Contemporary Health Issues - Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs)

Vocabulary and statistical flashcards regarding Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) and their impact on Nigeria, based on Course GST 125 lecture notes.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)

Chronic conditions not primarily caused by an acute infection that result in long-term health consequences, arising from a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioral factors.

Epidemiological shift

A change in disease patterns that, in Nigeria, causes significant premature mortality between the ages of $30-70$.

Major NCDs

The group of diseases consisting of cardiovascular diseases (heart attacks and strokes), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (COPD and asthma), hypertension, and diabetes.

Hypertension (Adult Prevalence)

A condition affecting approximately $40\%$ of Nigerian adults according to general estimates, or $25-48\%$ of the adult population in specific studies.

Cardiovascular diseases

A leading cause of death among NCDs that includes conditions such as heart attacks and strokes.

Chronic respiratory diseases

Conditions categorized as NCDs that include Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and asthma.

Diabetes

A non-communicable disease affecting nearly $10\%$ of the Nigerian population.

Annual NCD Mortality (Nigeria)

Roughly $447,800$ deaths annually in Nigeria, accounting for approximately $24\%-30\%$ of all annual deaths.

Average Household NCD Expenditure

Households spend an average of $\text{₦}122,313.60$ per year on NCD care, representing $24\%$ of their food expenditure.

Management Cost of Hypertension

The monthly cost of managing this condition is often between $\text{₦}40,000$ and $\text{₦}50,000$.

Double burden of disease

A health challenge in Nigeria where the country must simultaneously combat infectious diseases (like malaria) while managing a rapid increase in chronic NCDs.

Urbanization

A factor that has accelerated the adoption of sedentary lifestyles and increased consumption of processed foods, contributing to obesity and metabolic diseases.

Data Scarcity

The lack of community-wide surveillance despite the existence of hospital-based data, leading to high uncertainty in national mortality data.

NCD Risk Factors

The four major behavioral and environmental factors: tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity.

Federal Ministry of Health Strategy

A policy response focusing on prevention, early detection, and strengthening healthcare capacity to tackle the NCD burden.