase the risk of someone developing breast cancer?
BRCA1 and BRCA2.
p53 gene mutations too.
Define mental capacity.
The patient’s ability to make a decision about their care.
Give an economic characteristic of the obesogenic environment.
Healthy options tend to be more expensive.
What is epidemiological data used for?
Seeing trends in diseases and planning future preventative strategies.
What is the most common type of breast cancer?
Invasive ductal carcinoma.
Give 3 examples of controlled drugs that are used in general practice.
- Codeine.
- Tramadol.
- Diazepam.