Screening for Breast Cancer: A Case Study on Measuring Health and Potential Threats

Population Health
Screening

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
BODY..............................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
.......................................................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Screening refers to a process of measuring health of an individual or population,
that might at risk of disease. Early, in 19th century, due to improper sanitation, impure
water and inappropriate diet, were the main leading causes of death, that arise
infectious disease (Woo and et. al., 2017). But today, as per PHE (Public Health
England) analysis, the most occurring diseases that increase death rate and reduce life
expectancy are non-communicable one. It includes cancer, heart disease, stroke,
influence, leukaemia, dementia and Alzhemier's disease etc. Therefore, to improve life
expectancy, it is essential to measure health of an individual and a population group, so
that causes behind same can be reduced to prevent others (Finn and et. al., 2016).
Under the present report, a case study is taken on a 65-year old woman, who is
suffering from breast cancer. For measuring health of this patient, an analysis is done
on regarding potential threat of cancer, by taking a group of population of older age.
This would help medical professionals to find and treat types of cancer early, before it
causes symptoms and lead to death (Lagerlund and et. al., 2015). For this purpose,
Mammography test is used to screen breast cancer, where early detection helps in
reducing death of females over 40 to 74 years. But during ongoing test of screening,
some results shown that a person is having cancer even when they don't have same.
Such tests procedures could be harmful for health of a person as well, that makes them
unnecessarily anxious and stressed.
BODY
Health refers to a state of being free from injury or illness. According to World
Health Organisation (WHO), health can be defined as state of proper mental and
physical condition, not merely any absence of disease. Concerning on this definition of
health, measuring well-being condition of a person early, helps in providing better and
less treatment before a disease spreads (Konerman and et. al., 2017). Along with this, it
would aid professionals in reassuring a person if report is normal. For this purpose,
through national demographic and health surveys, some factors like increasing death
rate at early age due to some disease, infant mortality rate, etc. shows indicators of
health and disease of a population. Similarly, high or low blood pressure, obesity,
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uneasiness, low birth weight shows signs to measure health before occurrence of a
severe disease (Mavaddat and et. al., 2015). To identify health risks and trends in UK, a
data is taken from health profile of England 2017, that is conducted by PHE, as shown
below –
Leading causes of death rates in England (2015) –
(Major causes of death and how they have changed, 2017)
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Illustration 1: Major causes of death and how they have changed, 2017