Health Lessons

FACTORS OF HEALTH...

• GENETICS

• ENVIRONMENT

• PATHOGENS

THE FACTORS OF

Individual and Public HEALTH

Multiple Select

Which of the following individual factors of health can you control to improve your health? (Pick 2)

• Diet

• Genetics

• Age

• Exercise

Health and Genetics - Inheritance

Family history can affect a person’s health in some areas by making them more likely to contract certain diseases. The genes that code for some diseases are hereditary, and can be passed from generation to generation.

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Family history is often one of the strongest risk factors... cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, autoimmune disorders, psychiatric illnesses and many other health disorders.

Multiple Choice

If a trait or disease is passed down from one generation to the next, we say it is 

• binary

• hereditary

• available health care

• history

Genetic Factors of Health -

An Example:

Sickle Cell Anemia

A hereditary blood disease seen most often among people of African ancestry. Caused by mutations in one of the genes that encode the hemoglobin protein, the disease is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait (homozygous recessive).

Flawed hemoglobin proteins in red blood cells interferes with the delivery of oxygen to the tissues.

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Normal Red Blood Cells: smooth, disk-shaped, and flexible; can move easily through the blood vessels. Live up to 120 days.

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Sickle Cell Blood Cells: crescent shaped (like a C), stiff and sticky;

lose their oxygen. stick together and can’t easily move, block blood vessels

Blockage can cause pain. Live only 10 to 20 days.

Damage the spleen. Greater at risk for infections.

Multiple Choice

Topic - Health & Heredity:

Other health conditions besides sickle cell can be inherited. Which of the following describes one way that a person's health can be affected by heredity? 

• A.

  A person with a family history of obesity is more likely to catch a common cold.

• B.

  A person with a family history of high blood pressure is more likely to have heart disease.

• C.

  A person with a family history of obesity is less likely to enroll in a weight loss plan.

Pathogens - bacteria, viruses, protists, fungi and worms that cause infectious disease

Three Levels of Pathogens in Public Health...

1. Endemic

2. Epidemic

3. Pandemic

HEALTH AND PATHOGENS

"Patho-" means "to suffer from"

"-Gen" as in "genes", meaning "to produce"

Pathogen are "producers of suffering"

continuous infections in small amounts through the public

Endemic

large outbreak in a defined area of the public

​​Epidemic

widespread infection through a large region, country, continent, and even the globe

Pandemic

Pathogens By Individual Risk and Type:

Pathogens all have different symptoms, durations, and severity.

Multiple Choice

Symptoms of the West Nile Virus include headache, body aches, vomiting and fever and is transmitted through bites from infected mosquitos. The graph shows the number of confirmed cases in Texas from June to September.

Predict what the data will most likely look like for the final few weeks of September.

• A.

  The amount of cases will continue to increase

• B.

  The amount of cases will continue to decrease

• C.

  The amount of cases will increase and then decrease.

1. Chemical Exposure and Pollution (toxicity) -1.6 mill

2. Air pollution (car/truck exhaust, pollen, mold spores)

3. Climate change and natural disasters

4. Disease-causing microbes (contaminated water or food)

5. Lack of access to health care

6. Poor infrastructure (poor roads, access to resources, ect)

7. Poor water quality.

8. Global Environmental Issues (soil pollution, ultraviolet radiation, biodiversity loss)

The top 8 most common Factors include...

Environmental Factors of Health

Multiple Choice

You do not have health insurance and it costs a lot of money to go to the doctors.  Your health may be at risk because of

• heredity

• the environment

• availability of health care

• your attitude

Multiple Choice

Kevin has a lot of family members who have high blood pressure.  He is at risk for high blood pressure because of his

• behavior

• heredity

• environment

• attitude

Multiple Choice

Karen's parents smoke in her house.  She is at risk for lung disease because of her

• behavior

• heredity

• environment

• attitude

Over time, high blood glucose levels can damage the body's organs. Possible long-term effects include damage to large (macrovascular) and small (microvascular) blood vessels, which can lead to heart attack, stroke, and problems with the kidneys, eyes, gums, feet and nerves.

RISK FACTORS...

• Are overweight (use BMI calculator)

• Are 45 years or older (INDIVIDUAL FACTOR)

• Have a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes. (GENETIC FACTOR)

• Are physically active less than 3 times a week (EXERCISE).

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​Example of Many Factors Contributing to a Disease

Type 2 Diabetes

Multiple Select

Which of the following would be considered benefits in the reduction of health risk factors because of physical exercise?

• Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease

• Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes

• Reduced risk of metabolic syndrome

• Reduced risk of some cancers

Multiple Choice

Which is NOT a condition caused by contaminated water or food?

• vomiting

• diabetes

• diarrhea