GW PUBH 1101 Henry: Chapter 1 (Public Health Approach)

vulnerable populations

group at a higher risk of disease or of bad outcomes from a disease

population health

composed of health issues (mental/physical health, genetics), populations (geography), shared health concerns (healthcare, exposure), and vulnerable groups (maternal/child/elderly groups)

social justice

arose during hygiene movement from 1840-1870s; idea that disease emerges from social conditions of inequality

interventions

strategies that protect health and prevent disease, disability, and death

high-risk approach

focuses on those with a high probability of developing disease and wants to decrease risk levels

risk factors

range of exposures that can increase the probability of disease

improving-the-average approach

focuses on entire population and wants to reduce risk of disease for everyone

contributory causes

immediate causes of disease; produce disease, disability, and death

determinants

identifies the factors or causes of disease that look at greater forces that can develop years before a disease appears

BIGGEMS

the 7 main determinants of disease

behavior

B in BIGGEMS; actions that increase exposure to factors that can produce disease or protect individuals from disease; Ex: smoking, drinking determine disease

genetics

G in BIGGEMS; contribute to development and progression of disease; rarely the most prominent disease determinant

infection

I in BIGGEMS; the direct cause of disease; exposure to this can contribute to development of or protection from a disease; Ex: early exposure to polio could reduce disease

geography

G in BIGGEMS; affects frequency and disease presence; there are special locations to produce disease; Ex: malaria, Lyme disease can show up in confined areas, you could be in area w high levels of radon/area w high altitude leading to sickness & frostbite

environment

E in BIGGEMS; world around us can cause disability & death; Ex: natural disasters (earthquakes, iodine deficiencies) and there can be toxins brought about by human activities

Medical care

M in BIGGEMS; access to this can allow for protection of many groups and can prevent disability & death if accessible; Ex: treating infectious diseases can reduce spread, helping smokers quit

Socioeconomic-cultural

S in BIGGEMS; the education, income, occupational status of an individual; those in lower status groups can be more at risk of a disease than those in a higher status; Ex: high rates of breast cancer in low SES

social determinants of health

how people are born into their environment/how we live; includes 1) neighborhood, 2) health/healthcare (ensure accessible insurance), 3) social/community context (where you like, walkability), 4) education (high/low level? based on residential area), 5) economic stability (medical bills/debt), 6) food (food deserts leading to food insecurity)

demographic transition

impact of falling childhood death rates & extended life spans on size & age distribution in a population; Ex: low childhood mortality rates from birth-5 yrs old indicates high public health standards

built environment

physical environment built for use by humans; part of Environment; could produce indoor air pollution & highway hazards that contribute to health determinants

rapid population growth

what would happen if there were high birth rates paired with low death rates

population pyramids

display changes in age distribution over time; display males vs. females in each age group

epidemiological transition

public health transition; there is social and economic development so different diseases become more prominent; Ex: developed countries have high rates of chronic disease, developing have communicable diseases

nutritional transition

countries move from poorly balanced, malnourished diets to diets w highly processed foods

optimal health determinants

social and economic factors are 40% of this (health = wealth!), health behaviors is 30% (exercising, putting right behaviors into practice), clinical care is 10% (physicians encourage people to seek care)