Socially significant diseases are a pathology that is characterized by a fairly high prevalence among the population and serious treatment costs. However, it can lead to a significant deterioration in the condition of patients and limit their physical capabilities.
About the list of socially significant diseases
It was approved by the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 715 of 12/01/04 as amended by the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 710 of 7/13/12. This regulatory document regulates the list of socially significant diseases. Among them:
- Sexually transmitted infections.
- Tuberculosis.
- Viral hepatitis B and C.
- Malignant neoplasms.
- HIV
- Diabetes.
- Diseases characterized by high blood pressure.
- Behavioral and mental disorders.
All these diseases bring a huge number of problems, both social and financial. Successful struggle with them is one of the factors of health and development of society.
Sexually transmitted infections
Such diseases pose a serious danger to the whole society, as they affect the population of young and middle age. That is, that part of it that forms the main budget of the state. For this reason, health care institutions, the sanitary service, as well as many state and non-state organizations, actively prevent socially significant diseases of this type. The most effective forms of such work are as follows:
- social advertising on billboards, as well as in the media;
- distribution of leaflets and booklets among the population;
- shares with the free distribution of protection against sexually transmitted infections (condoms);
- systematic educational work with the provision of information to the population about such diseases, means of protection against them (directly in educational institutions, as well as in workplaces);
- screening of people of the most vulnerable age.
Among the most common diseases of this type, syphilis and gonorrhea should be noted. HIV in connection with its danger is highlighted in a separate column of the list.
Tuberculosis
This socially significant disease is one of the most dangerous. It is special for the reason that its causative agent Mycobactérium tuberculósis is extremely widespread, especially among the population of large cities.
Despite the fact that tuberculosis has been known since the time of the Egyptian pharaohs, there are still no truly effective means to combat them. Modern medicine uses techniques for the simultaneous use of a large number of special antibiotics, which have serious side effects. Patients with pulmonary tuberculosis are treated from several months, up to 2-3 years.
With these socially significant diseases, the fight is carried out using a range of preventive measures. Among them:
- Sanitary-educational work among the population.
- Conducting screening studies as part of the clinical examination (fluorography).
- Compulsory treatment of patients evading TB care.
- Providing food packages to reduce relapse in patients who have already had tuberculosis.
- Limiting the list of professions available to people suffering from a socially significant disease of this type.
Thanks to these measures, in developed and developing countries, it is gradually possible to limit the increase in the incidence of tuberculosis.
Viral hepatitis B and C
There are several options for the spread of these diseases. Among them:
- with blood transfusion;
- through a syringe;
- from mother to baby during pregnancy;
- during sexual intercourse.
Viral hepatitis C is especially dangerous, since in 70-80% of cases it becomes chronic. Without proper treatment, the pathological process can lead to the development of cirrhosis of the liver, effective means of combating which today does not exist.
Malignant neoplasms
Such types of pathology are one of the most dangerous varieties of socially significant diseases. The world health development program in the 21st century assigns a special role to the fight against them. This is largely due to the serious danger of malignant neoplasms, as well as the growing incidence of pathology of this form.
Currently, there are a huge number of programs and funds that provide assistance to patients with cancer. In order to timely identify such a pathology, each resident of the Russian Federation must undergo timely preventive examinations as part of the medical examination. If such diseases are detected in the early stages of their development, patients have good chances of recovery.
As for prevention, then in the case of this group of pathology, we are talking about:
- health education among the population about the factors contributing to the development of malignant neoplasms;
- work with the population to build a commitment to a healthy lifestyle;
- activities to create conditions in the workplace that are not conducive to the formation of cancer.
Given that malignant neoplasms develop when the activity of their own cells in the human body is disturbed, it is unlikely that such a pathology can be prevented in the coming decades. Currently, scientists are betting on the development of effective drugs that can overcome the tumor process, ensuring a person's full recovery.
HIV
Along with malignant neoplasms, this pathology is one of the most serious. The fight against it is of particular importance to society in connection with the fact that it affects mainly the young population and middle-aged people. The causative agent of the disease is the human immunodeficiency virus. It can be transmitted as follows:
- sexually;
- when injected with used needles;
- with blood transfusion;
- from mother to baby during pregnancy and childbirth.
