PUBLIC HEALTH Flashcards
What types of death are referred to the coroner for an autopsy?
natural -cause not known -not seen doctor in last 14 days iatrogenic -peri/post operative -anaesthetic -abortion -complications of therapy unnatural -unlawful -suicide -accidents -custody death -neglect
what is the role of the autopsy
- who was the deceased
- how did they come about their death
- where did they die
- when did they die
what are the stages of an autopsy
- history
- external exam
- identify
- injuries
- disease - eviseration
- internal exam
- reconstruction
define patient compliance
the extent to which the patients behaviour coincides with medical or health advice
why is adherence different from compliance
it acknowledges the importance of patient beliefs, it is more a patient centred model as apposed to the doctor knows best
give examples of non adherence
- not taking prescribed medication
- taking bigger/smaller doses
- taking more/less often
- not finishing the course
- modifying treatment to accommodate other activities
- continuing with behaviours against medical advice
describe unintentional and intentional reasons for non adherence
unintentional practical barriers -difficulty understanding instructions -problems using treatment -inability to pay -forgetting
intentional motivational barriers -patients belief's about their health -beliefs about treatment -personal preference
what is meant by necessity belief concerns
patients have perceptions of personal need for treatment and concerns about a range of potential adverse consequences
adherence = increasing necessity belief and decreasing concerns
what is patient centred care
a philosophy of care that encourages
- focus in the consultation on the patient as a whole patient who has individual preferences situated in a social context
- shared control of the consultation, decisions about interventions or management of health problems with the patient
what are the positive impacts of good doctor patient communication
- better health outcomes
- higher compliance to therapeutic regimens
- higher patient and clinician satisfaction
- decrease in malpractice risk
what is meant by concordance
the consultation is a negotiation between equals and has respect for the patients agenda
what are the barriers to concordance
- time/resources
- communication skills
- challenging
- sometimes patients just want doctor to tell them what to do
- may worry patient more
- do patients want to engage in discussion with their doctor
what are the duties of a doctor
- treat patients as individuals and respect their dignity
- protect and promote the health of patients and the public
- provide good standard of practice and care
- recognise and work within the limits of your competence
- work with colleagues in ways that best serve patients interests
what ethical considerations must be taken into account when discussing care with a patient
- mental capacity
- decision detrimental to patient wellbeing
- potential threat to health of others
- children
what is the cost to the NHS per year from health care associated infections ?
1 billion pounds
what did the health act 2006 state about HCAI’s
infection control is every health care workers responsibility, not just the infection controls team, the possibility of health care related infections should be considered in all aspects of patient management, prosecution possible under health and safety law.
what is the difference between colonisation and infection
Infections cause harm to the host
what are the two routes of transmutation of infection from patient to patient and how can this risk be reduced?
- environment - design, cleaning, isolation
2. staff - barrier precautions, isolation, handwashing, PPE (personal protective equipment)
what are CPE’s?
carbapenemase producing enterobacteriaceae
- coliforms
- colonisation of large bowel and moist sites
- produce carbapenems which are beta lactic antibiotics
- carbapenemases hydrolyse carbapenems and other beta lactase effectively conferring resistance to the entire class
what is an endogenous infection? and how can they be prevented
an infection of a patient by their own flora
- good nutrition and hydration
- antisepsis
- control underlying diseases
- remove lines and catheters as soon as clinically possible
- reduce antibiotic pressure as much as clinically possible
what are the main agents found in the work place that cause OLD
Vapour, gases, dusts, fume
give an example of an OLD that is present within minutes
Asthma, infection e.g silicotuberculosis, direct injury
define occupational asthma
90% -asthma induced by sensitisation (allergy) to an agent inhaled at work
10% - asthma induced by massive accidental irritant exposure at work (direct airway injury)
what % of adult onset asthma is occupational
9-15%
1500 - 3000
what are the 3 main causes of occupational asthma
isocyanades - hardeners
flour
cleaning products
what is extrinsic allergic alveolitis/ hypersensitivity pneumonitis most commonly caused by
microorganisms, animals, vegetation, chemicals
what can asbestos cause to the respiratory system
pleural plaques, diffuse pleural thickening and asbestosis (pulmonary fibrosis)
what is a mesothelioma
- lung encased by tumour
- rapidly progressive and usually incurable pleural cancer
how can we prevent OLD
- elimination e.g asbestos
- substitution e.g latex to nitrile
- engineering controls
- worker education
- RPE (masks and respirators)
- reduce exposure
- detect early
define incidence
the rate at which new diseases occur in a population during a specified time period
define prevalence
proportion of a population that have the disease at a point in time
what is the formula for prevalence
incidence x duration of disease
define mortality
the incidence of death from a disease
put in order from least useful to most useful and describe: cohort study intervention study ecological study case control cross sectional study
-ecological study : uses population level data and studies relationships not cause
-cross sectional study:
looks at prevalence at a moment in time, relationship not cause
- case control : looks at people with a disease and those without (retrospective)
- cohort study: follows a group of people over a period of time (incidence study)
- intervention study : compares those with and without intervention
what is the estimate for number of COPD cases in UK and how many are diagnosed?
