Download Globalization of Disease

World Issues 120
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1. On your own, list at LEAST ten diseases
that can be fatal or have a profound impact
on one’s quality of life.
2. Expand your list by combining it with at
least two classmates.
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3. From your expanded list, choose 5
diseases that would, in your mind, be most
closely associated with 1st World countries.
4. Suggest one or more things that can be
done to reduce the likelihood of a person
suffering from these diseases.
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5. From your expanded list, choose 5
diseases that would be most closely
associated with 3rd World countries.
6. Suggest one or more things that can be
done to reduce the likelihood of a person
suffering from these diseases.
7. What differences do you see in your
answers to #4 and #6? Why do these
differences exist?
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Disease can generally be divided into 2 groups:
◦ Infectious - disorders caused by organisms — such as
bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites. Many organisms live in
and on our bodies. They're normally harmless or even
helpful, but under certain conditions, some organisms may
cause disease. Some infectious diseases can be passed
from person to person
◦ Lifestyle - (also sometimes called diseases of longevity or
diseases of civilization interchangeably) are defined as
diseases linked with the way people live their life. This is
commonly caused by alcohol, drug and smoking abuse as
well as lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating.
Infectious diseases are more common in developing
countries.
Lifestyle diseases are more common in developed countries.
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A disease that affects a large portion of the
population of many different countries at the
same time; the worldwide spread of a new
disease.
How many examples of pandemics can you
think of?
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78 million people have become infected with HIV
since the start of the epidemic (end 2015).
35 million people have died from AIDS-related
illnesses since the start of the epidemic (end
2015).
AIDS-related deaths have fallen by 45% since the
peak in 2005.
Sub-Saharan Africa has been most affected (more
than 2/3s live there) but the disease is definitely
global.
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The number of people living with HIV in Canada is
increasing.
◦ An estimated 75,500 Canadians were living with HIV at the
end of 2014.
◦ This increase is a result of both new HIV infections and
fewer deaths due to effective treatment options.
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The number of new HIV infections in Canada has
decreased slightly in the past several years but is not
insubstantial.
◦ An estimated 2,570 people became infected with HIV in
Canada in 2014.
◦ This is only slightly lower than the estimated 2,800 new
infections in 2011.
◦ The HIV incidence rate is 7.2 per 100,000 people living in
Canada.
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Relatively new – appears to have spread to
humans from chimpanzees in the 1950’s in Africa
At first, it was primarily associated with
intravenous drug users and homosexual men.
Now, however, victims are from all walks of life.
In Africa, many more women are infected than
men.
Using condoms is the cheapest and most effective
form of protection against the transmission of the
HIV virus during sexual contact.
◦ However, in most countries, condom use is minimal.
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In most countries, it is still difficult to talk
about.
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Ignorance can lead to a greater spread of the
disease.
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Many infected people are shunned, outcast,
or even murdered.
4 words describe society’s response:
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Silence
Stigma
Discrimination
Denial
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End the stigma & silence
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Work toward the ABC’s (more later)
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Empower women to say “no” to sex
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Treat HIV-positive pregnant women to
prevent transmission to the fetus
Improve testing & treatment programs
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Abstain – encourage people to become
sexually active later, and empower women to
say “no”
Be Faithful – stick to one partner
“Condomize” – encourage unprotected sex
ONLY when both partners have been tested
and are trying to have a baby.
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Continue supplying anti-retroviral drugs
(ARV’s) which can delay the onset of AIDS
Raise funds to continue searching for a cure
Accelerate research on vaccines (more focus
has been on treatment rather than
prevention)
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There is a clear link between obesity and
many of the diseases that are killers in
developed nations: heart disease, diabetes,
high blood pressure, strokes, certain cancers.
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Can also cause infertility.
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Approx. 1 BILLION adults worldwide are
overweight or obese.
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Increasingly, children are becoming obese as
well.
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How has caloric intake changed over the last
40 years?
◦ Globally - 450 kcal per capita per day
◦ In Developing countries - over 600 kcal
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What types of foods are being eaten more?
◦ More fat
◦ More added sugars
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What types are being eaten less?
◦ Less complex carbohydrates and dietary fibre
◦ Less fruit and vegetables
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As related to Demographic Transition Model
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Stage 1 – most people are undernourished
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Stage 2 – agricultural productivity increases,
people are in an ideal weight range
Stage 3 – Diets change quantitatively (how much)
and qualitatively (what types). People become
overweight or obese
Stage 4 – Focus on impact – medical intervention,
gov’t action, and behaviour changes.
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Lifestyles have changed from farming & heavy
labour to having many more labour-saving
devices.
Imagine completing the daily activities of
your household without the convenience of
modern appliances/machines. What would be
different?
Lifestyles have become more sedentary
(characterized by more time sitting).