A few decades ago, this disease was transmitted mainly by injection. To date, the main route of spread of the human immunodeficiency virus is sexual. The highest probability of infection with an anal act, as it is more traumatic.
The danger of a socially significant disease of this type has forced the World Health Organization to develop effective measures to prevent its spread. Of these, the following are implemented on the territory of the Russian Federation:
- Actions in which condoms are distributed free of charge to the population (most often the organizer is the Red Cross).
- Providing drug addicts with syringes for free.
- Conducting educational events in educational institutions.
- Implementation of systematic work to prevent HIV infection in health facilities. We are talking about measures before using donated blood (transfusion is carried out only after testing for major infectious diseases, including HIV).
- Screening studies.
- Perform a free anonymous HIV diagnosis.
- Organization of direct and hot lines, anonymous telephone counseling on infection routes and HIV treatment organization.
Despite the measures taken, today this socially significant infectious disease is spreading more and more widely. Moreover, over time, the age of first-identified patients becomes higher. In many ways, this may be due to more active preventive work with young people.
Diabetes
This socially significant disease is most common in developed countries. Gradually, the number of patients with this diagnosis is increasing in the Russian Federation. A constant increase in blood glucose can gradually destroy the vascular wall. Particularly affected are those that have a small caliber. As a result, the vision and activity of the kidneys may be impaired, which leads to an increase in blood pressure. As the disease develops, the patient begins to lose sensitivity of the skin of the hands and feet. Subsequently, microcirculation of the lower extremities can be disturbed to such an extent that the syndrome of "diabetic foot" develops. It leads to gangrenous changes and the need to remove affected tissue.
As a result, patients with diabetes mellitus, especially those who shy away from therapeutic measures, in 10-12 years from the manifestation of the disease often go to disability. As a result, such a pathology fits perfectly with the concept of a socially significant disease.
High Blood Pressure Ailments
Today, both in Russia and in the world as a whole, the main cause of death is the pathology of the cardiovascular system. The most important factor leading to the development of serious diseases of this profile is constantly high blood pressure. Such a pathology contributes to the development of the following dangerous diseases:
- myocardial infarction;
- acute cerebrovascular accident;
- cardiomyopathy;
- coronary artery disease;
- arrhythmias of various types and others.
Currently, the prevention and treatment of socially significant diseases of this type is the cornerstone in the activities of outpatient health care facilities.
Behavioral and Mental Disorders
The incidence of such a pathology is also constantly increasing. Probably the reason for this is the increased diagnostic capabilities, as well as the ever increasing demands on the person himself from the public. A huge amount of money is spent annually on the treatment of such diseases. A feature of pathology is a partial or complete loss of a person from public life in the presence of such a socially significant disease, which means additional costs for relatives and / or the state.
Understanding of the issues
Forces of one state regulation, as well as medical workers of budgetary organizations, cannot cope with these diseases. Allocating them to a separate list, as well as active educational work, is aimed at creating public awareness of the dangers of this pathology for both each person individually and for society as a whole. As a result, public organizations (both governmental and non-governmental) are able to take on a certain role in preventing the occurrence of such ailments and partial assistance to people suffering from them, which brings a closer solution to the problems associated with these diseases.
Further tactics
Currently, socially significant diseases are a worldwide problem. As a result, the World Health Organization has already developed a plan for the coming years to combat each type of such pathology. These programs have already shown their effectiveness. Not all of them allowed turning the tide towards a decrease in the incidence rate, however, due to their implementation, the level of disability gradually decreases and the duration of active life in patients with socially significant pathology increases.
About the activities of funds
In order to help patients with certain diseases of public interest, special funds are created. Their sponsors are often wealthy individuals or organizations. Thanks to their funds, annually a large number of patients undergo specialized treatment using the best domestic and foreign methods.
To form an interest in this type of patronage, the government of most countries of the world, including the Russian Federation, applies preferential taxation schemes to the "donors" of such funds.