Public Health in the United Kingdom - Coursework Example

PUBLIC HEALTH Group 3A 2nd Term 2 August Aneta Wadas ID Number: P1002473 Lecturer Jerry Emonena Erihmu Table of Context: Introduction.............................................................................................p.3 LO.1......................................................................................................p3-8 LO.2....................................................................................................p8-11 LO.3.....................................................................................................p11-15 Conclusion...........................................................................................p15-16 Introduction Human health is of much importance. It is because of this reason that a lot of funds are always allocated for the fight against diseases which might impair the normal functioning of human body. In this paper, there is a critical analysis of the health issues in the United Kingdom (UK). This is done by focusing on the contributions of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health. These have made a lot of efforts towards the curbing of obesity, HIV/AIDS, breast cancer and other diseases. These are illustrated using tables. LO.1. Local authorities act as advocates of the local people. They are granted freedom, funding and responsibility to come up with new ideas and new ways of improving public health in the communities. In disease identification, local authorities are the first to look for any notifications of infectious diseases, and act to quarantine the already infected group so as to protect the uninfected ones. They also, act swift to get information from households and schools so as to prevent any spread of infectious diseases. Also, the authority have been granted legal powers to control any aspects of the environment that could be a source of infection an example of food and water sources, sewage disposal and management of refuse. From the diagnosis, like poor hygiene, they work hand in hand to set some goals that they feel should be put in place to eradicate the problem before implementing and evaluating like, advocating for damping sites to be built far from household in order to control the spread of infections and educating the public on the importance of hygiene. This helps to see if the measures put in place have attained the set standards. If not, it gives room for re-evaluation and setting of new standards to be implemented (Vogel et al. 338). World Health Organization (WHO) ensures that a state or country provides preventive measures by been able to monitor the health status and come up with a health problem. This in turn help the community solve by putting measures that investigate and intervene through health education so as to empower the population (Silverstein et al. 139). Meaning, it plays a very significant role as far as the detection of disease infections is concerned. Policies that improve individual and community health efforts are also put in place to act as a guide so that if violated, people are to face the consequences. Helping in research for new diseases and encouraging innovation so as to ensure continuity in the field of research (Silverstein 62). Health departments on the other hand take the initiative to care for people with long term illness. It helps to assess the need, plan and implement care according to the assessment done. It has chosen to deliver care to people in three levels, 1, 2 and 3, that is, supported self-care that focuses on curative, to disease-specific management aims at preventing occurrences, finally case management. Have come up with a collaborative action where each hospital department contributes to the prevention, promotion or rehabilitative aspects of a patient or client. The departments work in a way to ensure services are available in the hospital setup, at an affordable cost, with effective use of the available resource (Snoddon, Janet). Levels of health refer to how the healthcare system is divided to ensure affordability and availability of health services to every member of a given state, city or country with a disease without any form of discrimination. It does not focus on age, sex, race or gender. Disease is a pathological condition that is seen to be abnormal in the body of an individual. Level of care is divided into three, the primary, where health care is devolved to municipal centers and cities, aiming at the community (Bhargava 50). Care is provided by physicians, rural health midwives, traditional healers or public health nurses. They aim provide preventive services to any individual infected with a disease. Secondary levels are found in both private and government health facilities which are in municipals, district hospitals or out-patient and are run by specialists. The tertiary types are put as the referrals for secondary care facilities, and deal with complicated cases. Examples are the regional, provincial hospitals, medical centers and specialized hospitals (Pool 201). Epidemiology of HIV, prevalence, mortality and incidence rates HIV refers to Human Immunodeficiency virus that affects the human immune system to cause an Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome. It was discovered in United Kingdom in early 1980s, and had an increasing number of people been infected with the virus due to homosexuality (Witmer and Sweeny, 38). The number doubled between 1987 and 1990 from 