1. Turning to lifestyle-related diseases. Global health has changed dramatically in the last century. Until a few decades ago, infectious diseases like malaria and Ebola were major medical problems facing developing countries. However, an increased emphasis on prevention and vaccination, as well as aid programs from more developed countries, has reduced the spread of these infections. The past few decades have seen a shift in lifestyle-related diseases, even in developing countries. Diseases such as cancer, heart disease and mental illness are projected to surpass the likes of childhood malnutrition and infectious diseases as one of the largest contributors to the global burden of disease. Nurses in developed countries have seen this shift towards lifestyle diseases in recent years, but as global wealth increases, diseases are now becoming more prevalent in less developed countries as well. This suggests that health professionals must respond to the shift in global health approaches, as lifestyle-related diseases cannot be cured or vaccinated against. Dealing with issues like heart disease and cancer requires the education of people across the globe, and the causes of these diseases must be understood if they are to be prevented.
2. The continuing spread of HIV/AIDS. High and middle income countries are largely controlled by the spread of HIV/AIDS. Stopping HIV from becoming AIDS, public ****health campaigns, and preventive treatments that place greater emphasis on safer sex are all part of the effort to reduce the spread of the disease. However, low-income developing countries are still affected by HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS remains an epidemic in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly 66% of new infections are present. Although there are many transnational, governmental and non-governmental agencies concerned with stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS, it is still difficult to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS in these countries, especially those with unstable political climates. In fact, soldiers remain one of the main vectors of HIV/AIDS transmission in war-torn countries. WorldWatch estimates that nearly 20 percent of soldiers in sub-Saharan Africa are infected with HIV/AIDS, constituting the majority of the infected population in these regions.
3. GLOBAL ANTIBIOTICS - RESISTANT DISEASES The past ten or twenty years have given rise to a number of horrific illnesses, including SARS, avian influenza, the West Nile Virus, and infectious diseases such as Ebola and infectious viruses. As the world continues to grow more interconnected with easy travel by air, highly contagious diseases remain a huge threat to the globe and to countries with inadequate health infrastructures as a whole. While the world's first health care can provide relief from avian influenza, developing countries often do not have access to advanced medical equipment, leading to higher mortality rates. Drug-resistant strains of these diseases are also a concern, and overuse of antibiotics could lead to the development of superbugs that can resist common antibiotics. If highly advanced, infectious and drug-resistant diseases spread globally, the impact could be devastating, and even the world's number one country may not be able to handle the treatments needed to save lives. Preventive measures include close monitoring of outbreaks and research to combat drug-resistant epidemics, as well as government action to reduce the spread of epidemics.
4. Preventing gaps. Developing countries often lack infrastructure, which is where clean water needs to be provided, sewage channels built and good hygiene practices ensured. Despite progress in our societies, nearly half of the population does not have access to toilets and clean water. The best way to address this problem is to further invest in developing countries. Government funding for clean water and sanitation in low-income countries can yield significant benefits. If we want to increase the health of the global population, we must provide the people of these countries with everything they need to stabilize their environment and continue to develop. Whether you can donate a few dollars to organizations like UNICEF to help provide sanitation in low-income countries or help spread awareness of these issues, you should do everything you can to help alleviate and solve these problems.