NURS 4530 Active Learning Guide Module 3 - Hard

Disease Example: Malaria

• Malaria is caused by the Plasmodium parasite, transmitted to humans via mosquito bites.
• Key prevention strategies include controlling stagnant water where mosquitoes breed to reduce vectors.
• Use of insect repellent and distribution of antimalarial medications among at-risk populations are effective measures.

Natural Life History of Common Cold vs. Influenza

• Common cold progresses through phases: exposure, incubation, symptomatic, recovery, or death; interventions vary at each stage.
• Pre-pathogenesis focuses on strengthening immunity through hand hygiene, contact avoidance, and nutrition for better host health.
• Pathogenesis involves hand hygiene and avoidance of face touching to limit virus transmission during the asymptomatic phase.

Colon Cancer Screening Recommendations

• Annual colorectal screening is advised starting at age 45, with methods including fecal immunochemical testing or colonoscopy once every 10 years.
• Screening past age 75 relies on individual health and previous screening history; recommendations may vary.

Public Education on Colorectal Cancer Screening

• Initiate tests at age 45 and employ diverse teaching methods regarding risks and individualized screening.
• Emphasize varieties of diagnostic techniques, including invasive and noninvasive options.

Reliability and Validity in Screening Tools

• Reliable tests yield consistent, repeatable results; valid tests accurately measure the outcomes with sufficient sensitivity and specificity.
• Variability in studies across populations should show consistent associations between smoking and heart diseases.

Environmental Health Overview

• Major environmental health areas include air quality, toxins and waste management, climate effects, water quality, and community living conditions.
• 16% of global deaths are attributed to environmental factors, highlighting the importance of environmental health initiatives.

Areas Affected by Environmental Health Issues

• Built Environment: Issues like secondhand smoke and urban crowding affect health.
• Work-related Exposure: Hazards such as asbestos or X-ray exposure can cause significant illnesses.
• Water Quality: Man-made pollution and contamination pose severe health risks.

Biomonitoring

• The CDC’s National Biomonitoring Program researches environmental chemicals to identify health impacts and inform policy.
• An example is the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, guiding public health decisions.

Toxic Substances and Health Risks

• Lead exposure, particularly dangerous for children under six, often results from lead-based paint, leading to cognitive and behavioral issues.
• Mercury exposure primarily affects pregnant women and young children, commonly through fish consumption, causing nervous system damage.

Toxicology Insight

• Toxicology studies how chemical exposures affect human, animal, and environmental health.
• Key aspects include determining exposure levels, potential harm, and the dose-response relationship to identify thresholds for toxicity.

Environmental Health and Nursing

• Environmental health encompasses factors affecting human health, including physical, chemical, biological, social, and psychological aspects.
• Crowded conditions increase the transmission of infectious diseases, while certain environments heighten the risk of vector-borne illnesses (e.g., mosquitoes, ticks).
• Air pollution can exacerbate respiratory conditions such as asthma, and specific materials like asbestos are known human carcinogens.
• Environmental tobacco smoke poses health risks even to non-smokers, highlighting the need for holistic nursing education in environmental health.

Epidemiology in Nursing

• Epidemiology plays a crucial role in determining population-based screenings and identifying public health issues, such as the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer.
• Surveillance is a key component of epidemiology, as demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Nurses utilize epidemiological methods to investigate health trends and outbreaks, using a structured approach.

Outbreak Investigation Steps

• Outbreak investigations follow a sequence of steps:
  • Verify the outbreak exists.
  • Define cases and their criteria.
  • Collect and analyze data.
  • Formulate and test hypotheses.
  • Implement interventions based on findings.
  • Communicate results effectively.

Environmental Justice

• Environmental justice addresses the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on marginalized communities, often referred to as NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) phenomena.
• This social movement highlights inequities in exposure to environmental harm, necessitating community involvement in problem definition and solutions.

Foodborne and Waterborne Illness

• Foodborne illnesses continue to affect population health, with historic advancements in safety like pasteurization countered by issues from mass food production.
• Clean municipal water systems have significantly reduced waterborne illnesses, yet millions in the US still fall ill annually, predominantly from acute otitis externa and norovirus.

Indoor Air Quality

• Poor indoor air quality can lead to significant health issues, including:
  • Radon exposure leading to lung cancer.
  • Mold and secondhand smoke causing respiratory distress and asthma.
• Common indoor air pollutants include carbon monoxide, lead, asbestos, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Chikungunya Virus

• Chikungunya is transmitted by mosquitoes; symptoms include fever and joint pain, typically appearing 2-12 days after exposure.

AIDS Pandemic Overview

• Initial AIDS-defining illnesses included Pneumocystis Pneumonia (PCP) and Kaposi’s Sarcoma, first reported in 1981.
• The disease primarily affected young gay men, with early cases clustered in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.
• The AIDS epidemic began in Central Africa and spread to the US via Haiti; identifying groups at risk involved understanding behaviors and medical practices.

HIV and AIDS Treatment Advances

• HIV was identified as the virus causing AIDS in 1984, targeting CD4 cells of the immune system.
• The first drug approved for HIV treatment, AZT (Zidovudine), emerged in 1987, which hindered viral replication but did not cure the virus.
• Public health efforts included widespread education led by figures like Surgeon General C. Everett Koop.

Epidemiological Responsibilities

• Roles in epidemiology involve data gathering, environmental monitoring, laboratory diagnostics, and public health interventions to address diseases.
• Engagement in local outbreaks, as exemplified by the CDC's investigative forms, is essential for practical application in nursing.

Common Waterborne Illnesses

• Waterborne diseases sicken approximately 7 million people in the US yearly, with about 6,600 deaths linked to these illnesses.
• Giardia is a prevalent waterborne parasite with two life stages; the active trophozoite stage and the dormant cyst stage, which poses an infection risk.
• Legionnaires’ disease is transmitted through droplets and primarily causes pneumonia, highlighting the importance of safe water supply management.