non communicable diseases

• Communicable Diseases:

  Interactions that SPREAD between organisms, often caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi.

  • Examples include MEASLES, SALMONELLA and MALARIA. 
• Non-Communicable Diseases

  • These diseases do NOT spread from person to person and typically progress slowly.
  • e.g CANCER, DIABETES and CORONARY HEART DISEASE.
• Interaction Between Disease Types:

  
  

  Diseases can INTERACT, where one may aggravate symptoms or lead to the development of another. e.g:

  • If someone had a DEFECTED IMMUNE SYSTEM, that person is more likely to suffer from infectious disease.
  • Some VIRUSES living in cells can be the trigger for CANCERS.
  • Immume reactions initially caused by a PATHOGEN can trigger ALLERGIES such as SKIN RASHES and ASTHMA.
  • Mental health can also be affected by physical health issues, influencing a person’s overall well-being.
• Factors affecting health


  • Disease: main cause of ill health, can be non communicable or communicable
  • Diet: supply the body with the correct amounts of nutrients, lack of a balanced diet can lead to OBESITY, MALNUTRITION, and even MENTAL HEALTH struggles due to deficiencies in essential nutrients.
  • Stress: prolonged, high levels of stress can lead to health issues, e.g. cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, weakened immune system and mental health issues.
  • Life situation: access to medicines, vaccines, food, clean water, condoms, etc can prevent diseases and improve the quality of life.
• Lifestyle and Non-communicable Diseases

  • DIET: Poor diet can lead to diseases like TYPE 2 DIABETES and CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES.
  • ALCOHOL and SMOKING: A major risk factor for numerous diseases, including CANCER and HEART DISEASE. Quitting smoking can drastically reduce these risks.
  • EXERCISE: Regular physical activity can help prevent and manage diseases like HEART DISEASE, DIABETES, and OBESITY.

   
• FINANCIAL IMPACT:

  • The economic burden of non-communicable diseases is substantial. The NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE (NHS) spends a significant amount MONEY on RESEARCH and TREATMENT of these diseases.
  • Families often bear a personal financial strain due to these diseases. They may need to RELOCATE or MODIFY HOMES to support a family member with a chronic illness, leading to HIGH EXPENSES.
  • Loss of income can occur if the family member with the disease is UNABLE TO WORK, further stressing family FINANCES and potentially impacting the ECONOMY at large due to reduced workforce participation.
• Direct and Indirect Causes of Disease

  Smoking

  • SMOKING can directly cause diseases such as CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, LUNG DISEASE and various cancers such as LUNG and MOUTH CANCER.
  • Smoking when PREGNANT can lead to the low birth weight of babies.

  Obesity

  • OBESITY can make the body less responsive to insulin, leading to TYPE 2 DIABETES.

  Alcohol

  • ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION is linked to LIVER DISEASES and BRAIN DAMAGE.

  Carcinogens

  • Exposure to ionising radiation, can cause cancer. e.g uv rays can lead to skin cancer.
• CANCER, caused by UNCONTROLLED CELL GROWTH AND DIVISION.

  This can lead to the formation of TUMOURS, BENIGN or MALIGNANT.

  • BENIGN TUMORS are growth of abnormal cells which are contained in one area, usually within a membrane. They do not invade other parts of the body and are NOT CANCEROUS.

  MALIGNANT TUMORS, are CANCEROUS. They invade neighbouring tissues and spread to different parts of the body in the blood where they form SECONDARY TUMOURS.
• CANCER, caused by UNCONTROLLED CELL GROWTH AND DIVISION.

  This can lead to the formation of TUMOURS, BENIGN or MALIGNANT:

  • BENIGN TUMORS are growth of abnormal cells which are contained in one area, usually within a membrane. They do not invade other parts of the body and are NOT CANCEROUS.
  • MALIGNANT TUMORS, are CANCEROUS. They invade neighbouring tissues and spread to different parts of the body in the blood where they form SECONDARY TUMOURS.
• Lifestyle-Related Risk Factors for cancer:

  • Smoking: A leading cause of lung cancer and also linked to other types, including mouth and cervical cancer.
  • Obesity: Increases the risk of several cancers such as breast, liver, and kidney.
  • UV Exposure: Exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun increases the risk of skin cancer.
  • Viral Infections: Some viruses, like human papillomavirus (HPV), can increase the risk of cancers like cervical cancer.
• Genetic Risk Factors for cancer:

  • Inherited genes can make individuals more susceptible to cancer. For instance, mutations in the BRCA genes significantly increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers.