quiz 3 content Flashcards
key topics in environmental health
infectious diseases and the environment, categories of infectious diseases, chronic disease and the environment, chemical exposures, environmental justice
aim of environmental health services
to protect and enhance environmental quality for all people, so that overall health is preserved or improved
this is no small task, particularly given the significance of the environment in negative health outcomes
purpose of environmental protection agency
consolidate federal research, monitoring, standards-setting, and enforcement activities to achieve a cleaner, healthier environment in the US
types of infectious diseases
zoonotic, water related, and water-borne
direct transmission
occurs when there is physical contact between an infected person and a susceptible person
- pathogens may be exchanged through touching, kissing, biting, or sexual contact
indirect transmission
occurs when there is no direct contact with the infected person, but the pathogen is nonetheless transmitted
- when a person comes in contact with the infectious agent through food, water, or an inanimate object such as toys, soiled clothes, or even a computer keyboard
vector borne transmission
living organisms that are capable of transmitting infectious diseases
- pathogens may be spread by biting, feces, or on the surface of the vector
airborne transmission
particles (dust or small respiratory droplets) containing microorganisms can remain suspended in air for long periods of time
- these organisms must be capable of surviving for long periods of time outside the body and must be resistant to drying
zoonotic diseases
caused by infectious agents that can be transmitted betwen vertebrate animals to humans
increasing due to international travel and increase in human activity into new areas
water related diseases
caused by infectious agents and chemicals in the water that people drink
water-borne diseases
more specific subgroup of water related diseases; not only is water required for the transmission of disease, but it is in fact the source of exposure to the susceptible host
key points from rachel carson’s silent spring
- by poisoning nature, people were ultimately poisoning each other and subverting what she considered a fundamental right to a healthy environment
- pesticides were over abused, weren’t used properly, it wasn’t under control
- forced people to think about the environment in a new way
types of disease
chronic and infectious
types of infectious agents
bacteria, viruses, parasites
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
treatment: antiretroviral treatment therapy
influenza
an infectious disease caused by a virus that mutates frequently, causing new strains to spread around the world regularly; vaccines are effective but must be changed each year
reservoir
a place where a pathogen lives and multiplies before invading a noninfected person; some pathogens infect only humans; some have animal reservoirs and infect humans only occasionally. contaminated water or food may serve as a reservoir for waterborne or foodborne diseases
pathogen
a microorganism that causes illness
vector
an animal or insect that transmits a pathogen to a human host
incubation period
time between infection of an individual by a pathogen and the manifestation of the disease it causes
chain of infection
pattern by which an infectious disease is transmitted from person to person
cycle of pathogen, reservoir, place of exit, method of transmission, port of entry, susceptible host
how to interrupt chain of infection
link 1: pathogen could be killed by for example using an antibiotic
link 2: eliminate the reservoir that harbors the pathogen
link 3: quarantining infected individuals
link 4: resistance of hosts can be increased by immunization
significance of outbreak investigation
identifies the source of the outbreak and implements measures that can prevent further spread of the outbreak
herd immunity
protection of individuals who lack immunity to a disease that is provided when a significant majority of the population has been immunized against that disease, either by vaccination or by acquisition of immunity by infection
environmental justice
looks at the inequitable distribution of risks associated with an environmental toxicant; environmental injustices thus occur when marginalized populations are over-represented in environmental contaminant exposures, leading to health disparities
bioterrorism
terrorism involving the release of toxic biological agents
antibiotic resistance
ability of bacteria and other microorganisms to resist the effects of an antibiotic to which they were once sensitive
nosocomial surveillance (surveillance of healthcare-associated infections)
obtains national data on nosocomial infections; used to estimate the magnitude of the nosocomial infection problem in the US and to monitor trends in infections and risk factors
infectious disease triangle
agent (what causes the disease), host (who harbors the disease), environment (external factors that cause or allow disease transmission)
purpose of onehealth
goal to achieve optimal health outcomes, recognizing the interconnections between people, animals, and the environment
characteristics of one health approach
approach tackles shared health threats by looking at all angles- human, animal, plant, and environmental
- equity between sectors and disciplines
- sociopolitical and multicultural parity
- socioecological equilibrium that seeks a harmonious balance between human-animal-environment interaction
- stewardship and the responsibility of humans to change behavior and adopt sustainable solutions
- transdisciplinary and multisectoral collaboration
examples of onehealth issues
zoonotic diseases
antibiotic resistance
food safety and security
vector-borne diseases
environmental health
chronic diseases
mental health
occupational health
world health organization (WHO)
responsible for providing leadership of global health matters, shaping health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends
the league of nations
gather information on epidemic outbreaks; pioneered in the collection, standardization, and dissemination of vital and health health statistics
alma-ata declaration
first time representatives from all countries in the world meet for the promotion of health care for all
addressed healthcare problems of the poorest countries
focused on primary healthcare
millennium development goals (MDGs)
generated new and innovative partnerships, galvanized public opinion, and showed the immense value of setting ambitious goals
helped to life more than one billion people out of extreme poverty, to make inroads against hunger, to enable more girls than ever before to attend school, and to protect our planet
inequalities persist and progress was uneven which led to the SDGs
sustainable development goals (SDGs)
had working groups and sought international input
has 17 goals
include improving all countries, including the high-income countries
pillars of human development, human rights, and equity are deeply rooted in SDGs and several targets seven explicitly refer to people with disabilities, six to people in vulnerable situations, and two to non-discrimination
include comprehensive vision for partnership and multilateral projects
sustainable development goals (17 of them)
no poverty
zero hunger
good health and well-being
quality education
gender equality
clean water and sanitation
affordable and clean energy
decent work and economic growth
industry, innovation, and infrastructure
reduced inequalities
sustainable cities and communities
responsible consumption and production
climate action
life below water
life on land
peace justice and strong institutions, partnerships for the goals
health communication
study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual and community decisions that enhance health
interpersonal or mass communication activities which are focused on improving health of individuals and populations
considers a variety of channels to deliver targeted or tailored messages to different audiences
why is health communication important?
patient and provider communication
public health interventions
health behavior changes
commonly used health communication channels
podcasts, news outlets, social media, infographics
key principles of effective health communication
few in number, short and concise, memorable, focused on a specific topic, consistent
health misinformation
linked to 6 domains
- vaccines
- diets and eating disorders
- drugs and new tobacco products
- pandemics and communicable diseases
- noncommunicable diseases
- medical treatments and interventions
addressing misinformation
equip individuals with the tools to identify misinformation
expand research that deepens our understanding of health misinformation
implement product design and policy changes on tech platforms
invest in longer-term efforts to build resilience against health misinformation
convene federal, state, local, territorial, tribal, private, non profit, and research partners
media advocacy
getting news media attention; increasing the odds that coverage supports/reflects community efforts to create a healthier environment
different forms of mass media
news, advertisements, entertainment, social media
ways the media affects health
positive intended: encourage people to behave in healthier ways and prepare people for natural disasters
negative intended: advertising smoking products
unintended positive: the news/ads/entertainment make it possible for people to talk since things are more normalized
unintended negative: alcohol ads & entertainment, substance use in music, DTC drug advertising, media violence, body image effects, sexual content effects, news coverage of health issues, social media & contagion, social media & mental health
media contagion
suicide
mass shootings