8,888 to 15,570, because the state had seen it wise to concentrate on high-risk people that are drug users who injected themselves, mother to child transmissions, blood products or homosexuals, leaving out the uninfected and married couples. Trends in UK HIV and AIDS statistics The graph interprets a declining HIV since the introduction of combined antiretroviral treatment in the mid-1990s. Death rates also reduced to 128,805 at the end of 2012. Prevalence in 2012 was 50% (27,798) with 21,117 deaths (Doug S. et al 83). Cancer refers to an abnormal cell growth in any part of the human body. A cancer can be malignant, that which spreads from one organ to the other through the blood stream or benign, does not spread (Lewis 91). Epidemiology of breast cancer and incidence, prevalence and mortality rates Breast cancer was first diagnosed in 1997 and became the most common type among all cancers in the UK. It became common in 2011 and accounts for 30% of all types of cancers in females. It was found in about, 50,285 new cases where 99% was in women and 349(1%) in men. crude incidence rate shows there are 155 new cases of breast cancer for every 100,000 females and 1/100,000 males (Lethaby A, et al. 15). It was discovered that female breast cancer is and is said to be directly related with age and high in older women after an average of 80% cases were diagnosed in over 50 years between 2009-2011. Statistics have it that early onset is n women aged 30-34, levels off at 50 years and rises at age 65-69. Thus women in UK are advised on the importance of screening for breast cancer. The prevalence rate in UK was around 296,000 women and 1,700 men were still alive at the end of 2006, up to ten years after being diagnosed with breast cancer and there are 159,178 deaths from all cancers in the United Kingdom, this takes 47% for lung, bowel, breast and prostate cancers inclusive as evidenced by the pie chart below that takes only 7% (http://publications.cancerresearch). Table 1.1: Breast Cancer (C50), Number of New Cases, Crude and European Age-Standardized (AS) Incidence Rates per 100,000 Population, UK, 2011 England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland UK Male Cases 303 11 30 5 349 Crude Rate 1.2 0.7 1.2 0.6 1.1 AS Rate 0.9 0.5 0.9 0.5 0.9 AS Rate - 95% LCL 0.8 0.2 0.6 0.1 0.8 AS Rate - 95% UCL 1.0 0.9 1.2 0.9 1.0 Female Cases 41,523 2,569 4,578 1,266 49,936 Crude Rate 153.9 164.8 169.1 136.9 155.3 AS Rate 124.8 123.3 130.2 118.4 125.1 AS Rate - 95% LCL 123.6 118.5 126.4 111.8 124.0 AS Rate - 95% UCL 126.0 128.0 133.9 124.9 126.2 The table above shows a variation in females living in Europe, in age-standardized incidence rates (AS rates) in that it is high in Scotland when compared with England and Northern Ireland. The rates do not show a significant difference between the other constituent countries in both men and women of UK. Female breast cancer incidence is noted to be low in Northern Ireland compared with other three UK countries, for almost two decades. In the year 2011, there was a significant difference with Scotland and is the only nation in that has the least record of high cases of breast cancer. 1.3 Obesity is one among the public health problem that has become an epidemic. It refers to excessive accumulation of fats in adipose tissues and has become a risk factor for diabetes type 2, heart diseases like hypertension, some cancers and a major cause of mortality (Keller 318). National Health Survey has come up with strategies to help people cut down excess fats from the body by encouraging regular checkups for their Body Mass Index, BMI helps them classify as underweight, overweight or obese, use of exercises and encouraged eating a balanced diet (Barlow, Durand and Steward 36). One is counseled on the need to look into a balanced diet, which should aim at a great portion of carbohydrates since they are energy giving foods, with reduced fats and junk foods, to reduce excessive accumulation of fats in the body. The healthy diet goes hand in hand with exercises to help cut down the calories. Environmental hygiene is also important because it will prevent an individual from contracting infections. The idea is frequent check up in hospital can help one know their progress in weight loss and leaving a healthy lifestyle, also detecting if there are other complications like diabetes that may arise (Mandell et al. 59). The set measures focus on causes of obesity, strategies that prevent others from becoming obese and reduce the mentioned complications, thereby reducing cases of mortality and morbidity. LO.2. Disease burden refers to the results of a given health problem that is measured in terms of Disability-adjusted Life years (DALYs) if measured by mortality (death), morbidity (disease) or financial cost. DALY here measures the number of years lost due to disease (Garrett, Laurie 14-38). DALYs = number of people with the disease × duration of the disease (or loss of life expectancy in the case of mortality) × severity (varying from 0 for perfect health to 1 for death) The current priorities for prevention and control of diseases in the UK aim at enhancing a comfortable living for an individual by promoting health. The term health is taken to mean, a state of complete physical, social, mental or psychological state and not merely the absence of a disease. This applies to the individual and family at large. Primary prevention refers to those measures put into place to protect healthy persons from