- 3.7mil
- 900000
give an example of a genetic risk factor for COPD
alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency
what is the incidence of lung cancer in the UK
40000 new cases per year
what % of all deaths in the UK is from lung cancer
7%
define palliative care
palliative care improves the quality of life of patients and families who face life threatening illness, by proving pain and symptom relief, spiritual and psychosocial supper from diagnosis to the end of life and bereavement
who is generalist palliative care provided by
- GP’s, hospital doctors and nurses
- district nurses, community matrons
- nursing home staff, social workers
- COPD nurses
give four defining features of palliative care
- holistic
- individualised
- patient and family are clients
- multidisciplinary approach
what fraction of over 75’s have a self reported chronic illness
2/3
why are the care needs of older people different to that of most young people
- multiple comorbidities
- greater risk of impairment from treatment complications
- increased psychological distress
- increased social isolation and economic hardship
how is COPD classified by severity
- mild - FEV1 50-70% of predicted
- moderate - FEV1 30%-50% of predicted
- severe - FEV1 <30%
In what % of COPD cases is smoking the predominant cause
80%
what are some key issues involved with COPD
- unpredictable illness trajectory
- difficulties with prognostication
- poor patient understanding
- limited access to specialist palliative care
what % of deaths are non cancer deaths and what % of patients receiving inpatient palliative care have cancer?
- 75%
- 90%
what is meant by epidemiological transition
from communicable diseases being the main cause of mortality to non communicable diseases
define psychosocial risk factors
factors influencing psychosocial responses to the social environment and pathophysiological changes
what is a coronary prone behaviour pattern and why are these people more likely to get CHD? how can this be prevented?
Type A behaviour people, 70% of people in a study had this behaviour, they are more likely to be stressed and less relaxed which leads to CHD.
cognitive behaviour therapy - reconstruct how they think , behavioural therapy -reduce work demand- relax , emotional therapy - learning to relax in times of anxiety or anger.
reduce verbal and physical aggression
how can depression be measured
- MMPI
- beck depression inventory
- general health questionnaire
- Spielberger’s
- patient health questionnaire PHQ-9
- generalised anxiety disorder assessment - GAD-7
how can psychosocial work characteristics attribute to CHD
- High demand/low control
- lack of social support
-long working hours
increases stress levels
what are the psychosocial risk factors of CHD
- coronary prone behaviour pattern
- depression and anxiety
- psychosocial work characteristics
- social support
how can lack of social support cause CHD
Less able to cope with life events , less motivation to engage in healthy behaviours
who does occupational health involve?
- individual workers
- groups of people
- surrounding population
- clients/customers
which occupational diseases are discussed in the 1974 health and safety work act (don’t need all)
asbestosis, silicosis, coal miners pneumonocosis, occupational dermatitis, deafness, tenosynovitis, mesothelioma
which occupational diseases are most prevalent today
- occupational stress
- work related msk disorders
- occupational lung disease
- cancer
- noise induced hearing loss
- hand arm vibration
what is the difference between hazard and risk
hazard = potentially harmful risk = probability of harm
what are the five types of work hazard
- mechanical
- physical
- biological
- psychosocial
- chemical
what 10 key components make a good job that is healthy to the employee
- individual control
- opportunities
- precariousness
- work demands
- fair employment
- work life balance
- prevents social isolation, discrimination or violence
- reintegrates sick and disabled
- shares info
what may raise suspicion that a disease has an occupational aetiology
an illness that fails to respond to standard treatment, doesn’t fit typical demographic profile or is of unknown cause
why is long term wordlessness a risk to health
- mental illness
- 3x risk poor health
- loss of fitness and wellbeing
- social exclusion
- trapped on benefits till retirement
why are there inequalities in occupational health
- some jobs promote illness more than others
- both physical and other risks
define disability
a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial long term adverse effect on a persons ability to carry out normal activities
what reasonable adjustments should employers make to a disabled person’s job?
