Health Care and Hygiene KPE162

Health Care and Hygiene

• The lecture was on Health Care and Hygiene, specifically for KPE162, on March 21, 2023.
• The lecture covered health care in Canada, health care interventions, self-examination, and personal hygiene.
• It emphasized taking responsibility for one's own health care.

Health Care in Canada

• Healthcare in Canada involves various professions with differing philosophies, education, skillsets, and scope of practice.
• Regulation of these professions varies based on provincial laws.
• Funding for healthcare is handled through a combination of federal transfers to provinces and additional funding from provincial/territorial taxes and user fees.

Health Care Philosophies

• Evidence-based healthcare prioritizes interventions proven effective through scientific methods.
• Theory-based healthcare relies on inferences and assumptions, and the interventions may not yet have been validated.
• Quackery and charlatanism involve promoting invalidated or unproven interventions.

Regulation of Health Care

• The Regulated Health Professions Act (ON 1991) defines controlled acts (e.g., prescribing medications, surgery) specific to professions.
• Different professions have Acts defining their scope of practice.
• Self-governing regulatory colleges (e.g., CPSO, CKO) set standards of practice and handle complaints and discipline.
• Many disciplines (e.g., athletic therapy, massage therapy) are not regulated.

Funding of Health Care

• The federal government provides funds to provinces and territories.
• Provinces and territories use their own taxes and user fees to fund additional healthcare services.
• Provinces decide what services they cover using public funding.
• Direct user fees cover costs not covered by public funding.
• Private insurance often covers services not provided in public hospitals.

Canadian "Medicare”

• Universal disease care insurance is available, but the specifics may vary from province to territory.
• Physicians are paid for services through OHIP.
• Some services are de-listed or considered unnecessary, and their fees are not covered.
• Public health care includes coverage for all services provided by hospitals.

Health Care Interventions

• Reactive health care involves visits with symptoms or signs of a disorder or pregnancy.
• Preventive health care includes scheduled/periodic checkups.
• The effectiveness of preventive care is questioned, needs to be evidence-based.

Lalonde Revisited

• The Lalonde 3x3 table of health interventions was reviewed.
• Questions about interventions being reactive or preventive, and their cost-effectiveness were prompted.

Some Important Reasons to see a Physician

• Possible signs of cancer (the 7 warning signs), fever exceeding 2 days, sore throat, chest pain, shortness of breath, and severe depression/suicidal thoughts are significant reasons to consult a physician.

Cancer's Seven Warning Signals

• Seven possible warning signs of cancer were listed e.g., changes in bowel or bladder habits, unusual bleeding, or discharge.

Preventive Care / Periodic Health Examinations

• Periodic health examinations (PHEs) with physicians (e.g., annual checkups) have been performed routinely, despite evidence of being cost-ineffective.
• The task force published evidence-based guidelines dependent on the individual's risk factors (age, sex, exposure, lifestyle, family history).

Some Unjustifiable Periodic Interventions

• Some tests and procedures, such as annual physician checkups, regular chiropractic adjustments, dental x-rays every 6 months, and routine blood tests, are not supported by evidence.

Evidence-Based Prenatal PHEs

• Prenatal checkups with physicians, midwives, or nurse practitioners, start and vary based on the pregnancy.
• Multiple outcome measures are closely monitored.

Evidence-Based Infant Preventive Care

• At birth, vital signs are evaluated using an APGAR score and other health assessments e.g thyroid assessment and vaccinations.
• Regular checkups and immunizations are key components of infant preventive care.

Evidence-Based Childhood Preventive Care

• Checkups at specific ages are vital for children.
• These include immunizations, growth, and development milestones assessments, and education on various health issues.

Evidence-Based Adult Preventive Care

• Adult preventive care focuses on routine exams and screening based on age and sex.
• Recommendations vary between women (breast exams, pap smears) and men (prostate exams).

Self-Examination and Hygiene

• Self-examination is crucial for early detection of several health issues.
• This is important for skin (ABCDS), breasts, testes, oral cavity, and excreta.
• Maintaining personal hygiene is essential, and the frequency and method of hygiene practices should be determined by personal factors.

Hygiene

• Integumentary hygiene includes bathing frequency, and use of soaps, detergents, and moisturizers.
• Oral hygiene includes teeth brushing and flossing frequency.
• Other hygiene practices were also mentioned.

This quiz covers key concepts from the KPE162 lecture on Health Care and Hygiene, focusing on the importance of personal responsibility for health care and the interventions available. It also discusses the diverse healthcare professions in Canada and the varying philosophies that guide healthcare practices. Test your understanding of these vital health topics!