Carlos Albizu University Introduction to Public Health Chronic and Infectious Disease Discussion Reply Introduction to Public Health Chronic and Infectio

Carlos Albizu University Introduction to Public Health Chronic and Infectious Disease Discussion Reply

Introduction to Public Health

Chronic and Infectious Disease Reply to each Peer about their post.

Chronic and Infectious Disease Discussion Reply 1 Martina :

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Six in ten adults in the U.S. have a chronic disease and four in ten adults have two or more” (CDC, 2019). Chronic and infectious diseases are different as they have distinctive factors and characteristics about them. Chronic diseases are not typically formed from human contact like infectious diseases.

One chronic disease that is prevalent within the United States is diabetes. Diabetes is a condition in which someone may have higher than average blood sugar levels. Someone may be diagnosed with diabetes if their body cannot use or produce its own insulin, a hormone that is produced in the pancreas. I chose diabetes because “More than 30 million people in the United States have diabetes, and 1 in 4 of them don’t know they have it” (CDC, 2019). There are two different types of diabetes – 1 and 2. Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, is known to be the most severe and common among children and teenagers. In type 1, the body’s immune system fights off the cells that are producing insulin. Similarly, type 2 diabetes is the most common in general. People with type 2 diabetes have the ability to produce some of their insulin. For forms of treatment, people with type 1 diabetes take insulin injections daily or use an insulin pump that they carry. The amount of insulin one gives to him/herself depends on different factors like diet and exercise. Unlike type 1, type 2 stresses the importance of a changed and healthy lifestyle. There are different treatment programs people can take that help focus on healthy eating, weight loss, and exercise.

An infectious disease that is common today is Whooping Cough, otherwise known as Pertussis. Pertussis is a respiratory sickness that is a contagious disease formed from bacteria, Bordtella Pertussis. The bacteria release toxins that line up along the upper respiratory system that make it difficulty to breath. Pertussis is very contagious as it can spread from human contact. People can vastly spread the disease by coughing, sneezing, or sharing the same breathing space for a long period of time. Once a cough begins, most infected people are contagious after 2 weeks since the cough began. I chose pertussis because it has been an infectious disease that has impacted the United States since the 1980s and still impacts many today. For treatment, providers can prescribe antibiotics. Also, in order to prevent pertussis from impacting you, you can also get the ‘DtaP and Tdap’ vaccine available in the United States.

These diseases continue to be a public health issue because they can impact anyone if not treated the right way. As mentioned, “Each disease has its own pattern of development after a person is infected, and the time during which the patient is capable of transmitting the infection to others varies from one disease to another” (Schneider, 2017, p.120). Although there are prevention and treatments available for these diseases, anyone can be impacted depending on who they are. Chronic and infectious diseases are the same yet are different,

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., About Chronic Diseases. (2019, October 23). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/index.htm.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., (2019, August 7). Diabetes and Prediabetes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/diabetes-prediabetes.htm.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., (2017, August 7). Pertussis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/causes-transmission.html.

Schneider, M. (2017). Introduction to Public Health. [VitalSource Bookshelf]. Retrieved from https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284118797/

Chronic and Infectious Disease Discussion Reply to Rylee:

Hello Class and Professor Okpala,

This week we were asked to explore chronic and infectious diseases that are prevalent in the US. A chronic disease is a disease that lasts longer than three months and requires continuous medical attention, they are typically not between persons nor are they curable (WHO, 2019). An infectious disease is typically curable and can be passed between persons.

I chose to focus on caner and HIV. Cancer is a chronic disease and is not contagious and is the second leading cause of death globally, while HIV is an infectious disease and can be passed between two persons. I chose to focus on cancer and HIV because they have both been a prevalent disease in our nation. Significant advancements are being made in the fight for cancer at a national level, national research on the treatment of cancer has improved outcomes for patients affected by cancer. Efforts include the development of more effective and less toxic treatments, such as targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and cancer vaccines, as well as the improvement of therapies that have existed for decades, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery (NCI, 2019). And some studies address better management of a treatment’s toxic effects, thereby improving a patient’s ability to receive effective cancer treatment. Still other studies test whether less intensive therapy or no therapy at all will result in the same outcome (NCI,2019).

HIV continues to be a major global public health issue, having claimed almost 33 million lives so far. However, with increasing access to effective HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, including for opportunistic infections, HIV infection has become a manageable chronic health condition, enabling people living with HIV to lead long and healthy lives (WHO, 2018). As a result of concerted international efforts to respond to HIV, coverage of services has been steadily increasing.

I believe that both diseases are still current public health issues because they will always be prevalent within our nation until a cure is found. Over the years we have succeeded in streamlining safe and effective treatment while still working towards an end goal, to find a cure. Until a cure is found, proper care and treatment management for cancer and HIV will continue to adapt. I cannot foresee cancer or HIV ever not being a public health issue or topic, as long as the health of our nation is top priority so will any and all prevalent diseases.

Reference:

HIV/AIDS. (2018). Retrieved July 23, 2020, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids

Research Areas: Treatment. (2019). Retrieved July 23, 2020, from https://www.cancer.gov/research/areas/treatment

Chronic and Infectious Disease Discussion Reply to Priscilla:

Chronic disease is defined as a disease that persists for a long time, which requires medical attention. On the other hand, infectious disease is defined as a disease that is caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.

One chronic disease that is prevalent in the United States is stroke. Stroke is a condition in which the blood flow to the brain is interrupted. I chose stroke because it is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States that have affected many people each year. There are three main types of stroke, which are ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, and transient ischemic attack. Ischemic stroke occurs when the blood flow to the artery that supplies blood to the brain is blocked. Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when an artery ruptures and bleeds into the brain. Transient ischemic attack, which is also called mini-stroke, is when blood flow to the brain is blocked for a short time that last for a few minutes. It is like a warning sign that indicates a future stroke. In order to combat a stroke on a national level, people would need to make healthy choices, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, and avoid smoking and drinking too much (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020).

One infectious disease that is prevalent in the United States is influenza. Influenza, which is also called the flu, is a viral infection that affects the upper and lower respiratory tract, such as the nose, throat, and lungs. I chose influenza because it is an infectious disease that has killed many people and still impacted many people in the United States today. The most common type of influenza is influenza A, followed by influenza B. Influenza A and B “cause seasonal epidemics of disease (known as the flu season) almost every winter in the United States” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). In order to combat influenza on a national level, people would need to get a flu vaccine every year. For treatment of the flu, antiviral drugs may be an option.

These diseases continue to be a public health issue because many people are being impacted by these diseases, which had caused the deaths of many people each year. There are also people out there who are not taking preventive measures for these diseases ahead of time. Both of these chronic and infectious diseases cause many deaths around the world. Also, similarly, both of these diseases affect people every year, and they are still occurring today in the United States.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, November 18). Types of Influenza Viruses. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/viruses/types.htm.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, January 31). Types of Stroke. https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/types_of_stroke.htm.