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Welcome to Unit 6

Communicable Diseases

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Unit 6 Required Reading

Chapter 7: Communicable Diseases

Pages 99-109

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What is a Communicable Disease?

Communicable disease is a virus or bacteria

that is transmitted by way of:

• Person to person

• From animals or the physical environment to humans through a variety of ways

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Burden of Disease

The burden of disease is “…an analysis of the morbidity and mortality produced by

disease” (Riegelman, 2010, p. 210).

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Burden of Disease

Some of the most serious communicable diseases to face this nation and the world:

• Tuberculosis (TB)

• 1918 pandemic Influenza

• HIV/AIDs

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Public Health Tools Required to Address the Burden of Communicable Diseases

• Barrier protections

• Screening and case finding

• Treatment and contact treatment

• Efforts to maximize the effectiveness of treatments and prevent resistance.

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Barrier Protections

Examples of Barrier Protections Include:• Hand-washing

• Bed nets • Condoms

• Masks• Isolation

• Quarantine

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Immunizations

Refers to the strengthening of the immune system to prevent or control disease and includes:

• Passive immunity• Inactivated vaccine

• Live vaccine• Herd immunity

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Screening and Case Finding

• Screening for disease

• Case finding

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Characteristics of Disease

• Animal reservoir• Persistence in the environment

• Long-term carrier state• Vaccination confers long-term immunity

• Herd immunity• Easily identified?

• Effective post-exposure vaccination

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A Look at the 1918 Influenza

Putting events into perspective• World War I killed approximately 16 million people; the

1918 influenza (in one year) killed approximately 50 million people

• Hardest hit; elderly and young children• Affected 25% of the United States population

• In just one year (1918), the average life expectancy in the United States dropped by 12 years.

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Course Final Project

Paper Requirements• Describe the historical figure you have selected

• Describe the historical era this figure lived and worked in• The steps or methods this person used to impact public health

(developed vaccine, sanitation, etc)• The overall impact on public health this figure had (include

statistics, health policies, etc)• Describe any obstacles, barriers or ethical dilemmas that were

overcome in the process.

• Explain how the advancements that were made then continue to affect today’s public health efforts on a local, national and

global basis

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Paper Format

• Title Page (1 page) • Proposal page (unit 2 assignment) Optional

• Outline (unit 5 assignment) Optional• Main Body (minimum 5 pages): This is the heart of your

paper (excludes cover page, proposal page, outline and reference page

• Reference List (1 page): All references that were cited in the text must appear here in APA format. Full credit will not be given should the reference list lack the minimum

number of three peer reviewed journal articles.

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Course Project

Further Details• APA format

• Each paragraph of your paper should have a minimum of one source citation (APA format)

• 1” margins• No bold print, no underlining, no photos

• Size 12 font, Times New Roman font style• Double space ENTIRE paper

• Paper is due by the end of Unit 9: no rough drafts can be submitted for review; however, you can contact me any

time with questions or problems that may arise

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Final Course Project

Reference Page Details• References are to be listed in alphabetical order

• Double space • Only the first line of each reference begins at the margin,

all other lines are indented 8 spaces• The titles of book are placed in italics, the titles of

journals are also placed in italics.• Tips for citing and referencing a variety of sources has

been placed in the Doc.sharing area of the classroom.

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Unit 6 – In My Backyard

• Hospital: When a patient(s) infected with communicable diseases (influenza, MRSA, TB, etc) are admitted to the facility for treatment, what protocol is used to protect non-infected patients admitted for care? What precautions are taken to protect visitors to the facility and how are staff protected from becoming infected?

• Physician’s office: When a patient(s) with a communicable diseases (influenza, MRSA, TB, etc) come into the office for treatment, what protocols are in place to protect out patients seeking outpatient treatment there? Are there separate rooms for “sick visits” and wellness check-ups? How are staff protected? Are exam rooms cleaned after each patient’s visit and are waiting rooms clearing on a daily basis?

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Unit 6 To-Do-List

• Complete the required reading• Submit an original response to discussion board

and the In My Backyard forum by midnight Saturday

• Respond to a minimum of 2 classmates’ posts for both forums by noon Tuesday

• Continue working on your final course projects• Email or call me with any questions or concerns