3 Preventable health conditions
As already mentioned in Session 2, preventable health conditions can be communicable or non-communicable. Table 2 summarises some of the main differences between communicable and non-communicable conditions that are preventable; as well as including some examples of specific conditions.
| Preventable health conditions | |
|---|---|
Communicable: conditions which are passed on by micro-organisms and parasites |
Non-communicable: not passed on through contact with micro-organism; caused by poor diet, physical inactivity, lifestyle and poor dental hygiene |
Infectious diseases such as poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough; common cold and influenza Parasites and infestations include worms and head lice |
Examples:
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Activity 1 Communicable health conditions in babies and children
Before you read on, take a few minutes to think about why children are experiencing communicable health conditions, and what you think is, or could be, done to prevent them from affecting children’s health. You may find the table below helpful to summarise your thoughts.
Communicable health conditions in babies and children
| What can be done to prevent the spread of this communicable condition? | Any other comments/thoughts you may have | |
|---|---|---|
Infectious conditions: Polio Typhoid Diphtheria Colds/influenza Viral or bacterial infections causing diarrhoea and vomiting Any others? |
||
Parasites and infestations Headlice Threadworms Malaria Any others? |
The following sections return to some of the content that you have already read about in Session 2. The focus in this session will be to learn more about these conditions and explore what can be done to prevent them.