Cholera was a regular visitor to London’s overcrowded and unsanitary streets. An outbreak in 1854 gave Snow the opportunity to further his theory that Cholera could be spread via contaminated food or water.
Snow recorded the locations of deaths related to cholera and was able to show that the majority were clustered around one particular public water pump in Broad Street, Soho. He eventually removed the handle to the pump and halted the outbreak of Cholera in Soho.
Edwin Chadwick
Edwin Chadwick was born in 1800, In Manchester. Known for his work to reform the Poor Laws and improve sanitary conditions and public health.
Chadwick used quantitative methods to show that there was a direct link between poor living conditions and disease and life expectancy.
The first National public health act 1848
Industrialisation and the rapid growth of cities during the nineteenth century led to concerns about environmental problems such as poor housing, unclean water supplies, ‘bad air’ and the impact that these had on the health of the working population, Edwin Chadwick, a founding member of the sanitary movement, was an active campaigner on several public health issues including poor housing and working conditions and sanitary reform. Chadwick’s report on an inquiry into the sanitary conditions of the labouring population of Great Britain, 1842 continued a mass of evidence linking environmental factors, poverty and ill health.
Joseph Bazalgette
Joseph was primarily responsible for the creation of the extensive network of sewers under the streets of central London. The river Thames had effectively become an open sewer and the great stink of 1958.
Pass Three - Current patterns of ill health and factors affecting health in the UK.
In the 1970’s death rates were 53% higher among men in classes 1V and compared with these in class 1 and 2.
Our healthier nation 1999
Government set targets;
The government set two targets which were to do with Cancer, heart disease and stroke, to reduce the death rate in people under 75 by least a fifth,
heart disease and stroke to reduce the deaths rate in people fewer than 75 by at least two fifths
Labour government 1999
Targets
Targets that were set to reduce the death rate caused by accidents by at least a tenth and Mental illness to reduce death rates from suicide by a least a fifth.
Patterns of ill- health
Health Inequalities
Heart disease is the major killer of both men and women, although the rates are higher for males. For women, gender- specific cancers of the reproductive organs cause significant deaths.
Morbidity – Chronic illness is higher for women than man
Single Parents
A soaring number of single mothers are sinking into debt because they cannot cope with the cost of raising a baby. The average cost of raising a baby in the first year is almost £15,000 debt assist direct found. There are close to 2million single-parent families in the UK and we have the highest proportion of children brought up in one-parent families of any major European country. Single parents raising a child on their own cause’s financial problems as only one parent is on low income as they’re the only one contributing to household expenses.
Jill Kirby, a social policy expert and former director of the Centre for Policy Studies, said: ‘Children need input from both parents in order to thrive. The amount of single parents in the UK is increasing because of young pregnancies and also because of responsibilities that arise.
Unemployment
Unemployment has risen at its fastest rate in 18 years, there are 2.47 million unemployed and figure could soar above 3 million by next year. Ages between 16-24 are the most unemployed age group out there. In November 2011, youth unemployment hit 1.02 million; the high levels of youth unemployment in the UK have led some politicians and media commentators to talk of a ‘lost generation’. Youth unemployment increases the chance of a worker experiencing unemployment in adulthood. People aged 16-24 if not employed, or seeking jobs, rely on Jobseeker allowance which basically gives you allowance weekly for looking for jobs, this could be a main reason why people are less motivated to work because they consider signing on for job seekers allowance is the better way to make money. Recession has also a big impact on employment because there is less jobs to hand out, or if already in jobs the pay has been decreased majorly.
Tube suicides
Tube suicides increase by 74% as recession worries hit home. There has been a marked increase since the global financial crisis in 2008. In 2007, 61 people threw themselves in front of Tube trains. By 2009 the annual figure had soared to 82, a 34 per cent increase.
Deaths on track
Rough sleepers
The total amount of homeless which includes rough sleepers rose by 15 per cent in 2010/11 to 102.20, underlining fears that spending cuts and recession are driving up levels of . The government notices the rises, and is working to reduce the amount of rough sleepers in the UK.
The number of rough sleepers on London streets has gone up to 43% in one year, a homeless charity said.
Pass four – Describe six factors that potentially affect health status in the Uk
Physical environments
The environment is all of physical and social conditions that surround a person and can influence that person’s health. Physical environment includes both your outdoor and indoor surroundings, the quality of air you breathe and the water you drink are important to your health. Being surrounded by for example, air pollution around you; this could lead to serious symptoms and conditions affecting human health or even heart disease and cancer. Living around many fast food restaurants has an effect of health status, as this could cause obesity and heart disease.
Health services
Having good health services around you, contributes to a good health status because you will receive the best provided health service. With bad health services provided e.g bad responses from GP’s or poor status hospitals, this will potentially decrease an individual’s health as they’re not receiving the health services needed.
Education
Education is fairly important in the UK as it helps promote healthy lifestyles. Without education, individuals wouldn’t know the affects of fatty foods for example if they wasn’t educated, which could lead to risks of heart disease and obesity, diabetes and other illnesses.
Employment and working conditions
Being in good employment is protective of good health. Unemployment and poor quality employment contribute to poor health, getting people in work is of critical importance for reducing health inequalities. Jobs need to be sustainable and offer a minimum level of quality and protection from adverse working conditions that can damage health.
Income and social status
If you’re are in a low-socio economic group then your health will be comprised by such things as lifestyle choices (smoking) poor diet, lack of knowledge, low income which will result to not being able to afford healthy food or a gym membership. Dampness in homes can lead to growth of dust mites and moulds which can cause respiratory problems and asthma. With more income in a household and a high class family, will prevent these affects, instead healthier food can be bought, and they would be more educated about the risks of lifestyles behaviours.
