Public Health

Question 1

Define stress

Answer 1

Occurs when the demands made upon an individual are greater than their ability to cope

Question 2

Give the 2 types of stress

Answer 2

DISTRESS – Negative Stress which is damaging and harmful
EUSTRESS – Positive stress which is beneficial and motivating, can create a ‘buzz’

Question 3

Give the jobs which have the highest rates of work-related stress

Answer 3

Health professionals, teaching/education & caring professionals

Question 4

Give examples of work-related stressors

Answer 4

Work pressure, lack of managerial support, work-related violence/bullying.

Question 5

What are the signs of stress?

Answer 5

Biochemical - endorphin altered & increased cortisol

Physiological - shallow breathing, increased BP & acid production in stomach

Behavioural - absenteeism, smoking & alcohol, eating altered, sleep disturbancesm

Cognitive - negative thoughts, lack of concentration, headaces

Emotional - tearfull, moodswings, irritable, aggressive, bored, apathetic

Question 6

How do we respond to stress?

Answer 6

Fight/flight - Increased: O2, BF, muscle tone, RBC from spleen, drier mouth, immune cells to injury

General adaptaion syndrome - Alarm, Adaptation/Resistance, Exhaustion (AAE)

Interaction model - Appraisal - dependant on individual

Question 7

What are the causes of obesity?

Answer 7

Americanisation of diet and society

Increased dominance of car culture

Longer working hours

Over-consumption of food

Increased grazing between meals

Replacment of water with sugary drinks

Question 8

Give the BMI range (including units) for people who are:

a) Underweight
b) Normal
c) Overweight
d) Obese

Answer 8

a) Underweight = <18.5 kg/m2
b) Normal = 18.5-24.9 kg/m2
c) Overweight = 25-30 kg/m2
d) Obese = >30 kg/m2

Question 9

What is sensitivity?

Answer 9

a True posative rate - how well a test picks up those with a disease.

TP / (TP + FN)

Question 10

What is specificity?

Answer 10

The true negative rate

How well a test correctly identifies those who don’t have the disease

TN / (TP + TN)

Question 11

Define primary care and give examples

Answer 11

‘Health care providers in the community for people making an initial approach to a medical practitioner/clinic’

eg - GP, nurse practitioner & pharmacist

Question 12

Define secondary care and give examples

Answer 12

‘Services provided by medical specialists who generally do not have the first contact with the patient’

eg - cardiologists/urologists/dermatologists

Question 13

Define tertiary care and provide examples

Answer 13

‘Specialized consultative health care for in patients/ referral from primary or secondary care. - Advanced investigations and treatments

eg - cancer treatment, cardiac surgery and plastic surgery

Question 14

Give the 10 principle of a screening program

Answer 14

1. Important health problem
2. Natural history understood
3. Recognised early stage
4. Treatment for early stage
5. Suitable test available
6. Test acceptable
7. Facilities
8. Screening at intervals
9. Chance of harm less than benifit
10. Cost balances benifit