N116 Unit 1 Lesson 1

The study of body function

study of the body's response to dysfunction/disease

-cellular and organ changes that occur with disease
-the effects these changes have on total body function
-mechanisms of underlying disease
-provides background for preventative & therapeutic health care measures and practices

acute/chronic illness that one acquires or is born with (congenital) that causes physiologic dysfunction in one or more body system

-biologic agents (bacteria, virus)
-physical forces (trauma, burns radiation)
-chemical agents (poisons, alcohol)
-nutritional excesses/deficits

how the disease process evolves
-sequence of cellular & tissue events that take place from time of initial contact with etiologic agent until ultimate expression of a disease
-e.g. radiation exposure, alcohol use

changes to fundamental structure/form of cells/tissues
-characteristic of a disease process
-most common in study of tissues
-studied by tissue samples, imaging (e.g. cellular alterations in cancers)

things that YOU observe in order to diagnose disease
-body is trying to compensate

reported by individual experiencing it

designation as to the nature or cause of a health problem
-careful history and physical examination
-diagnostic testing to confirm

obtain a person's account
-contribute 73% diagnostic information

assess for signs of altered body structure/function
-contribute 94% of diagnostic information

each test has a normal and abnormal range to measure from
-e.g. lab work, imaging

extent to which an observation, when repeated, gives the same result
-e.g. equipment calibration, user error

extent to which a measurement tool measures what it is intended to measure (best possible method)

likelihood or how well the test or observation identifies people with or without a disease

evolution of a disease

relatively severe, but self-limiting (short)

intermediate or between acute and chronic: not as severe as acute but not as prolonged as chronic

implies continuous, long-term process
-can run a continuous course
-exacerbations and remissions

aggravation of symptoms and severity of the disease

period during which there is a decrease in severity and symptoms

study of patterns of disease occurrence
-if a disease occurs vs. how it occurs
-patterns include age, race, dietary habits, lifestyle, geography

number of new cases arising in population at risk during a specified time
-number of new cases of a disease by the population at risk for development of the disease during the same period

measure of an existing disease in a population at a given point in time
-both new cases and how long the cases remain in the population

effects and long term consequences an illness has on a person's life

describes causes of death in a given population
-may be described according to age, sex, race, ethnicity

injuries, suicide, cancer

circulatory system diseases, cancer, respiratory diseases

observe a group of people followed over a period of time to observe one or more specific health outcomes

single time point of information for classification of exposure and outcome status
-compares the prevalence of a disease in those with the factor (or exposure) with the prevalence of a disease in those who are unexposed to the factor

compare people known to have the outcome of interest (cases) and those known not to have the outcome of interest (controls)
-information on exposures/characteristics of interest are then collected from people in both groups

removing risk factors, so disease does not occur e.g. immunization

detecting disease whens still curable e.g. pap smears

preventing further deterioration or reducing complications of disease e.g. antibiotic use

conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients

-algorithms
-written directives
-combination of both