Question

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2. Identify some non-communicable diseases. Why is screening tests necessary? How Can Screening for Disease Address the Burden of Non-communicable Disease? - pg. 130-137. Credit will not be given to those who copy posts from other students. Length: 1- 2pages.

Answer 1

Those diseases that are not transmitted from one person to another are termed as non-communicable diseases (NCD). Some of the key aspects of NCD are:

• They normally last for a longer period of time than communicable diseases.
• Genetic, physiological, environmental, and lifestyle factors can result in NCD.
• Lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet, harmful habits like smoking and use of alcohol, certain risks related to one’s occupation can all result in the development of some these diseases.
• These diseases can affect any one in all age groups, but are most commonly observed in older adults.

There are several types of NCD, some of which include

• Cardiovascular diseases like blood pressure, blood lipids, obesity, etc.
• Many types of cancers like breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, etc.
• Chronic kidney diseases
• Certain respiratory diseases like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary syndrome (COPD), cystic fibrosis, etc.
• Diabetes
• Autoimmune disorders
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression
• Crohn’s disease
• Eczema
• Epilepsy
• Psoriasis, etc.

NCD is estimated to kill 41 million people worldwide each year. Screening of NCD can help in early detection and in turn, early intervention and treatment that are highly helpful in preventing morbidity and mortality. Timely diagnosis can thus not only be helpful in treating the disease at the earliest but also help to control the risk factors that can further worsen the disease. Moreover, this can also help in preventing and reducing disease-related disability among people and ensure a smooth functioning of life.

Screening for NCD can address the issues related to the disease and ensure community involvement and patient empowerment. This can defend appropriate health delivery and governance and tackle the problems of NCD at the initial stage itself. This is highly beneficial since most of the NCDs remain silent in the initial stages and may require long term management if not addressed appropriately. In addition to this, screening of NCD can also prevent the development of other diseases both communicable and non-communicable related to it. For example, a serious NCD like osteoarthritis or Parkinson’s disease can lead to mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Apart from this, managing NCD at an advanced stage is certainly a burden for the patient as well as the family and so early detection is crucial. This can also decrease the burden of public health staff and increase the accuracy in diagnosis. Screening interventions in susceptible populations also help in facilitating implementation of several beneficial prevention programs that can not only be useful for the diseased but also for those people who are at risk of developing the disease.