- alter their working hours
- allowing absence for medical treatment
- giving additional training
- getting special equipment or modifying existing equipment
- changing instructions or reference manuals
- changing an open plan working policy to accommodate someone with an anxiety condition or autism
- providing additional supervision or support
- making adjustments to premises.
what are the three levels of prevention of a disease
primary - monitor risks, control hazards, promotion
secondary - screening, early detection
tertiary - rehabilitation and support
list the Bradford Hills criteria for causal association
- strength of association
- biological plausibility
- dose-response relationship
- consistency of findings
- lack of temporal ambiguity
- coherence of evidence
- specificity of association
what problems can be associated with flu and health care staff
- unwilling to work /anxiety
- child care
- risk to family
- antivirals
- redeployment of staff
- sharing of staff
what are the three key ethical analysis frameworks used in medicine
- Seedhouse ethical grid
- BMA flowchart
- four quadrants framework
what are the four centre aspects of Seedhouse’s ethical grid
- respect persons equally
- respect autonomy
- serve needs first
- create autonomy
describe the four quadrants approach to ethics
- medical indications (beneficence and nonmaleficence) - clinical encounters include a review of diagnosis and treatment options
- quality of life (beneficence and nonmaleficence) the objective of all clinical encounters is to improve or address quality of life patient
- patient preferences (respect for autonomy) - clinical encounters occur because the patient presents with a complaint therefore the patient values are integral to the encounter
- contextual features (loyalty and fairness) - clinical encounters occur in a wider context beyond physician and patient, to include family, law, hospital policy, insurance companies etc.
what is the meaning of connectivity and interdependence in ethics
behaviour of one individual may affect others or wider systems
what is coevolution
adaption or changes by one organism alters other organisms (doctor and patient coevolve)
define mental health
a state of wellbeing in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her community
what is the inverse care law
the availability of good medical care tends to vary inversely with the need for it in the population served
define health inequality
differences in health status or in the distribution of the health determinants between different population groups
in medicine, what is meant by a vulnerable patient
one that has an inability to cope with a hostile environment
what is meant by social exclusion
inability of an individual or community to participate effectively in economic, social, political and cultural life
why are there ethnic differences in health
- genetic factors
- individual behaviour
- material/structural
- migration and racism
- inequalities in access to health care
- artefact
what is the most common genetic disease in the UK
Sudden cardiac death (SCD)
what are the two forms of deontology
kantianism
virtue ethics
describe the principles of kantianism (deontology)
how may someone with a deontological belief approach truth telling?
