What are the differences between modern and past health problems?
In the past, infectious diseases such as the plague and smallpox were the biggest health concerns. In particular, the absence of vaccines weren’t able to prevent infectious diseases, and also therapeutic drugs were not developed. So many people died because of the high mortality rate when infected with the disease. Around the 18th century, Edward Jenner developed the smallpox vaccine, and now deadly infectious diseases such as smallpox and the plague have disappeared from the world (Geng, 2022). Currently, there is also a problem of the spread of COVID-19, but unlike in the past, there is a lot of interest in diseases that can be caused by excessive nutrition. It also focuses on diseases that can occur due to environmental and physical stimuli and treatments for them.
What are the types of modern diseases?
Diseases associated with an aging society
With the development of science and medical technology, people’s lives are being extended, becoming an aging society. As life expectancy is extended, senile diseases are increasing. In particular, aging can lead to serious diseases such as cancer, chronic diseases, and diabetes due to weakened immunity. In addition, dementia due to aging of the brain can occur, and this dementia is one of the serious diseases because there is no cure yet (Vann, 2016). Therefore, the elderly need to remove risk factors through regular checkups and continuous management to prevent diseases.
A stress-related disease
We feel stressed when unexpected things happen, we don’t adapt to the environment, and bad things happen. A small amount of stress also has the advantage of improving concentration through tension, but excessive stress causes mental diseases such as depression. In addition, stress can lead to sleep deprivation insomnia, and if tension persists, stress-related hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol can increase heart rates and cause cardiovascular disease, which causes blood vessels to contract (Alexander, 2017). That is why we should relieve stress and stabilize our body and mind through exercise, removing stressors, and hobbies (Scott, 2021).
Diseases related to environmental pollution
Environmental pollution was caused by air pollution and forest destruction due to the increased use of coal oil, and through such environmental pollution, humans became sick. Air pollution causes lung-related diseases in humans. In addition, if children and the elderly with weak immune systems are continuously exposed to contaminated air, coughing and shortness of breath may occur, and lung function may be weakened (Lara, 2020). Also, if water is contaminated, it causes diseases such as cholera and typhoid (Mohanti, 2019). Water pollution problems can occur where clean water is not available, and children should be careful of contaminated water, especially because of the high mortality rate. So we must eliminate the causes that lead to environmental pollution, and try to prevent further serious pollution.
What are modern methods of treating diseases?
Nowadays, with the increasing number of diseases that can occur in humans, treatment methods have also diversified. Depression and mental problems associated with stress are treated in combination with psychological counseling and medicine. In addition, targeted therapy targeting specific cancers is used to prevent damage to normal cells (Rath, 2021).
Why should we care about these health problems?
A healthy and young person doesn’t worry about disease and doesn’t care because they think they won’t get it. However, many diseases that can be caused by stress can appear in young people, and we don’t know how or when diseases related to environmental pollution will come to us, so we have to prevent and prepare in advance.
Conclusion
In the past, infectious diseases were the biggest health problem, and in modern times, they are interested in diseases that can be caused by environmental and physical stimuli. In particular, in modern times, serious diseases can occur due to aging of society, stress, and environmental problems. In addition, if diseases were treated with drugs or surgery in the past, psychotherapy and target treatment for certain cancers are used in modern times to increase the cure rate. However, young people these days are less interested in diseases because they think they are healthy, but we don’t know when the disease will come to us, so we have to prevent and prepare in advance.
References
Alexander, R. (2017). Illnesses Caused by Stress. [online] EverydayHealth.com. Available at: https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/stress/illnesses-caused-stress/ [Accessed 4 November 2022].
Geng, C. (2022). Smallpox: History, cause, vaccine, and does it still exist? [online] www.medicalnewstoday.com. Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/smallpox#summary [Accessed 4 November 2022].
Lara, A.R. (2020). Air Pollution–Related Illness. [online] MSD Manual Consumer Version. Available at: https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-kr/home/lung-and-airway-disorders/environmental-lung-diseases/air-pollution%E2%80%93related-illness [Accessed 4 November 2022].
Mohanty, A. (2019). Water-Borne Diseases To Watch Out For This Monsoon. [online] Apollo Hospitals Blog. Available at: https://healthlibrary.askapollo.com/water-borne-diseases-to-watch-out-for-this-monsoon/ [Accessed 4 November 2022].
Rath, L. (2021). Targeted Therapy for Cancer: Types, Side Effects, and Costs. [online] WebMD. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/cancer/guide/targeted-therapy-cancer [Accessed 4 November 2022].
Scott, E. (2021). 17 Highly Effective Stress Relievers. [online] Verywell Mind. Available at: https://www.verywellmind.com/tips-to-reduce-stress-3145195 [Accessed 4 November 2022].
Vann, M. (2016). The 15 Most Common Health Concerns for Seniors. [online] EverydayHealth.com. Available at: https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/most-common-health-concerns-seniors/ [Accessed 4 November 2022].
