The Extent of Morbidity due to Occupational Diseases in Canada - Essay Example

? Project Activity 4 Morbidity What is the extent of morbidity due to occupational diseases in Canada? Occupational diseases link to exposures to chemical, physical, and psychological hazards that develop overtime and frequently duplicate diseases manifesting in other settings. Occupational diseases represent significant and underestimated causes of morbidity and mortality in Canada. The rate of mortality linked to occupational exposure to hazardous substances relates to increased morbidity (Kraut, 1994). Examples of work-related respiratory conditions include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pneumoconiosis. Morbidity estimates of occupational exposures to hazardous substances feature conditions that are indirectly attributable to occupational exposure to hazardous substances and major disease categories such as respiratory, cardiovascular, and renal issues (Morrell et al., 1998). What are the determinants of Child Mortality and Morbidity in China? A household’s environmental and socio-economic characteristics possess significant influences on child mortality. China has witnessed a significant drop in poverty levels dues the high economic growth enjoyed. This accompanies a dramatic drop in maternal morbidity rate. Economic development and poverty reduction can be highlighted as one of the determinants of child mortality in China (Wang, 2012). There exist strong linkages between child mortality and morbidity and the quality of household and community environment within rural and urban China. The reduction in the use of unclean cooking fuels (enhancing neonatal probability within rural areas), an enhanced access to safe water or sanitation (minimizing child mortality risks), and enhanced maternal education levels (which minimizes child mortality) have all played significant roles in minimizing child mortality. Mortality What is the relation between income inequality and mortality in Canada? Lower mortality and morbidity can be linked to almost all positive predictors of socio-economic status (as demonstrated by indicators such as wealth, income, occupational grade protective, and education). The measure of income inequality draws from a broad variety of social conditions and is reflective of the outcome of various layers of the social, economic, and political history of a certain place (Ross et al., 2000). Research has revealed a strong inverse relationship between individual socio-economic status and mortality, as well as the overall wealth distribution within the society. Research demonstrates that Canadian provinces and metropolitan areas mainly possess lower income inequality and lower mortality compared to US states and metropolitan areas (Blakely, 2000). The absence of significant connection between income inequality and mortality in Canada may highlight that the impacts of income inequality on health are not automatic, and may be limited by the diverse ways by the distribution of social and economic resources in Canada. What is the relationship between sex differences of infant and child mortality in china? Infant mortality of either sex has persistently decreased notably since the 1970s. China has witnessed a remarkable decline in mortality rates prior to the age of 5 for both sexes; however, the sex ratios of mortality were not significantly altered. In rural areas, female infants and young children manifest an enhanced mortality rate compared to males from the urban areas (Xu, Rimpela, Jarvelin, & Nieminen, 1994). Studies have indicated that female infants and children possess higher than anticipated mortality rates, which implies that son preference may yield to discriminatory practices that disadvantage females. The one-child policy has also been found to possess strong influence on the survivorship of female infants and children (Ren, 1995). This implies that it is essential to raise the status of girls within both the family and the community to mitigate the pressures that disadvantage girls, especially in the face of China’s low fertility. Fertility What are the causes of China's far below-replacement fertility? China demographic landscape has in recent decades witnessed been significantly redrawn owing to unprecedented population changes. China has experienced a sustained low fertility rates since the 1990s. The decades-long one-child policy has been a significant source of demographic challenges, especially owing to an imbalanced sex ratio at birth (Morgan, Zhigang, & Hayford, 2009). From the turn of 21st century, China’s demographic transition was not in doubt, in which the national fertility level is about 1.5 and below. The challenges presented by demographic changes have largely been occasioned by the speed with which China has completed its transition