Dimensions, Positives, and Negatives of Food Borne Illnesses
The environment plays a central role in the health of the general populace, especially due to the fact that a large number of individuals are exposed to it at any one time. One of the ways in which the environment continues too impact human health is through food borne illnesses. These are illnesses that are transmitted through food, and which are caused by pathogens found in the environment the food is prepared in, or the environment in which the animals and plants live (Henry, 2012). As such, food borne illnesses continue to pose serious threats to the health of the society, and they must be addressed and dealt with in an efficient and effective way.
While food borne illnesses are dangerous and at times fatal, one must also understand that these illnesses affect the society from a broad perspective, and in a way that is centered around some social and environmental factors. Currently, the possibility of food borne illnesses going untreated exposes a fair portion of the population to the possibility of suffering from food borne illnesses, and especially so where important health promotion behaviors such as observing hygiene are neglected. This is one of the most detrimental negative health effects caused by food borne illnesses (Choffnes, 2011). However, it must also be acknowledged that food borne illnesses are also of great benefit to the promotion and development of health and the health sector respectively. In terms of health, outbreaks of food borne illnesses provide researchers and health experts with the opportunity to collect valuable and first hand data that would prove essential towards improving their understanding of the illnesses in question. Seeing as food borne illnesses are specific and often rare in occurrence, these outbreaks are essential to understanding food borne illnesses, as well as developing the health care system in a way that ensures it is prepared for future outbreaks (Choffnes, 2011). By contributing towards the development of healthcare and medicine, food borne illnesses are both negative and positive insofar as their influence on the society is concerned.
Food borne illnesses are also known to have significant impact on the psychological health of individuals. In many cases, individuals suffering from food borne illnesses are known to report having been infected through avenues that they are familiar with. According to Doyle et al. (2015), this infection has been shown to actually result in a breach of trust from the patient, seeing as they are often infected through familiar surroundings. This could also cause undue stress on the individual, so much so that they could develop a mistrust and fear for situations that could result in a recurrence of the illness (Acheson, McEntire, & Thorpe, 2013). Additionally, it is worth acknowledging that food borne illnesses could be influenced by socioeconomic, cultural, and political factors. For instance, low socioeconomic status could possibly infer poor living standards, which could in turn result in poor hygiene and a low observation of health and health promotional behaviors (Henry, 2012). In such cases, being exposed to contaminated food becomes more likely, which thus increases the possibility of suffering from said illnesses.
The same case can be said of cultural factors. In some cultures, there may be a tendency for individuals to either observe low hygiene practices or to mix a variety of foods in their cuisines. The mixing of foods is particularly a leading cause of food borne infections, seeing as contaminated food containing pathogens can easily contaminate the rest of the food, which could potentially result in the multiplication of harmful bacteria that might further contaminate the food in question (Acheson et al., 2013). Like many other health issues, food borne illnesses also have a political component. The negligence of health issues that could possibly cause outbreaks of food borne illnesses by politicians and public officials could result in the hospitalization and possible death of many victims of said illnesses. As such, it is vital to ensure that the above dimensions are addressed to minimize the possibility of said factors resulting in outbreaks of food borne illnesses.
Food Borne Illnesses and Chronic Diseases
The true scope of the effects of food borne illnesses can be understood by delving into the relationship between food borne illnesses and chronic diseases. This becomes a critical discussion point for this issue, seeing as some food borne illnesses are known to cause chronic diseases. This is based on the variable nature of the bacteria that cause various food borne illnesses (Doyle et al., 2015). In this way, the onset of food borne illnesses could very well be the onset of chronic illnesses that individuals have to struggle with for long periods of time. This is especially the case with illnesses that are known to relapse or remit. Some common examples of these illnesses include Intestinal Cryptosporidiosis, Cyclosporiasis, Listeriosis, and Hepatitis (Choffnes, 2011). All these diseases are food borne, and they also share the commonality of being known to relapse. While these illnesses are known as remitting in nature, the environment to which individuals are exposed may also contribute to the longevity and chronic nature of such illnesses (Henry, 2012). The possibility of suffering from a mix of various diseases has been cited as one of the most dangerous health situations than an individual can be subjected to.
Measurement of the Impact of Food Borne Illnesses on Health and Health Promotion
In order to fully understand the impact that food borne infections have on health and health promotion in the society, relevant data must be collected (Doyle et al., 2015). In such a case, it would be essential to first identify the common factors that surround outbreaks of food borne illnesses such as presence of contaminants, poor hygiene practices, and inadequate health amenities. By analyzing these factors and their relationship to food borne illnesses, the impact of said food borne illnesses can be assessed.
Secondly, collecting data on the number of victims in such regions will prove vital to understanding food borne illnesses (Choffnes, 2011). Additionally, it will prove vital to establishing linkages, if any, between victims of food borne illnesses. By assessing the victims for common factors such as socioeconomic class, areas of residence, cultural practices, and political affiliations, this measurement approach is bound to provide a holistic perspective on food borne illnesses (Doyle et al., 2015) and the impact that they have on health and health promotion within the society.
Outcomes and Evaluations
First, I would like to see a decrease in the amount of food borne illness cases. This outcome can be measured through collecting data on food borne illness patients from health facilities in the region. A decrease in this number would indicate the presence of successful interventions.
Secondly, I would like to see improved health conditions within the most vulnerable environments that bear a risk of causing food borne illnesses. This outcome can be measured easily through environmental assessments of these environments and areas, to ensure that the likelihood of said environments causing food borne illnesses are decreased.
Lastly, I would like to see an improved application of health principles and health promotion behaviors in the at-risk populations, to ensure that they take appropriate measures to limit the occurrence of said illnesses. One such behavior would be observing hygiene during food handling and preparation. This outcome would prove more difficult to measure compared to the previous ones, but it could be measured through conducting surveys to assess the awareness of at-risk populations on food borne illnesses, and how they can prevent them in their societies.
References
Acheson, D., McEntire, J., & Thorpe, C. (2013). Foodborne Illness: Latest Threats and Emerging Issues, an Issue of Infectious Disease Clinics. Philadelphia: Elsevier.
Choffnes, E. R. (2011). Improving Food Safety Through a One Health Approach: Workshop Summary. Washington, D.C: National Academies Press.
Doyle, M., Erickson, M., Alali, W., Cannon, J., Deng, X., & Ortega, Y. et al. (2015). The Food Industry’s Current and Future Role in Preventing Microbial Foodborne Illness Within the United States. Clin Infect Dis., 61(2), 252-259. doi.10.1093/cid/civ253
Henry, J. (2012). Advances in Food and Nutrition Research: Volume Sixty-Seven. Waltham, Mass: Academic Press.