Public Health EV Flashcards
What is the definition of public health?
The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through organised efforts of society
What are the three domains of PH?
1) Health improvement
2) Health protection
3) Improving services
Define health improvement
Social interventions (not health services) aimed at preventing disease, promoting health and reducing inequalities
Define health protection
Protecting from infectious disease and environment hazards
Define improving services
Organisation and delivery of safe and high quality services (prevention, treatment and care)
Define epigenetics
The phenotype is dependant on the genotype and environment - interaction
Define allostasis
Stability through change
Define allostatic load
Long-term overtaxation of our physiological systems -> impaired health
This is the pathophysiology of stress
e.g. the heart works to maintain physical exertions, but over-use leads to hypertension and MI
Define salutogenesis
Experiences which promote health
Define emotional intelligence
The ability to identify and manage one’s emotions (as well as others)
Define primary prevention and name the two types
PP: Before a disease has occurred - risk reduction!
1) Population approach, e.g. legislation
2) High risk/individual approach, e.g. screening for high risk groups
Define secondary prevention
Catching the disease in its early stage
-> Impact reduction!
Define tertiary prevention
Minimising complications of the disease and long-term management
Define screening
A process which differentiates those who probably do have the a disease (or precursor/susceptibility) from those who probably don’t –> not diagnostic!
Screening criteria?
1) The condition screened for must be IMPORTANT and WELL UNDERSTOOD
2) The screening process should be ACCEPTABLE
3) The diagnostic and treatment facilities should be ACCESSIBLE TO ALL
4) The overall cost should be outweighed by the saving of catching the condition in the early stage
Define sensitivity
The proportion of people WITH the disease who are correctly IDENTIFIED by the screen
Define specificity
The proportion of people WITHOUT the disease who are correctly EXCLUDED by the screen
Define positive predictive value
The proportion of people with a POSTIVE test who DO have the disease
Define negative predictive value
The proportion of people with a NEGATIVE test who DO NOT have the disease
Define lead time bias
When screening identifies an outcome earlier than would have been otherwise and this results in apparently long survival times, which are not true.
Define domestic abuse
Incident of abuse (one off or regular)
Within household, family or partnership
Past or current partners
> 16 years old
Name the different types of domestic abuse
Physical Sexual Psychological Financial Emotional Controlling Coercive Threatening Violent
What are the impacts of domestic abuse on health?
Assault: physical harm, e.g. fracture, miscarriage, bruising
Stress: allostatic load (chronic health problems and medically unexplained symptoms)
Psychological: PTSD, suicide, depression
List the injury red flags (Domestic abuse)
1) Areas that can be hid well (chest, abdo)
2) ‘Unwitnessed’
3) Repeat attendances or delay in seeking help
4) Night/weekend - when abusing partner is not at work
When might you break confidentiality?
If someone is at risk of harm
Alert police if high risk of serious harm or murder
MUST break confidentiality if concerns of child safeguarding
Effects of domestic abuse on children?
Affects physical and psychological wellbeing
Long-term: self-esteem, education, relationships, stress responses
Link between DA and sexual abuses
What support might be offered for domestic abuse?
Counselling
What are the risk levels of domestic abuse?
Standard: Serious harm unlikely or not indicated
Medium: Indicators of risk of serious harm. Potential to happen but not under current circumstances.
High: Indicators of imminent risk of serious harm or murder
What is the doctors role in dealing with domestic abuse?
1) Posters in practice
2) Enquire when suspicious (ensure patient is alone)
3) Focus on safety of children and parents
4) Do not be judgemental
5) Ask direct questions
6) Be clear that DA behaviour is not acceptable and should not be tolerated
7) Give information (Helpline)
8) Escalate to appropriate processes and agencies -> Helpline or DA services or if HIGH risk: MARAC or IDVA
What is MARAC?
Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference:
- MDT meeting in all local councils: police, social, IDVA
- .Meet to discuss patients/cases
What is IDVA?
Independent Domestic Violence Advocate:
- Attend MARAC on victims behalf and present all factors which matter to victim and are required
- Focus on housing, legal services, etc.
What is DHR?
Domestic homicide review
- Review all deaths which may be due to domestic violence
- Present points to learn from
List the determinants of health
1) Genetics
2) Environmental: physical, social or economic
3) Lifestyle
4) Access to healthcare
Define equity
What is the difference between horizontal and vertical equity?
Equity:
- Treating individuals fairly based on their DIFFERENT NEEDS and requirement
- Resources should be distributed based on need, not in equal measures
- Fair and just, judgement-based, not measurable
Horizontal: Equal treatment for equal need (pneumonia vs pneumonia)
Vertical: unequal treatment for unequal need (cold vs pneumonia)
Define equality
- Treating each and every individual the same, irrespective of needs and requirements
- Equal shares, measurable
How might we examine health equity?
- Supply, access and utilsation of health care
- Health outcomes
- Resource allocation (health, education, housing)
- Wider determinants of health
Define health psychology
The role of psychological factors which affect cause, progression and consequences of disease
List and describe the five health behaviours
1) Health behaviour - aimed at preventing disease - healthy eating
2) Illness behaviour - seeking remedy - going to the doctor
3) Sick role behaviour - getting well - rest, exercise, taking medication
4) Health impairing/damaging - smoking, risky sexual activities
5) Health promoting - e.g. exercise
What is a risk of burnout in students or doctor?
