WoW Health Focuses on Major Health Issues

As a citizen, you can be aware of some of the most pressing public health issues facing the nation. Obesity and heart disease are both growing concerns, as is inactivity, which is associated with the development of many other diseases including diabetes, stroke, and dementia. Although raw statistics may provide a basic idea of ​​what is happening in our society, they rarely provide a full picture. That is why the WoW Health focuses on prevention-based initiatives and education programs in order to combat these major health concerns.

Global health

The global health agenda is a complex set of issues that include a range of policy arenas, including the management of interdependence and globalization, the addressing of growing inequalities within and between nations, and development strategies. The global health agenda is particularly complex in that health is often an inevitable result of other global crises, and poorly managed health issues impact the whole society. In fact, global health failures can lead to epidemics, which have demonstrated the disastrous economic costs of poor health governance.

Despite their complex nature, global health issues have prompted governments to create new forums that include the health ministries, foreign affairs, security, and economics. Such collaboration requires health experts to combine technical knowledge and negotiating skills with an understanding of geopolitical constellations and economic and trade implications. Moreover, some countries have implemented formal global health strategies and initiatives. The WHO is just one international venue for health policy debate. Other venues for global health debates include the World Trade Organization and the Group of Twenty.

Pandemics

The term "pandemic" refers to disease outbreaks that affect populations around the world and are spread through human-to-human contact. Pandemics tend to be new, easy-to-transmit pathogens that have devastating social, economic, and political effects. Lee Jong-wook, former Director-General of the World Health Organization, argues that pandemics do not recognize national boundaries and can weaken many societies at once.

The World Health Organization defines a disease as a pandemic if it spreads rapidly, cuts across national boundaries, and is associated with significant social and economic loss. A pandemic can be a virus that first spread in animals, but has since infected humans. Small clusters of cases are not considered pandemics, although some do spread from human to human. These types of outbreaks often recur.

Environmental challenges

Pollution has become a global concern, with a direct impact on human health. The increase in greenhouse gases, which trap heat from the sun, has increased the temperature of our oceans, affecting marine habitats and ecosystems. Mass floods and freak weather events are also linked to rising sea levels. Fortunately, there are solutions to many of these issues. One such method is education. By educating people about environmental issues and reducing their impact, we can prevent these problems from affecting our health.

According to the World Health Organization, pollution causes more than 12 million premature deaths every year. While the exact contribution of these factors is not known, they are responsible for a significant proportion of these deaths. Many environmental issues affect poor communities and people who have limited access to health care. The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) lists climate change as the greatest threat to human health in the 21st century. A fact sheet explains how these changes may affect health.

Prevention

Primary prevention is the practice of reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases through behaviour, environmental exposure, and medical interventions. For example, it may include dietary changes that promote good health, and vaccinations that improve resistance to diseases. Some of these techniques involve individual participation and others are passive, but the focus is generally on specific risk factors. These include obesity, physical inactivity, and smoking. Some primary prevention approaches include both. Listed below are some examples of how to promote preventive care.

Primary prevention is a public health approach to improving public health. It involves taking actions that prevent or reduce known health hazards in the population. Prevention measures focus on broad determinants of health, rather than individual exposure to risk factors. Examples of preventive interventions include improving sanitation, promoting healthy lifestyles in childhood, and using green energy approaches. In addition, primary prevention efforts focus on reducing health disparities, which can include obesity and smoking.

Solutions

The Children's Health Awareness Program in Schools (CHAPS) has partnered with GW's American Medical Physiology Club to host a conference focused on innovative solutions to major health issues facing the United States. The conference will feature a panel discussion featuring CHAPS founder David Goldberg and representatives from health organizations and sectors. During the second half of the conference, students will compete to develop the most innovative solutions for major health issues . Winners will receive an internship with Virginia State Sen. Barbara Favola.