developing a disease or getting any form of injury. It aims at giving health talk to an individual. An example of cancer, one is counseled on the need to look into a balanced diet, that should aim at a great portion of carbohydrates since they are energy giving foods, with reduced fats and junk foods, to reduce excessive accumulation of fats in the body (Bloom, Martin 5). The healthy diet goes hand in hand with exercises to help cut down the calories that cut down accumulation of fats that may predispose the body to abnormal reactions. Environmental hygiene is also important because it will prevent an individual from contracting infections. The idea is frequent check up in hospital can help one kip fit and also one is counseled and tested for any cases of HIV/AIDS so as to show how their health is progressing and advised about leaving a healthy lifestyle. Secondary prevention comes in once an individual is already diagnosed to have cancer or HIV/AIDS and is put on medication. The health team will advise on compliance to the prescribed drugs, like anti hypertensive’s and lipid drugs (Blechner, 40). Also the need for continuous screening to see if the cancer has metastasized or not, and for HIV, it will help to know the stage the patient is in. In tertiary phase, the individual is given rehabilitative services basing on the complications that have presented. For cancer, palliative care is done; also if HIV is in its last stages where it has caused cancer, the family is counseled as the patient is managed with HAART and palliative care. United Kingdom has is that; one in four people suffer from mental health problems in a year. The cost of mental problems has been estimated to be expensive and treatment cost is likely to double in the next twenty years. The government has planned and come up with a slogan to keep it goals achieved, that, there is ‘No Health without Mental Health,’ since 2011. The government has built mental hospitals, rehabilitation centers and counseling areas within health institutions and created employment in a collaborative manner to liaise with the community, families and other organizations to put strategies that help reduce mental problems (Leonard and Crowley). It has collaborated with organization bodies and other organizations that have increased the funds for drugs, creating employment to health workers and offering opportunities for people to advance in their studies and more time given for those who like to specialize in the mental field and develop their expertise. Creating awareness of some of the mental problems, their causes and ways in which they can be prevented through mass campaigns, in the media, internet and newspapers has been on the forefront. There is need to come up with a curriculum in schools that target the dangers of mental illnesses and list a number of them, will increase awareness within the people of United Kingdom. Lifestyle choices: Diet, Exercise, Substance use, Work culture, Relaxation After analyzing the impacts of the above lifestyle choices, what will happen to future needs of services when people are not exercising, not eating a healthy diet and have no time to relax. Lifestyle choices have positive and negative impacts on one’s future health depending on how one utilizes them, examples of diet, if an individual decides to feed on junk food that is not balanced. This life without exercise cause accumulation of fats within the body and predispose people to lifestyle diseases like, diabetes, obesity, some cancers. If one gets addicted to substance use, they become at risk of organ failures like the liver cancers, kidney failures and heart diseases. Excessive working without exercise or relaxation can cause stress and reduced work performance. Individuals can also be predisposed to heart diseases and deep venous thrombosis where blood fails to flow freely through the veins and cause swelling that will end up one admitted in hospital. A healthy lifestyle on the other hand entails eating a balanced diet, exercises; no use of substances that harm ones health can make one live healthy with reduced risks of morbidity and mortality. LO.3. The priorities include the following: Safety and security, mobility, diet, hygiene, Intellectual, social and emotional Needs. The government does not work alone but it liaise with other cities to see what is best for the country it also set some policies after asking for opinions from all that is citizens and their representatives (Man dell et al. 59). In order to get funds, for projects, it partners with other stakeholders like banks which ensure that the released fund is enough to complete the set projects. The strategy allows provision of quality service to the people it serves. This means, providing what satisfies the citizens and at affordable costs. One of the basic needs in human life is shelter. People in London have liaised with the local authority that has helped them come up with housing associations, by gathering the police together who have in turn created a safe housing pathway with an aim of keeping young person safe. Cases of violence are also traced and addressed as per the stated rules where the victim is punished. Cases of mobility in London, like, people learning with disability, the old above 65years, and any mental difficulties are given social covers. The city of London personalizes the cover to local people by giving freedom to choose and control any service they want to receive. Another need is food and so