- features of the act themselves determine worthiness
- following natural laws and rights
- duty ethics
- they may tell the whole truth in a way that is not particularly helpful
describe the principles of consequentialism/utilitarianism
- an act is evaluated sole in terms of its consequences
- maximising good and minimising harm
describe the principles of virtue ethics
- focus is on the kind of person who is acting
- are they acting with good intentions
- integration of reason and emotion
- however any list of virtues may be different in different cultures and it does not provide clear judgement of what to do in a moral dilemma
what are the five focal virtues
compassion discernment truth worthiness integrity conscientiousness
what are the four principles of medical ethics + define
- autonomy - the obligation to respect the decision of our patients
- benevolence - providing benefits, balancing the benefits against risk
- non maleficence - do no harm
- justice - fairness in the distribution of benefits and risks
what is whistle blowing and why should we do it
- raising concerns about a person, practice or organisation
- GMC duty of a doctor to make care of your patients first concern
what is team work
work done by several associates with each doing a part but all subordinating personal prominence to the efficiency of the whole
what are the problems that may arise when working as a team
- lack of teamwork - lack of working together to achieve a common goal
- lack of leadership -nobody in charge or nobody following designated leader
- lack of effort
- lack of communication
- lack of challenge - groupthink
what are the 6 components of teamwork
- communication - clear purpose, agreed priorities, clear roles and responsibilities, decision making, conflict resolution, structured communication, clear record of events (SBARR situation, background, assessment, request/recommendation)
- leadership - authority, credibility, drivers
- authority gradient
- situational awareness
- declaring an emergency
- training together -simulation
list belbin’s team roles
- plant (creative)
- resource investigator
- coordinator
- shaper
- monitor evaluator
- teamworker
- implementer
- completor
- specialist
what is the epidemiological transition that has happened within the last 100 years
transition from communicable diseases being most prevalent to non communicable diseases
what is the population attributable risk (PAF)
the proportion of the incidence of a disease in the exposed and non-exposed population that is due to the exposure
- the incidence that would be eliminated if the exposure were also eliminated
what percentage of the difference in male mortality between high and low socioeconomic groups is due to smoking
59%
what factors attribute to an obesogenic environment
- biology
- individual psychology
- individual activity
- activity environment
- food consumption
- food production
- societal influences
define number needed to treat
the number of patients that need to be treated over a given time period in order to have an impact on one person
define psychosocial risk factors
factors influencing psychological responses to the social environment and pathophysiological changes
what are the four main psychosocial risk factors for IHD
- coronary prone behaviour pattern
- depression and anxiety
- psychosocial work characteristics
- social support
describe “ coronary prone behaviour pattern ‘
- type A behaviour
- aggression, anger, hostility
- due to stress related illness more likely to get CHD
name four ways depression can be measured
- MMPI
- Beck depression inventory
- general health questionnaire
- spielbergers
what characteristics of a job may cause risk of MI
High demand/ low control
why can lack of social support increase risk of heart disease
- quantity and quality of social relationships
- help cope with life events
- motivation to engage in healthy behaviours
what is positive predictive value
the probability that subjects with a positive screening truly have the disease
what is negative predictive value
the probability that subjects with a negative screening test don’t have the disease
describe sensitivity and specificity
sensitivity - the ability of a test to correctly identify those with the disease
specificity - the ability of the test to correctly identify those without the disease
what must consent be?
- voluntary
- informed
- made by someone with capacity
what do you need to tell people about their treatment
- what
- how
- risks
- benefits
- alternatives and their risks/benefits
- answer questions
what does the mental capacity act say about capacity
- a person must be presumed to have capacity unless it is established that he lacks capacity
- an act done or a decision made under this act or on behalf of a person who lacks capacity must be done with his best interests
when is someone unable to make a decision about their treatment/lacks capacity
- cannot understand relevant information
- cannot retain the information
- cannot use the information or weigh it to make a decision
- cannot communicate the decision
if someone is incompetent of making a decision how do you treat them
- check whether there is someone who can make a decision on their behalf
- or a healthcare professional can act in connection with the patients care and treatment if it is in the patients best interests
what must be considered when thinking about what is the patients best interests
- whether the patient could have capacity and when that might occur
- the patients past and present wishes and feelings
- patients beliefs and values that would be likely to influence any decision
- other factors he might consider to decide
- consultation about 2-4 with anyone named as needing to be consulted, carers, people interested in his welfare, donees of a lasting power of attorney
what is Gillick/fraser competence
- capacity rules for children under 16
- does the child understand the consequences of the decision, including the social and emotional implications
- if yes then they can consent to treatment
- if no then parents consent in their best interests
what is meant by a patient that is “approaching the end of life”
- likely to die within the next twelve months
- advanced, progressive, incurable conditions
- general frailty and comorbidities
- existing conditions if they are at risk of dying from a sudden acute crisis
- life threatening acute conditions caused by sudden catastrophic events
what is advance care planning
discussion with patents and their families about their wishes and thoughts for the future, allowing them to live and die in the place of their choosing
what matters most to patients in end of life care
- symptom management
- choice and control
- dignity
- quality of life
- preparation - for patient and family, ensure meds available, explore preferred place of care
- carers support
- coordination and continuity