- Published: September 18, 2022
- Updated: September 18, 2022
- University / College: Queen's University Belfast
- Level: Intermediate School
- Language: English
- Downloads: 6
Seminar Unit 5 Public Health The essay aims to address a two-fold objective to discuss to study further the treatment on non-communicable diseases; and (2) to explain the different multiple factors addressing the burden of non-communicable diseases.
Seminar Unit 5 Public Health
A non-communicable disease or also known as NCD is defined as a disease which is not contagious or infectious and not caused by any injuries (Kotecki, McKenzie & Pinger, 2011, 98). Non-communicable diseases cannot be transmitted from one person to another and the causes are difficult to assess and identify because there are several factors that contribute to the development of certain non-communicable health condition. The examples of non-communicable diseases are obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer which can be modified through lifestyle change (Kotecki, McKenzie & Pinger, 2011, 98). Identification and treatment of multiple risk factors will help in addressing the burden of communicable diseases.
Non-communicable diseases can be prevented by reducing or totally eliminating the risk factors that contribute to the illness. Multiple risk factor reduction is a special form of intervention that aims in helping in the reduction in a series of risk factors that contribute in a particular disease, such as cardiovascular and respiratory illness. The strategy is most effective if the sequences of risk factors are cluster together in a certain group of people or population (Riegelman, 2010, p. 90). For instance, in asthma cases the different factors involved are air pollution, cockroaches, allergies, and non-compliance to medication tend to occur together and effectively to address at the same time. In addition, health teaching, screening and the multiple risk factor reduction are the key approaches and are part of the intervention of preventing non-communicable diseases and other illnesses (Riegelman, 2010, p. 91).
Clinicians, physicians and even researchers had several interventions and approaches in treating the disease, but the question is: Are the methods and interventions cost effective and net effective? Multiple risk factor reduction techniques has advantages and benefits and with less financial costs in dealing with non-communicable diseases. For instance, increase exercise and diet modifications are the key interventions to solve obesity. Similarly, mammography, childhood vaccinations and immunizations, cigarette cessation program and other public health programs are found out to be cost effective (Riegelman, 2010, p. 93).
References
Kotecki, J. E. McKenzi, J. F. & Pinger, R. R. (2011). Epidemiology: Prevention of Control of Diseases and Health Condition. An Introduction to Community Health (7th ed.) (p. 96-99). London: Jones and Bartlett Publishers International.
Riegelman, R. K. (2010). Preventing Disease, Disability, and Death. Public Health 101: Healthy People- Healthy Populations (p. 84-98). Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.