from high to low birth declines. China’s present fertility policies and women’s reports on ideal family size remain strongly influenced by the government’s population policy. Continued socio-economic development is likely to play a critical role in minimizing fertility within China. What are the causes of low fertility in Canada? In the last decades, there has been a considerable increase in the utilization of assisted reproductive technologies within Canada; nevertheless, explanations for the overall prevalence of infertility within the population remain largely unknown. The rise in infertility, in Canada, can be explained by the rising number of women pushing back pregnancy even later in life, to increased rates of obesity and heavy drinking among women. Other presumed causes of increased infertility among Canadian couples include declining sperm counts among men. In 2010, the fertility rate (birth per woman) in Canada was reported to be 1.68 (Bushnik, Cook, & Collins, 2012). Disability What is the contribution of Diseases to Disability Burden among the Elderly Population in China? China has enjoyed a fresh demographic era illustrated by falling mortality rate to a level that is comparable to that of developed countries. The improvement in public health intervention such s enhanced hygiene and sanitation, elevated social and living standards, and enhanced access to medical care has altered predominant causes of mortality from infectious diseases, perinatal and maternal conditions to injury and chronic diseases (Dai, 2012). China has been experiencing speedy increase in the ageing population, coupled with an increase in disability. Research findings highlight that substantial excess disability associated with dementia, whereby dementia and cognitive impairment are strongly and independently linked with chronic health disorders (Sousa, Cleusa, & Prince, 2009). Musculo-skeletal and circulatory diseases form two of the most critical causes of disability burden. China has been experiencing rising prevalence of disability, whereby the disabled elderly require and utilize significant health services, which in turn, exerts enormous pressure on the health system. What are the causes of depression as a top disability in Canada? The prominent indicators of mental health entail: emotional well-being, psychological well-being, and social well-being. Canada has experienced a sharp rise in disease burden caused by anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Depression remains a significant source of disability burden in Canadian (Ryff & Keyes, 1995). Evidence has indicated that mental disorders such as depressive disorders are powerfully linked to the occurrence of majority of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and obesity. This has been complicated by risky behaviors such as excessive drinking, inadequate sleep, smoking, and physical inactivity. References Blakely, T. (2000). Income inequality and mortality in Canada and the United States. BMJ, 16 (321): 1532. Bushnik, T., Cook, J. L., & Collins, J. (2012). Estimating the prevalence of infertility in Canada. Human Reproduction, 27 (3): 738-748. Dai, J. D. (2012). Epidemiological study on disability causes by injury in the Chinese population. Injury Prevention, 12 (1): 91. Kraut, A. (1994). Estimates of the extent of morbidity and mortality due to occupational diseases in Canada. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 25 (2):267-278. Morgan, P. S., Zhigang, G., & Hayford, S. R. (2009). China’s below-replacement fertility: Recent trends and future prospects. Population and Development Review, 35 (3): 650-629. Morrell, S., et al. (1998). Best estimate of the magnitude of mortality due to occupational exposure to hazardous substances. Occup Environ Med., 55 (1): 634-641. Ren, X. S. (1995). Sex differences in infant and child mortality in three provinces in China. Soc Sci Med., 40 (9): 1259-69. Ross, N. A. et al. (2000). Relation between income inequality and mortality in Canada and in the United States: Cross sectional assessment using census data and vital statistics. British Medical Journal, 320 (7239): 898-902. Ryff, C. D. & Keyes, C. L. M. (1995). The structure of psychological well–being revisited. J Pers Soc Psychol, 69: 719–727. Sousa, R. M., Cleusa, P. F., & Prince, M. (2009). Contributions of chronic diseases to disability in elderly people in countries with low and middle incomes: a 10/66 Dementia Research Group population-based survey. Lancet, 28 (374): 1821-1830. Wang, H. (2012). Morbidity and mortality of neonatal respiratory failure in China: Surfactant treatment in very immature infants. Pediatrics, 129 (3): 31-40. Xu, B., Rimpela, A., Jarvelin, M. R., & Nieminen, M. (1994). Sex differences of infant and child mortality in China. Scand J Soc Med., 22 (4): 242-8. Read More