a healthy diet should be taken with the advice of exercises in mind. This will help cut down the caloric intake in the body. Environmental hygiene is also vital because it helps prevent an individual from contracting infections. The idea is frequent hospital check up can help one know their progress in weight loss and promote a healthy lifestyle, besides detecting if there are any complications like diabetes that may arise. To prevent lifestyle diseases, people in London have retracted to eating balanced diet that is always clean. This has helped them live a healthy lifestyle and spread of infections like amoebiasis or dysentery. To cater for their intellectual, social and emotional needs, they engage in class work where they become knowledgeable and highly skilled to various specialties that help advance in all round fields. Population in London shows how effective the set strategies, policies and set systems have become because, members portray collaboration with each other especially at the family level and friends if one member becomes sick, it is not left as a family to take care but also friends become concerned. Statistics show that majority of people living in London live a healthy lifestyle but with an assumption that, most do not engage in regular checkups and so, not a clear data of disease ratio among the healthy population (Laura). Minor changes should be encouraged to help this people improve their health and well being in sectors like education, a curriculum that covers on healthy habits to promote healthy living should be started from lower classes (Keller 74). The aim of creating awareness should begin from schools because it is a developing generation that is expected to teach the community what is taught in schools before proceeding to mass Medias. Also, the government should come up with Policies that help improve individual and community health. Efforts in the health sector like everyone attending any hospital check up or coming for treatment should undergo counseling in each aspect of their health (Storrie et al. 39). To support this policy, the government should promote health workers, through ranks or providing free trainings. This will act as a way of motivating them. The set rules should act as a guide so that if any is violated, the victim is expected to face the consequences. Helping in research for new diseases and encouraging innovation will ensure continuity in the field of research, and discovery of upcoming diseases. Be it schools, working grounds or recreational areas, physical exercises should be encouraged to help people live healthy by reducing rates of lifestyle diseases that present from obesity, and sedentary lifestyles. The strategies like, complaint policies have made it possible for new ones to come up, the new policies have been effected and brought great changes as pertain peoples lifestyle, like in the sector of organization of service provision, it has given public health personnel an easier way of dealing with different health problems at different levels and knowing what to address on when it comes to primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. The issue of collaboration with the government and other institution like drug companies to supply cytotoxic drugs, ARTS and organizing campaigns on healthy lifestyle has made change in people’s lifestyles and has shown a reduced rate of mortality and number of people getting infected is also decreased. Collaboration is also seen to family members and significant others. Their involvement has increased patients rate of healing since they are best taken care of. \ There is need for people to be encouraged to visit the hospitals, clinics or consultation areas to check on their health (Koppel man 107). This should be encouraged by lowering the consultation fees and offering free services for cases like weight, blood pressure and Basal Metabolic Index. In turn, a large number of people are expected to turn in for such activities which will help get the exact statistics of diseases. Smoking programs are effectively put in London through health education. An individual is first counseled to be able to accept the act of smoking, and then taken through the steps of quitting smoking (Crowley 28). One is to give their expectation, of how it feels when they stop the smoking and the facts that if they stop it, what they think will be some of the withdrawal symptoms (Murray and Buttner 86). After this are mentioned, they are taken through the quitting tips to stop smoking, they are advised that each individual is unique and so will stop smoking at their own pace. Later they come up to cutting down on smoking activities. For the smoking cessation program me to become effective, individual is not rushed into the idea how to quit, instead, it is a step by step process only when one feels that smoking has affected their health and need to quit on voluntary basis. For those new in smoking, are counseled and asked if their conscience wishes to proceed with smoking, they are left to continue if not, they are guided through the procedure of quitting. Conclusion In UK, there are several cases of diseases which need to be tackled. Thus, the government, through the Department of Health has been collaborating with bodies such as WHO to help control the outbreak and spread of various diseases that might interfere with people’s lives. This is what has been examined in this paper. 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