Diseases and Conditions

Diseases and conditions is a very broad topic in that the terminologies generally refer to conditions that cause the following signs or symptoms in human beings:

• distress
• dysfunction
• pain
• social problems
• and even death

It can also include the following:

• deviant behavior
• disabilities
• disorders
• infections
• injuries
• structures and functions that have atypical variations
• symptoms
• syndromes

Disease is normally addressed in a variety of manners such as global implications, social impact, and the transmission thereof.  In 2002, the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted research in the study of the global impact of diseases.  The study focused on the following six classifications:

1. AIDS
2. cardiovascular
3. perinatal
4. psychiatric
5. respiratory
6. unintentional

Additionally, the study also targeted the segregation of various regions by virtue of high and low mortality rates.  In countries having high mortality rates, respiratory afflictions were the leading cause of death, while cardiovascular was the main killer in the countries deemed to have lower mortality rates.

Significant economic and social implications can result when the disease or condition impedes the ability to function and live normally in a societal setting.  Living with disease is always very difficult whether it is terminal or not.  Contagion and infection are the key aspects were the transmission of diseases and conditions is the focal point.