Healthy child development
A healthy child development would benefit a child in their older stages. With the advantage of being brought up will healthy and ideal food, also in a healthy clean environment, a child’s development is bound to be successful. Poor parenting will affect a child, socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually. Adequate stimulation and nutrition are essential for developing during the first three years of life. To reach their potential, young children need to spend time in a caring, responsive environment that protects them from neglect and inappropriate disapproval.
The black report
The black report was the result of the inquiry. This produced hard evidence of considerable social class differences in health experiences. It was demonstrated that although overall health had improved since the introduction of the welfare state, there were widespread health inequalities. The Black Report showed that there had continued to be an improvement in health across all the classes during the first 35 years of the National Health Service but there was still a correlation between social class and infant mortality rates, life expectancy and inequalities in the use of medical services.
Pass Five – Describe methods of promoting and protecting public health.
Aim of promoting and protecting public health
- Improve the health of the nation
- Reduce health inequalities
Improve the health of the nation
The government could devote a bigger % of the school curriculum to physical exercise. Hopefully, this would encourage school children to get into good habits which they will later in life. Advertising campaigns to change behaviour may work in the long term, e.g. advising on dangers of cigarettes and alcohol and encouraging the benefits of physical exercise.
Reducing health inequalities
The Government gave a commitment in The NHS Plan to establish national health inequalities targets which would narrow the gap in health status in childhood and throughout life; this included
- Starting with children under one year, by 2010 to reduce by at least 10 per cent the gap in mortality between routine and manual groups and the population as a whole
- Starting with local authorities, by 2010 to reduce by at least 10 per cent the gap between the fifth of areas with the lowest life expectancy at birth and the population as a whole
- Reducing smoking and improving nutrition in pregnancy and supporting teenage parents
- Tackling poverty and low income: for example, by increasing the national minimum wage and by reforming tax credit and welfare payments
- Improving educational and employment opportunities
- Rebuilding local communities
Developing programmes to reduce risk and screen for disease for early on
Attempting to reduce the levels of ill health by introducing new programmes which identifying people as being ‘at risk’ of n condition and engaging them with preventable programmes.
Health activities/eductation
- Healthy eating campaigns
- Government standards for school lunches
- National no smoking day
Standard for school lunches
The school food (SFT) was commissioned in 2005 to advise ministers on standards for food in schools. These standards will apply to school lunches and other food provided in all local authority maintained schools in England. Jamie Oliver stepped into schools, and made a big difference, sweets, crisps and fizzy drinks disappeared from vending machines and healthy food such as 5 a day and vegetables were implemented.
Healthy eating campaigns
The government – 5 a day programme aims to increase fruit and vegetable consumptions by; raising awareness of the health benefits, improving access to fruit and vegetables through targeted action. ‘Change4Life’ is exposing the ‘hidden nasties’ in everyday foods and helping people to be food smart. ‘Changes 4life’ have joined forces with a range of food manufactures and ITV to host their first ever health-focused break.
Specific protection
- Immunisation
- Disease surveillance
- Screening
Screening
Screening can be defined as ‘the identification of unrecognised disease or defect by the application of tests, examinations and other procedures which can be applied rapidly. Screening tests sort out apparently well people who may have a disease from those who do not.
Pass Six – Identify appropriate methods of preventation/contract for a named communicable disease and non-communicable disease.
Communicable disease; Swine flu, STD
Swine flu
Swine flu is an infection caused by any one of several types of swine influenza viruses. In the past, swine flu outbreaks mainly affected people who had direct contact with pigs. For most people, swine flu is a mild illness; however some groups of people are more at risk of serious illness if they catch flu.
Sexually transmitted disease
The government recognised a steady rise in rates of both gonorrhoea and Chlamydia. There are areas of considerable concern with chlamydiable cause of inferrity of women. Sexuality transmitted diseases are illnesses that have a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of sexual contact.
There is particular concern about the numbers of very young people contracting , 57% are under 25s and there has been an increased in Gonorrhoea in girls from the age of 15 to peak at the age of 18.
Meningitis
Is a disease resulting from a bacterial infection caused by an organisation, which causes an inflammation of the lining of the brain. The disease is usually spread in droplets being coughed and sneezed into the air. Someone with bacterial meningitis will require urgent treatment in hospital. If they have severe meningitis, they may need to be treated in an intensive care unit.
MRSA
Is a bacteria found on the skin or in the nose of health people it is usually harmless although may get into the body and cause boils or even blood poisoning Staff was their hands before and after contact patients with MRSA should keep away from other patients. Staff should wear gloves and gowns which are discarded when leaving the room, all areas should be regularly and thoroughly cleaned.
Salmonella poisoning
Salmonella infections can be prevented by ensuring that all food is thoroughly cooked and that high standards of hygiene are maintained. The salmonella bacteria, attacks the stomach and intestines. In more serious cases, the bacteria may enter the lymph tracts, which carry water and protein to the blood, and the blood itself.
Non-communicable disease
The major cause of ill health associated with skin care is malignant melanoma or skin cancer. Skin cancer is distributed in the reverse patterns to other forms of cancer both regionally and by social class
Diabetes
In 2006, according to the world health organisation, at least 171 million people worldwide suffered from diabetes. The greatest increase in prevalence is Africa and Asia, where most patients will likely to be found by 2030. Africa and Asia has an increase in prevalence as their food contains a lot of salt which can result in diabetes and also other illnesses.
Stroke
Stroke is when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted. The part of the brain with disturbed blood supply no longer receives adequate oxygen and brain cells death or damage can result, impairing local brain function.
References;
Btec Level 3 student handout book , book 2 – Heinemann 2003
