Health Risk Detection
Almost all diseases have risk factors. Having a risk factor does not mean that you have the disease, but it does mean that you have a higher chance of developing it.
risk factors are characteristics, conditions, or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing a disease or sustaining an injury. Identifying our risk factors and taking action are two key ways to prevent illness and disease.
There are two main groups of diseases; one is called Noncommunicable diseases / NCDs and another one is called Infectious Diseases/CD. These two groups of diseases are very different in terms of their causes. Infectious diseases are associated with the transmission of disease, while non-infectious diseases, of course, are not contagious.
Research studies have shown a link between NCDs—such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes—and certain risk factors.The basis for NCD prevention is the identification of key common risk factors and their prevention and control. Risk factors refer to any attributes, characteristics, or exposures in an individual that increase the likelihood of developing an NCD.
In general, risk factors can be categorized into the following groups:
•Behavior
•Physiological
•Demographics
•Environmental
•Genetics
Behavioral risk factors are typically associated with the ‘actions’ individuals choose to take. Therefore, they can be eliminated or reduced through lifestyle or behavioral choices. Examples include:
• smoking tobacco
• drinking too much alcohol
• nutritional options
• physical inactivity
• spending too much time in the sun without proper protection
• Not having received certain vaccinations; having unprotected sex.
Types of Risk Factors
Behavioral Risk Factors
Behavioral risk factors are typically associated with the ‘actions’ individuals choose to take. Therefore, they can be eliminated or reduced through lifestyle or behavioral choices. Examples include:
• smoking tobacco
• drinking too much alcohol
• nutritional options
• physical inactivity
• spending too much time in the sun without proper protection
• Not having received certain vaccinations; having unprotected sex.
Physiological Risk Factors
Physiological risk factors are those related to an individual’s body or biology. They may be influenced by a combination of genetic factors, lifestyle, and other broader factors. Examples include:
• being overweight or obese
• high blood pressure
• high blood cholesterol
• high blood sugar (glucose).
Demographic Risk Factors
Demographic risk factors are factors related to the population as a whole. Examples include:
• age
• gender
• population subgroups, such as occupation, religion, or income.
Environmental Risk Factors
Environmental risk factors encompass a wide range of topics, including social, economic, cultural, and political factors, as well as physical, chemical, and biological factors. Examples include:
• access to clean water and sanitation
• workplace risks: air pollution
• social structures.
Genetic Risk Factors
Genetic risk factors are based on an individual’s genes. Some diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy, are entirely due to an individual’s genetic makeup. Many other diseases, such as asthma or diabetes, result from interactions between an individual’s genes and environmental factors. Still other diseases, such as sickle cell anemia, are more common in certain subgroups of the population.