NON-COMMUNICABLE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Human health conditions that are persistent and last for periods longer than three months are referred to as chronic conditions. These diseases include cancer, diabetes, obesity, asthma, alcohol abuse, chronic pulmonary diseases, and cardiovascular diseases, among others. In developing nations such as Indonesia and Guatemala, the rate of chronic ailments among its population has risen for the last 20 years. Notably, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are attributed to about 47 percent and 70 percent of all deaths in Guatemala and Indonesia, respectively. Separately, in developed worlds, such a France and United States NCDs contribute to about 88 percent of the overall deaths. Notably, NCDs appear to be prevalent in both developed and developing worlds. Most so, the growth of these diseases is primarily associated with environmental factors which tend to promote low physical activity, unhealthy diet, and smoking especially. Also, the rises in the rate of chronic ailments are associated with the change in societal behaviors and aging populations. Most interestingly, with the growth of the middle class and the acceleration of urbanization people are adopting a more sedentary lifestyle. In effect, increasing the rate of cases of obesity and enhance the growth of diseases such as diabetes. According to the world health organization (WHO), the prevalence of chronic diseases is expected to rise by about 50 percent by the year 2020. More disturbing, the organization predicts that emerging markets in developing worlds will be most affected such as Indonesia as its anticipated population growth in these regions
Historically, yellow fever, malaria, dengue, trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, louse-borne typhus, and other infectious diseases were the leading causes of human diseases and deaths. However, after several scientific discoveries especially on the transmission cycles of diseases such as malaria in the 1890s, yellow fever in 1900 and dengue in 1903, control and prevention programs measures were taken to control the diseases, overtime these diseases were not a public health challenge. However, a significant number of these infectious diseases reemerged in the 1970s. The resurgence has largely intensified, especially in developing worlds compared to developed ones in the last 20 years. The return of these communicable diseases can be attributed to two major factors. First, control measures that rely on short-term solutions such as the use of drugs and insecticides. Secondly, lack of financial support which led to the loss and reduction of public health infrastructures between the 1970s in developing countries. Notably, diseases such as tuberculosis, Malaria, bacteria diarrhea, typhoid fever, and hepatitis A have reemerged but were ignored, leading to an increase in the rate of infections among the populations.
A good example is the recent malaria epidemic in Indonesia that has attracted global organizations who have made significant efforts to help curb the situation by focusing on the health and welfare of pregnant women and children. Notably, due to lack of financial support and health care infrastructures, there is the inadequate treatment of various infectious diseases in most developing countries. More specifically, the people suffering from transmissible diseases are in their millions, but these people cannot access treatment. In fact, the cases of HIV infections are quite high, yet access to healthcare facilities is a challenge, impossible or incomplete.
Infectious and chronic diseases have had a huge significance in the rate of mortality rate in both developing and developed nations. In the United States, chronic diseases are attributed to about 88 percent of total deaths. Notably, the cardiovascular disease leads with about 31 percent while cancer is attributed to about 23 percent. On the other hand, chronic respiratory diseases are associated with about 8 percent, diabetes to about 3 percent and other NCDS to about 23 percent of all deaths in the United States. These chronic diseases have highly risen due to risk factors that include tobacco smoking, alcohol, and high blood pressure. Separately, the effect of infectious disease in developed nations such as the united states are relatively low compared to the developing countries. Nonetheless, contagious diseases such as HIV cause lots of deaths among the United States population. Notably, HIV is associated with millions of deaths in the United States and relatively way larger numbers in developing numbers.
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World Health Organization. (2015). World health statistics 2015. World Health Organization.
Beard, J. R., Officer, A. M., & Cassels, A. K. (2016). The world report on ageing and health.