Behavioral Risk Factors in Adolescence

Access

• Access is the potential or actual entry of a population into the health system
• Factors influencing access include travel, distance, waiting time, financial resources, and availability of regular care
• Accessibility also refers to the extent a public health service is readily available to those in need
• Accessibility involves the agency's ability to provide services that reflect and respect the social and cultural characteristics of the community
• Agencies focus on reducing barriers to service utilization

Assessment

• Assessment involves collecting, analyzing, and using data to educate and mobilize communities
• Priorities, resources, and action plans are developed to improve public health
• Behavioral risk factors are behaviours linked to accidents, injuries, disease, and death, particularly during youth and adolescence
• These factors also relate to significant morbidity and mortality in later life
• This is a recommended category for inclusion in Community Health Profiles

Benchmarks

• Benchmarks serve as points of reference or standards against which measurements are compared
• In the context of public health, a benchmark is an accurate data point used to reference future comparisons; similar to a baseline

Communicable Disease

• This category includes diseases that commonly spread through person-to-person contact or shared contaminated instruments/materials
• Many of these diseases can be prevented through protective measures, such as high levels of vaccine coverage for vulnerable populations

Demographic Characteristics

• Demographic characteristics of a jurisdiction include measures of the total population, broken down by age group, gender, race, ethnicity, and location
• Tracking the rate of change in population density over time, due to births, deaths, and migration, is also included

Disease

• Disease is a state of dysfunction in organs or systems that can diminish quality of life

Endemic

• Endemic diseases are prevalent in, or peculiar to, a particular geographic area or group of people

Epidemic

• An epidemic is a substantial increase in cases of a specific disease, exceeding what would normally be expected in a particular area

Evaluation

• Evaluation is a systematic and objective process to determine the relevance, effectiveness, and impact of activities
• Evaluation identifies actions to address health problems

Evidence

• Evidence refers to facts or testimony that supports a conclusion, statement, or belief

Foodborne Illness

• Foodborne illness is caused by the transfer of disease organisms and/or toxins from food to humans

Health Indicator

• A health indicator is a measure that reflects or shows the health status of a specific population, such as the infant mortality rate.

Health Promotion

• Health promotion facilitates people to take control and improve their own health

Health Status

• Health status refers to the current state of a particular population
• This includes measures of morbidity, mortality, and available health resources

Incidence

• Incidence (incidence rate) is the number of new cases of a disease or event in a population within a specific period of time

Infectious

• Infectious diseases are caused by the entrance of living organisms (bacteria, viruses, etc.) into the body, which multiply and cause infection

Infectious Diseases

• Infectious disease is caused by a living organism that can be passed from person-to-person, animal-to-person, or insect-to-person

Intervention

• Intervention is the act of modifying or altering a condition, process or situation
• In public health, interventions focus on delivering benefits to populations and individuals

Morbidity

• Morbidity is illness or poor health caused by disease, disability, or injury

Mortality

• Mortality is a measure of the number of deaths within a population

Outbreak

• An outbreak is a significant increase in cases of disease in a specific location or group, exceeding the expected number

Prevention

• Prevention in public health involves actions to reduce exposure to risks, prevent illness, and stop disease from worsening

Public Health

• Public health is a group of organized interdisciplinary efforts to improve, promote and restore public health
• Public health actions include assessment, policy development, and assurance to maintain and improve the well-being of the population through collective actions

Public Health Disasters

• Public health disasters are severe or catastrophic health events affecting populations in particular regions

Public Health System

• A public health system includes all entities (public, private, voluntary) contributing to the delivery of health services in jurisdictions
• These entities have a range of roles, relationships, and interactions, crucial to the well-being of the community/region

Quarantine

• Quarantine is the separation and confinement of individuals, groups, animals, and/or goods to prevent the spread of disease

Reportable Disease

• Reportable diseases are health conditions that are required to be reported to public health agencies when diagnosed within individuals

Screening

• Screening utilizes technology and procedures to differentiate individuals who show signs or symptoms of disease from those who are less likely to have the disease

Surveillance

• Surveillance involves the ongoing, systematic compilation, analysis, and interpretation of health data
• The goal is to use this information effectively in public health programs

Vectors

• Vectors are living organisms (animals, insects, etc.) that transmit diseases to humans

Vital Statistics

• Vital statistics are collected from certificates and reports relating to birth, death, fetal death, induced termination of pregnancy, marriage, and divorce, and other related reports

Vulnerable Populations

• Vulnerable populations are groups of people who face greater risk of poor health outcomes due to distinct characteristics, including but not limited to age, culture, disability, education, ethnicity, health insurance, housing status, income, mental health, and race

This quiz explores the concept of behavioral risk factors and their implications during youth and adolescence. It examines how these factors can lead to accidents and injuries, their significance in later life, and the role of benchmarks in public health initiatives. Test your understanding of these critical health concepts!