Has the focus on disease prevention and health promotion shifted from infectious diseases to chronic diseases? Why or why not?
There has been a significant shift in disease prevention and health promotion from the infectious diseases to chronic illnesses. The change takes place following the significant increase in number of people dying from chronic illnesses. As a result, the public health department had to explore significant strategies that would effectively reduce the occurring deaths (Bjerke, 2011). The advancements made in the health sector have led to almost complete eradication and prevention of infectious disease. However, the deteriorating lifestyle of the community has increased the prevalence and incidence of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
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Will a diversion in focus from infectious to chronic diseases leave the United States and other parts of the world at greater risk for pandemics or bioterrorism? Why or why not?
A diversion in focus from infectious to chronic illnesses will not leave the US and other part of the world at risk of pandemics (Yamin et al., 2015). It is evident that the multiple professionals and experts in the public health sector continue to monitor ongoing trends on the incidence of infectious diseases. The team of experts also carries out research intended to identify effective measures of eliminating the disease from ever affecting members of the society.
How do risk factors and prevention strategies differ from infectious and chronic diseases?
There are significant differences in the risk factors and prevention strategies that are employed for infectious and chronic diseases. It is evident that the infectious diseases may be a result of various organisms including fungi, parasites, viruses, or bacteria. However, the risk factors leading to the diseases may be a result of improper functioning of the immune system due to medication, HIV, or cancers of particular types among other disorders (Feldman, He, Moore, Hershenson, & Hartert, 2015). Some of the prevention measures include vaccination, hygiene, safe sexual activity, informed travel practices, safe preparation of food, and staying home when sick. The risk factors associated with chronic illnesses are usually because of behavioral and lifestyle practices including lack of physical exercise, tobacco and alcohol abuse, and unhealthy diet. Therefore, to prevent the incidence of this diseases individuals are advised to maintain a healthy diet, monitor weight, avoid dependence on drugs, and create a habit of engaging in physical activity.
When thinking about chronic diseases, how do you perceive the purpose and utility of passive surveillance as an epidemiological tool? Explain with an example of a chronic disease surveillance system. Would you advocate the reporting of select chronic conditions? Why? Give reasons for your answer.
Passive surveillance of chronic diseases is the regular reporting of disease data by medical institutions that serve patients or test specimens and act as part of a larger reporting network system (Johns, & Jaar, 2013). The practice is one where there is no active search of the disease. It is a cheap alternative to other surveillance methods and can effectively provide data for a large area. The Chronic Kidney Disease Surveillance in an appropriate example of effective use of passive surveillance. It is evident that it assists researchers in developing strategies to manage and treat the disease while keeping track of its incidence in the national population. Reporting the incidence of kidney disease for a particular section of the society will help develop awareness of practices to prevents its continued occurrence.
References
Johns, T., & Jaar, B. G. (2013). US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launches new chronic kidney disease surveillance system website. BMC Nephrology, 14 (1), 196.
Feldman, A. S., He, Y., Moore, M. L., Hershenson, M. B., & Hartert, T. V. (2015). Toward primary prevention of asthma. Reviewing the evidence for early-life respiratory viral infections as modifiable risk factors to prevent childhood asthma. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 191 (1), 34-44.
Bjerke, W. (2011). The impact of infectious disease on chronic disease: a review of contemporary findings. Journal of Social Behavioral and Health Sciences, 5 (1), 45-57.
Yamin, D., Gertler, S., Ndeffo-Mbah, M. L., Skrip, L. A., Fallah, M., Nyenswah, T. G., ... & Galvani, A. P. (2015). Effect of Ebola Progression on Transmission and Control in LiberiaEbola Disease: Progression and Control. Annals of Internal Medicine, 162 (1), 11-17.
