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In epidemiology, a risk factor or determinant is a variable associated with an increased risk of disease or infection. [ 1 ] : 38 Due to a lack of harmonization across disciplines, determinant , in its more widely accepted scientific meaning , is often used as a synonym.
The 6 pillars of lifestyle medicine.. Diet and lifestyle are major factors thought to influence susceptibility to many diseases. Substance use disorders, such as tobacco smoking, and excessive consumption of alcohol, and a lack of or too much exercise may also increase the risk of developing certain diseases, especially later in life.
People living in poverty are at an increased risk of cancer incidence and mortality, with annual death rates being 12% higher in countries living in poverty. [103] Globally, two out of three cancer deaths are attributed to lifestyle and behaviors such as smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity, and insufficient cancer screenings. [ 104 ]
Chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity and cancer have become the most common and costly health problems in the United States. In 2014, it was projected that by 2023 that the number of chronic disease cases would increase by 42%, resulting in $4.2 trillion in treatment and lost economic output. [136]
The term arose in the context of infectious disease research, in contrast to "organism factors", such as the virulence and infectivity of a microbe. Host factors that may vary in a population and affect disease susceptibility can be innate or acquired. Some examples: [1] general health; psychological characteristics and attitude; nutritional state
Being female is the single greatest risk factor for developing autoimmune disease than any other genetic or environmental risk factor yet discovered. [ 23 ] [ 24 ] Autoimmune conditions overrepresented in women include: lupus , primary biliary cholangitis , Graves' disease , Hashimoto's thyroiditis , and multiple sclerosis , among many others.
The Plague of Athens (c. 1652 –1654) by Michiel Sweerts, illustrating the devastating epidemic that struck Athens in 430 BC, as described by the historian Thucydides. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines epidemic broadly: "Epidemic refers to an increase, often sudden, in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in that population in ...
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". [1] [2] Analyzing the determinants of health of a population and the threats it faces is the basis for public health. [3]