Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026
05:34
Auricular Acupuncture as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Combined with Sleep Disorders
Published on: August 18, 2023
Chronic diseases: the silent global epidemic
1University of Salford, Salford, UK.
British Journal of Nursing (Mark Allen Publishing)
|December 9, 2008
Summary
Chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease, and diabetes, are the leading causes of death globally. Addressing these non-communicable diseases (NCDs) requires urgent action, including political activism by nurses.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Epidemiology
- Public Health Policy
Background:
- Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the primary cause of mortality in industrialized and developing nations.
- In 2005, NCDs accounted for 58 million deaths globally, encompassing cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease, and diabetes.
- Despite the known preventability and significant healthcare burden of NCDs, global and national responses remain inadequate.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive global overview of chronic diseases (NCDs).
- To examine the influence of globalization as a key factor in NCD epidemics.
- To highlight the essential role of nursing in health promotion, disease prevention, and advocating for systemic change through political activism.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of global health data on NCDs.
- Analysis of the relationship between globalization and NCD prevalence.
- Exploration of nursing's role in public health advocacy and policy reform.
Main Results:
- NCDs represent a major global health crisis with substantial mortality.
- Globalization significantly impacts the rise and spread of NCD epidemics worldwide.
- Nurses are crucial in advocating for policy changes and promoting health on a global scale.
Conclusions:
- Urgent and comprehensive strategies are needed to combat the global burden of NCDs.
- Political activism by nurses is vital for driving reforms in the global economic order to address NCDs.
- Integrating health promotion and disease prevention into policy is essential for mitigating the NCD epidemic.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-I: Introduction
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a long-lasting respiratory condition requiring continuous attention and care. It is a progressive lung disease that leads to breathing challenges due to airflow obstruction. It manifests as persistent respiratory symptoms and restricted airflow resulting from abnormalities in the airways and alveoli, usually due to long-term exposure to harmful particles or gases. COPD mainly consists of two primary conditions: emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
01:23Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease I: Introduction
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a common, preventable, and treatable respiratory disorder characterized by persistent symptoms and progressive airflow limitation. This limitation results from a combination of small-airway disease (obstructive bronchiolitis) and parenchymal destruction (emphysema), both driven by chronic inflammation from exposure to harmful particles or gases.The disease includes two main pathological entities: emphysema, marked by destruction of alveolar walls and...
01:17Other Pulmonary Disorders
Respiratory disorders encompass a range of conditions with varying levels of severity. Asthma, marked by chronic airway inflammation and hypersensitivity, is one such condition. It can lead to airway obstruction due to factors like bronchial spasms, mucosal edema, increased mucus secretion, or epithelial damage. Asthma triggers are diverse, ranging from allergens to emotional upset, and treatment focuses on both immediate relief through bronchodilators and long-term inflammation suppression.
01:28Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence
Infectious diseases appear in populations through various transmission patterns, influenced by pathogen characteristics, population immunity, environmental conditions, and social behavior. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective public health surveillance and intervention. These categories—sporadic, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, and endemic—help frame the nature and scope of disease events.Sporadic diseases occur irregularly and infrequently, without a predictable temporal or...
01:25Chronic Kidney Disease I: Introduction
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) arises when the kidneys progressively lose their ability to function, ultimately leading to end-stage renal disease. At this advanced stage, the kidneys can no longer filter waste or maintain essential body functions, requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) through dialysis or a kidney transplant for survival.Early-stage chronic kidney disease and detection challengesIn CKD's early stages, symptoms often remain absent because healthy nephrons compensate for...
01:30Hypertension III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Hypertension is asymptomatic and also referred to as the "silent killer" until it progresses to a severe stage or causes target organ disease. Patients may experience symptoms stemming from the strain on blood vessels and tissues in various organs or the heart's increased workload.Physical exams might show no abnormalities other than high blood pressure. Signs of vascular damage, when present, correspond to the organs supplied by the affected vessels, leading to target organ damage. For...