Depersonalisation –> student or doctor may not see patients as individuals with unique experiences
Define systematic review
Pools conclusions together from many different studies
Define meta-analysis
Pools statistical findings together from many different studies
Define cohort study
Follow a group of people (free from disease at start) over a defined period of time, measuring a defined outcome, e.g. affect of sleep on cardiovascular health over 15 years
- Can be useful for ascertaining whether exposures cause outcomes (e.g. smoking causes lung cancer)
- Non-experimental
Define regression analysis
Enables statistical analysis of multiple contirbuting factors on a single outcome
Give examples of a population-level intervention
5-a-day
Stoptober
Give examples of a local-level intervention
Alcohol cost
Local campaigns
Give examples of an individual-level intervention
Vaccinations
Cervical screening
What is self-serving bias
Justifying engaging in health damaging bejaviours, despite castrating others/patients for doing so
What is unrealistic optimism
An inaccurate perception of risk, e.g. high risk when they believe they are low risk
What affects perceptions of risk?
Perceptions of risk are affected by:
- Lack of personal experience
- Belief that preventable by personal action (“I’ll stop in a years time”)
- Belief that if not happened now, it never will
- Belief that the problem is infrequent
List other reasons for health-damaging behaviour
- Situational reality (feels like a good idea at the time)
- Cultural variability
- Socioeconomic factors
- Stress
- Age
NICE guidance of behaviour change
- Work with patients priorities
- Aim for easy changes over time
- Set and record goals
- Plan explicit coping strategies
- Review progress regularly (this really matters)
- Remember public health impact of lots of you making small differences to individuals `
Why is behavioural change so important?
- Changing behaviour can have the biggest impact on mortality and morbidity
- Simple solution to reducing disease
- Genetic predisposition -> difficult to change
- Socio-economic circumstances -> difficult to change
- Interventions –> expensive
- People’s behaviour (collectively) may be easier to change
Why is a health needs assessment important?
Because, as doctors, we will be in a position to decide what services are provided and implemented, not just treating individuals
Define ‘need’ and the different types
Need = ability to benefit from an intervention
- Anyone can define a need
- FELT need: individual perceptions
- EXPRESSED need: individuals seek help
- NORMATIVE need: professional defines the intervention appropriate for the need
- COMPARATIVE need: comparison between severity, range of interventions and cost
Define demand
What people ask for
Define supply
What is provided
Define health needs assessment (HNA)
A systematic method for reviewing the health issues facing a population, leading to agreed priorities and resource allocation that will improve health and reduce inequalities
Who can a HNA be carried out for
- Population (or sub-group)
- A condition
- An intervention
Define the epidemiological approach to HNA
Uses data and evidence available to quantitate the need of a population
Pros of epidemiological approach to HNA
- Uses existing data
- Can evaluate trends over time
Cons of epidemiological approach to HNA
- Data may not be available
- Does not consider the FELT need
Define the comparative approach to HNA
Compares X between sub groups
X could be:
- Health status or outcome
- Service provision or utilisation
Pros of comparative approach to HNA
- Quick and cheap and no need for data
- Gives a measure of relative performance
Cons of comparative approach to HNA
- Difficult to find directly comparable populations
Define the corporate approach to HNA
Opinions of all stakeholders in that populations
Pros of the corporate approach to HNA
- Recognises the detailed and experienced knowledge of those in the population
Cons of the corporate approach to HNA
- Difficult to distinguish need from demand, especially with dominant personalities
- Vested interests and external (political) agendas
What are the three core principles of the NHS
1) Meets the needs of all
2) Free at the point of delivery
3) Based on clinical need, not the ability to care
Definition of health inequalities
Preventable, unfair and unjust differences in health status between individuals/groups/populations
What is the inverse care law?
Julian Tudor Hart 1971
- Availability of good medical/social care tends to vary inversely with the needs of the population served
- Those who access health care the least tend to be those who need it the most
Who are vunerable groups with relation to the inverse care law?
- Homeless
- Travellers
- Refugees/Asylum Seekers
- LGBT
- Ex-prisoners
- Disabilities
- Health problems
- Frail
What is Maslow’s hierachy of need?
- Those in the bottom will probably not be concerned with their long term health
- Those in the top will most likely take good care of their medical condition
- Location in the hierarchy will determine a person’s medical/social requirements
Define a gypsy/traveller and the types
- Traditional travelling community, normally Roma background
- Romani, Irish
What are the barriers that gypsies/travellers face?
- Language and communication
- Mistrust of outsiders
- Constantly moving –> no address:
- big problem for antenatal and baby care/checks
- childhood immunizations cannot be arranged
- continuity of care for chronic disease is difficult - Discrimination
- Illiteracy
Services in Sheffield for gypsies/travellers?
- Traveller’s Team - liase between all facilities
- Only one Roma translator - NOT ENOUGH!
Define homelessness
Having no home
List some causes of homelessness
- Relationship breakdown
- Mental illness
- Domestic abuse
- Drug / alcohol abus
- Bereavements/disputes - no family to ask for help
What are the msot common causes of death amongst the homeless?
- Accidents and suicide
- Assault
- Alcohol and drugs
- CHD
- Pneumonia
47 yrs = average age of death
What barriers to healthcare do the homesless face?
- Access: opening times, location, finding out about appointments, no address
- Integration with other agencies: housing, social, crime
- Maslow’s hierarchy: do not prioritise their long term survival when they need to focus more on immediate survival
- Do not know where to find help
What is HASS?
Homeless Assessment and Support Services
- 3 core MDTs