Health Issues

 

Major Health Problems of Today’s Fast-Changing World

The health requirements of individuals worldwide are the main emphasis of global health. Global health issues, such as measles, malaria or malnutrition, are specific to each regional population, but they can also impact other groups globally. Although communicable and contagious diseases are the most prominent global health issues. Many other factors that affect global health include political and economic instability, income and social inequality, a lack of education and work opportunities, shortage of food and medicine, calamities, changes in weather and more. In today’s fast-changing world, every aspect is the main reason for major health problems. It encompasses a wide range of social, cultural, economic and environmental elements. This article is about the health challenges and issues of today’s rapidly changing world.  

Global health 

Global health has a significant impact on every population. All are inextricably linked as humans. The health of the environment, animals and people worldwide affects the health of each individual. There have been many advantages to the rise in international travel, trade and communication in recent decades, but there are drawbacks as well, especially when it comes to health. People moving about makes it easier for contagious diseases to spread easily, which can result in pandemics or even epidemics. For instance, COVID-19, which was a serious worldwide health concern, spread until it affected every country around the world. Not every issue pertaining to global health is associated with human mobility. For example, obesity, which is a major worldwide health burden, has nothing to do with contagious infections.  

What are health problems? 

Health problems arise when the body’s normal metabolism is disrupted by various factors such as lifestyle choices, diseases and pathogens. Metabolism refers to the biochemical process that allows the body to grow, reproduce, repair damage and respond to the environment. When these processes are impaired, it can lead to health issues. 

7 Common health issues affecting the majority of the population 

Communicable disease: Communicable or contagious diseases are the ones that spread from one person to another. They are global diseases, but not every disease leads to death and disability. The major reason for this disease to spread is the lifestyle, like not maintaining hygiene, eating junk food with minimum hygiene, a complete change of lifestyle and human activities, lack of immunity power and many more. Some examples of communicable diseases are malaria, HIV, neglected tropical disease, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, COVID-19, Ebola virus and many more. 

Malnutrition: Hunger is one of the main global health issues despite significant improvements in food security. Due to many natural disasters and economic inequality, hunger leading to malnutrition is a major health issue. Malnutrition is not only caused by hunger, but many factors like human negligence, not following a healthy diet, poverty and lack of education and information also lead to malnutrition. 

Environmental health: Environmental pollution has a major impact on human health. Polluted air causes many illnesses and millions of deaths. Polluted water poisons both humans and animals. For example, contaminated or polluted water causes waterborne diseases like malaria, dengue, food poisoning, etc., and polluted air leads to cough, cold, flu, fever and other infectious diseases. In addition, climatic changes also impact human health. 

Mental health: As more individuals seek help and recognise the significance of mental well-being, mental health has grown in prominence. They are becoming more prevalent globally, with more people receiving diagnoses for illnesses like bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression. Understanding what mental disorder is is crucial before exploring the reasons for the rise in mental disease. Mental disorders have an impact on a person’s thoughts, feelings and actions. These disorders can be caused by a number of factors, such as life experience, environmental variables and heredity. The everyday life of an individual is significantly impacted by mental illness, which can range in severity from moderate to severe. 

Injuries and hospitalisation in the elderly: Falls remain the major issues of injuries, hospital admissions for trauma and injury-related deaths in this age group. One in every three seniors experiences a fall each year. To mitigate these risks, strategies such as exercise to improve balance and strength medication follow-ups are crucial. In addition, ensuring home security is vital to prevent injury risks. Having accessible home-based fire prevention devices is critical, as people aged 65 and older are twice as likely to die in a home fire compared to the general population.

Diabetes: Diabetes poses significant health problems characterised by elevated blood glucose levels. The condition is often referred to as a silent killer due to its asymptomatic nature at early stages. Diabetes is also increasingly affecting children as young as 12, driven by poor lifestyle choices and unhealthy eating habits. However, the impact of diabetes can be reduced when diagnosed at early stages and adhering to proper lifestyle changes. 

Hypertension: Hypertension is a prevalent medical issue which is the primary cause of brain strokes and heart attacks. This condition is often linked to physical inactivity and unhealthy lifestyle choices. Engaging in regular exercise, following a proper diet and regularly monitoring blood pressure can help manage hypertension effectively.