Health
Health is the state of physical and mental well-being.
ill health is caused by disease. There are two types of disease:
1.Communicable disease
2.Non communicable disease
The word disease, think of as “dis-ease”. It means that something has gone wrong with our physical (body) or mental (mind) well being.
Poor health can result from disease, and having poor health can make you more likely to get diseases.
Communicable disease
A communicable disease is an infectious disease spread between organisms and it is caused by pathogens.
A pathogen is a disease causing microorganism e.g. bacteria, virus, fungi or protist.
An example of a communicable disease is malaria, this is caused by a protist.
Non communicable disease
A non communicable disease is a non infectious disease.
An example of this is high blood pressure or coronary heart disease.
Other factors that affect our health
Factors including diet, stress and life situations may have a significant effect on both physical and mental health.
Diet
We need to eat a balanced diet, where each of the food groups are eaten in the correct proportions.
If our diet is unbalanced then our health could suffer. If there is not enough vitamin C in our diet, we could experience a deficiency disease called scurvy.
Stress
Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain that can affect the body’s normal functioning.
Stress can contribute to heart disease (by raising blood pressure).
It can also increase the risk of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety.
Life Situations
A person’s life situation can affect their physical and mental health because it influences diet, stress, environment, and access to healthcare.
1. Diet and nutrition
Poor diet (too much or too little of certain nutrients) can cause disease.
Example: Not enough vitamins/minerals can lead to deficiency diseases (like scurvy or rickets).
2. Access to medical care
People who can’t easily see a doctor or afford treatment may stay ill for longer or develop more serious diseases.
3. Housing and environment
Damp, overcrowded, or polluted housing can increase the risk of respiratory diseases (like asthma).
Clean water and sanitation reduce the spread of infectious diseases.
3.Financial situation
Low income can mean poor diet, stress, or limited healthcare access — all of which harm health.
4.Stress and mental health
Long-term stress (from work, relationships, or money problems) can weaken the immune system and make illness more likely.
5.Culture and lifestyle choices
Smoking, drinking alcohol, lack of exercise, and poor sleep can all damage health over time.
Disease Interactions
Different diseases can interact together, resulting in a negative outcome for the health of the patient.
1.Defective immune system:
If a person suffers from HIV, they will have a weakened immune system and will produce a weakened immune response to pathogens if infected. As a result, the person is more susceptible to infectious diseases.
2. Some viruses can cause cancer
The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) can increase the risk of females developing cervical cancer. This is because the virus infects cells of the cervix and causes mutations to the DNA.
3. Immune reactions
An immune response to a pathogen can trigger allergies such as skin rashes and asthma. This is normally due to overstimulation of the immune system.
4. Severe physical ill health can lead to depression and other mental illness.
If a person has a chronic (long term) physical condition such as constant pain, it can cause the person to develop depression.
Practice Questions
1.State the definition of health.
2. Describe the difference between a communicable and non communicable disease
3. State 3 factors that can affect our health.