Non-Communicable Disease Burden

Running head: NON- COMMUNICABLE DISEASE BURDEN
Non- Communicable Disease Burden
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NON- COMMUNICABLE DISEASE BURDEN
The term non-communicable disease (NCD) refers to those diseases that are silent
cause mortality to the population of world. Such disease includes stroke, heart diseases,
cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and all of these are leading cause of mortality in the
world. Moreover, in the world, it is observed that, the uncovered epidemic nature of this
disease is associated with the poor economic development of various countries of this world.
It is observed that, day by day the burden of the disease is growing and more number of
people and communities are affected by the NCDs. In the different countries of this world,
there are a few common causes of NCDs and they are mainly unhealthy eating behaviour, use
of excessive alcohol, practice of smoking, inadequate physical activity among people,
elevated body weight, hypertension, diabetes. In 2015, it was reported that, almost 40 million
people of this world died due to NCDs and among the total deaths, it is observed that 48%
deaths are reported from low and middle income countries of this world ( Ezzati et al. 2018).
However, there are a few diseases that are mostly associated with the enhancement of the
disease burden of world. It is reported that, epidemics of HIV, malaria, tuberculosis and
maternal and child deaths overshadowed the problems of other NCDs. In this essay, the
global evolution of NCDs in terms of changing burdens of NVDs, impact of NCDs on low
income countries, global challenges of NCDs are discussed in a brief manner.
The problem of NCDs are mainly impacting the low income countries and developing
countries of this world. Moreover this higher impact of NCDs on low and middle income
countries also promotes the rate of mortality in those countries. NCDs, specifically, the
cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and diabetes are primary concerns for public health in
different parts of the world and in most case, it is observed that the NCD related deaths are
due to those three aforesaid diseases. The risk factors of the common NCDs are associated
with poor diet, smoking behaviour, consumption of alcohol, and low physical activity among
people and that is the reason the impact of NCD is the highest on the low income countries.

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NON- COMMUNICABLE DISEASE BURDEN
Smoking behaviours is very common among the poor population of western pacific region
and as a result the older people and people with lower socio economic condition are become
vulnerable to have NCDs. In the low income countries, the poor people at the economically
productive age, have highest death rate. Not only, the poor unhealthy practices, but lack of
accessibility of treatment and preventive services of NCDs are also responsible for making
those population vulnerable to NCDs (Hosseinpoor et al. 2012). Report of WHO suggested
that, 80% of CVD related deaths and 87% of CVD related disabilities are associated with the
disease burden of low income countries of this world. In the western pacific region, 90% of
cancer patients and 7% of diabetes cases were reported from the developing countries.
According to the report of UN, it is observed that, NCD is associated with 63% of global and
deaths (World Health Organization 2009). According to the study of Ezzati et al.(2018), it is
reported that, the disease burden of NCDs in the low and middle income countries of tropic
region of this world is one of the key reasons for deaths in those countries. In 2016, the birth
expectancy at birth in low and middle income countries is almost 53 years in Sierra Leone.
One of the most crucial underlying causes of NCDs in low and middle income countries in
this world is the unhealthy diet of those people in this world and it is observed that, day by
day the eating practice of people is changing due to effect of urbanization. The changed diet
practice of people are directly contributing to the obesity and diabetes and in addition to this
risks of CVD is also promoted due to such practices. Poor economic condition of people in
poorest countries of Africa and 12% of population in India spends their day in a very low
cost. In this study by Ezzati et al. ( 2018), it is reported that, the poor people are mostly
facing the problems of NCDs due to their life styles, poor nutritional practices, problems of
water, sanitation, inadequate housing. In addition to this, the inadequate accessibility to
health care services, lack of primary cares, restricted use of technology due to their poverty
is another reason of being immensely affected by NCDs in low income countries of world.

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NON- COMMUNICABLE DISEASE BURDEN
Due toes their restricted accessibility to the health care services, the diagnosis process of
diseases are delayed for the poor people and it also enhances the cases of mortality among the
low income countries. The study of Hosseinpoor et al. (2011), investigated the impact of
smoking on NCDs in the low and middle income countries. It is believed that, smoking
practice is one of the major contributors of CVD, diabetes, obesity. In this study it is reported
that, the use of tobacco is one of the major causes of disability and premature deaths among
people of low and middle income countries. Generally it is observed that, the rate of smoking
is very much high among the lower income people and people with low level of education.
From study conducted in china, it is reported that the poor rural households’ people spends
10% of their total income, in buying cigarettes. The study result showed that, in low and
middle income countries, the practices of smoking is increasing with growing age and this
trend is observed till age of 5o years among both male and female. The woman of 50-59
years are more addicted to smoking behaviour than that of the age group of 18-29 years. In
another study by Hosseinpoor et al. (2012), investigated the problem of wealth and education
inequality in the low and middle income countries as a contributive factor to NCDs. In this
study, it is reported that, the higher prevalence of NCDs are associated with the lower levels
of education. For example, it can be mentioned that, comparatively lower level of formal
education can promote higher numbers of arthritis cases among patients. In another study, it
is reported that problem of asthma is mostly reported by the people of lower socioeconomic
condition. On the other hand, previous studies showed that, there is a significant relationship
in between the lower socioeconomic group and enhanced probability of having NCDs. In
this study by Hosseinpoor et al. (2012), it was found that, the prevalence of angina is highest
among all NCDs and there is absolute difference of angina prevalence among rich and poor
people of middle and low income countries. On the other hand, arthritis showed the weakest
relation with inequality. In the contrary, diabetes, has positive correlation with wealth