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Flashcards in Introduction to Health Protection Deck (11)
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1
Q

What is Health Protection?

A

The part of public health that protects the population from infection and environmental hazards by:

  • ensuring the safety and quality of food, water, air and the general environment
  • preventing the transmission of communicable diseases
  • managing outbreaks and other incidents that threaten the public health
2
Q

What does sporadic mean?

A

Occasional cases of diseases occurring irregularly

3
Q

What does endemic mean?

A

Persistent background level of occurrence (low to moderate levels)

4
Q

What does epidemic mean?

A

Occurrences in excess of the expected level during a given time period

5
Q

What does pandemic mean?

A

Epidemic occurring in or spreading over several countries

6
Q

How does infection spread?

A
  • Mode of transmission - how the infection agents moves to the suspcetible host (skin, coughs, ingestion)
  • Portal of entry - e.g.: mucous membrane, respiratory tract, insect bite, urinary tract
  • Susceptible host - e.g.: elderly, very young, chronic disease, immunosuppressed
  • Infectious agent - e.g.: bacteria, virus
  • Resevoir - the place where the infectious agent lives; e.g.: in people, animals, insects, environment, furnishings, water
  • Portal of exit - by which the infectious agents leaves e.g.: saliva, discharges, faeces, vomit, blood
7
Q

How can you break the chain of infection?

A
  • Infectious agent - disinfectants
  • Reservoir - insect or rodent eradication, medical treatment of person
  • Portal of exit - cover wounds
  • Mode of transmission - hand washing, airflow control
  • Portal of entry - insect repellents, wound care
  • Susceptible host - immunisation
8
Q

What are the three main determinants of disease transmission?

A
  • Host
  • Agent
  • Environment
9
Q

Definition of an outbreak?

A

Two or more people who experience a similar illness or confirmed infection and are lined by a common factor

OR

When the observed number of cases unaccountably exceed the expected number for a given place and time

10
Q

How can an outbreak be managed?

A
  • Confirm it is an outbreak
  • Establish info on causative organism
  • Implement control measures
  • Identify source (and remove if possible)
  • Ensure all cases are treated appropriately
  • Case finding
  • Surveillance
  • Learn lesson for future
11
Q

What is a notifiable disease?

Who do you notify and when?

A

Any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities - diseases that easily spread

Scottish Care Information Gateway

The collation of information allows the authorities to monitor the disease, and provides early warning of possible outbreaks.