Public Health And Health Problems

Question 1

What is public health?

Answer 1

Preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health

1. Health promotion
2. Health protection
3. Health services

Question 2

Give some indicators of health

Answer 2

• life expectancy (lower in Wales than here)
• socio economic status
• smoking 1 in 5 people smoke
• obesity 1 in 5 children in reception obese
• alcohol increases with increase household income
• STIs = levels increased after war, drop during HIV, increase when ART came out

Question 3

Factors that contribute to population health

Answer 3

Health behaviour e.g. smoking
Clinical care e.g. access to care
socioeconomic factors e.g. education, employment
Physical environment e.g. housing

Question 4

What does health improve to involve?

Answer 4

Definition of health 
Scope of prevention 
Limitations of health services
Role of individuals, groups, governments
Focus of health, NOT disease

Question 5

What does health promotion involve?

Answer 5

Clinical intervention
Transfer knowledge - healthy eating, exercise
Health public policy - legal
Developing communities

Question 6

What is the Tannahil model?

Answer 6

Allowing equal opportunities for health and wellbeing

Question 7

What are the levels of prevention?

Answer 7

Primordial = preventing factors that cause new lifestyle changes which increase risk of disease 
Primary = limit risk factor exposure PREVENT DISEASE (vaccination)
Secondary = stop disease once detected 
Tertiary = rehabilitation of people with disease to minimise effects

Question 8

What 2 methods are there for disease prevention?

Answer 8

High risk approach = tr=argent groups at high risk, control exposure, screen, protect
Population approach = disease affects population as a whole no matter who it affects

Question 9

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the high risk approach?

Answer 9

Effective, efficient, good for individuals

Cannot apply to all disease, screening is expensive, risk prediction may not be accurate

Question 10

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the population approach?

Answer 10

Considers whole population,

Doesn’t really help individual, not much motivation form clinician or patient

Question 11

What is the prevention paradox?

Answer 11

Preventing disease in many people with small risk versus preventing disease in some people with a great risk

Question 12

give some examples of health priorities

Answer 12

smoking, alcohol, obesity, sexual health, teenage pregnancy, mental health

Question 13

what are the social determinants of health?

Answer 13

launched by WHO in 2008 because of great differences in health around the world.

Question 14

what does the social determinants of health aim to do?

Answer 14

1. improve daily life conditions e.g. work, live
2. equal distribution of power, money
3. expand knowledge, raise awareness

Question 15

what are the 6 objectives of the Marmot study?

Answer 15

1. give every child the best start in life
2. enable everyone to maximise capabilities
3. fair employment
4. healthy and sustainable communities
5. ensure healthy standard of living
6. stringer ill health prevention