Health

• Epidemiology


  The study of the distribution and determination of health related states or events in a specified population, and the application of this study to control health problems
• Epidemiologists


  • Also known as the "disease detectives," study outbreaks of diseases and implement strategies to contain and prevent them
• What epidemiologists study

  • Distribution
  • Determinants
  • Health-related states or events
  • Specified population
  • Application

  
• One of the goals of epidemiology is to find risk factors, contributing agents, exposures, or causes of diseases
• While epidemiology has focused on infectious and communicable diseases in the past, this science has now extended to look at other diseases, including chronic illnesses, environmental health issues, occupational conditions, genetic diseases, mental conditions, injuries, and other health concerns
• Epidemiologists


  They are called "population doctors" because they focus on the total population and not individual patients
• The goal of epidemiology is to find useful information for the purpose of limiting undesirable health events and promoting positive health factors in a community
• Acute disease


  A disease that lasts a few days to a few weeks
• Chronic disease


  A disease that lasts more than 3 months
• Biological hazard


  A biological substance that poses a threat to the health of humans or other living organisms
• Epidemic


  A widespread disease in a community with a large part of the population affected at a particular time
• Pandemic


  A widespread disease in a country or the whole world with a large part of the population affected at a particular time
• Endemic disease


  A disease that occurs at an expected level in a population or in a certain location
• Outbreak


  An event similar to an epidemic except that it is used for a limited geographical area, think a sudden increase of a disease in a particular area or traceable to a similar cause
• Information an epidemiologist collects about a disease outbreak


  • How many?
  • Who?
  • Where?
  • When?

  
• Rates


  The number of events that occur in a given population in a given period of time
• Important rates to know

  • Birth rates
  • Rates of disease
  • Death rates
  • Incidence rates
  • Prevalence rates
  • Attack rates
• Prevalence rate


  The number of individual cases of a disease in a population in a given period of time, divided by the number in that population
• Incidence rate


  The number of new cases of a disease in a population in a given period of time, divided by the population at risk
• Attack rate


  The number of people ill, divided by the population at risk
• Importance of rates


  • To know
  • To evaluate
  • To plan
  • To prevent
• Rates allow us to compare health events from different times, different places, or among different populations
• It is important to study disease rates for us to know, to evaluate what are the cause and to plan strategies to prevent illness and as a guide to the management of patients in whom disease or illness has already developed

  
• Health adjusted life expectancy (HALE)


  A summary indicator that incorporates information on mortality (such as life expectancy) and health status (such as morbidity) into a single estimate that can be considered not only a measure of quantity of life but also a measure of quality of life
• Years of Life Lost (YLL) measures how many years someone dies before they could have lived to an ideal age. It helps us understand the impact of premature death on a population's health.
• By looking at YLL, we can see how many potential years of life are lost due to early deaths. This information helps guide efforts to improve healthcare, reduce risk factors, and promote healthier lifestyles, all aimed at preventing premature deaths and maximizing the number of years people live.
• Epidemiology


  The study of disease occurrence and patterns to develop effective prevention and control strategies
• Prevention


  Developing strategies to stop or reduce the spread of disease
• 3 Levels of Prevention


  • Primary Prevention
  • Secondary Prevention
  • Tertiary Prevention
• Communicable Diseases


  • Diseases that are spread from one person to the other
  • Diseases that are "catching"
  • Diseases that are caused by germs or pathogens
• Examples of Communicable Diseases


  • Influenza (Flu)
  • COVID-19
  • Measles
  • Salmonella
  • Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)
• How Communicable Diseases Spread

  1. Physical contact with an infected person

  2. Contact with a contaminated surface or object

  3. Bites from insects or animals capable of transmitting the disease

  4. Travel through the air, such as tuberculosis or measles
• How Communicable Diseases Affect the Human Body


  • Invasion of tissues, organs, and the immune system
  • Cause symptoms like fever, fatigue, coughing, diarrhea, and more
  • Complications can lead to organ failure, disability, or death
  • Weaken the immune system, making the body more vulnerable to other infections
  • Can directly damage tissues and organs, interfering with normal bodily functions
• Prevention Methods for Communicable Diseases


  • Handwashing
  • Avoid going to public places when sick
  • Cleaning frequently touched objects when sick
  • Cover coughs and sneezes
  • Avoid sharing personal items
  • Handle and prepare food safely
  • Get vaccinated
  • Avoid touching wild animals
  • Practice safer sex
• Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)


  Medical conditions or diseases that are not directly transmissible from one person to another, often chronic in nature and develop over an extended period of time
• Examples of Non-Communicable Diseases


  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Cancer
  • Chronic respiratory diseases
  • Diabetes
• Who is Affected by NCDs


  • Elderly Individuals
  • Low- and Middle-Income Countries
  • People with Unhealthy Lifestyles
  • Genetically Predisposed Individuals
  • Urban Populations
  • Marginalized and Disadvantaged Groups
  • Women
  • Occupational Groups
• NCD Risk Factors

  • Social Determinants of Health
  • Tobacco
  • Alcohol
  • Poor Nutrition
  • Physical Inactivity
• Types of NCD Risk Factors

  • Non-modifiable Risk Factors (age, sex, genetic make-up)
  • Modifiable Risk Factors (poor diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, harmful alcohol use)
• The United Nations (UN) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have called for a 25% reduction by 2025 in mortality from NCDs, adopting the slogan "25 by 25."