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INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH, Schemes and Mind Maps of Public Health

Indira Gandhi National Open UniversityPublic Health

Introduction about public health system

Typology: Schemes and Mind Maps

2023/2024

Uploaded on 09/01/2024

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Epidemic, Endemic, Pandemic: What are the Differences?
The novel coronavirus pandemic is the perfect model for understanding what exactly a pandemic is and
how it impacts life on a global scale. Since the emergence of COVID-19 in 2020, the public has been
bombarded with new language to understand the virus and the subsequent global public health response.
This article will uncover the factors that make a pandemic and how it differs from epidemics and endemics.
WHAT IS AN EPIDEMIC?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes an epidemic as an unexpected increase in
the number of disease cases in a specific geographical area. Yellow fever, smallpox, measles, and polio are
prime examples of epidemics that occurred throughout American history.
Notably, an epidemic disease doesn't necessarily have to be contagious. For example, West Nile fever and
the rapid increase in obesity rates are also considered epidemics.
In broader terms, epidemics can refer to a disease or other specific health-related behavior (e.g., smoking)
with rates that are clearly above the expected occurrence in a community or region.
WHAT IS A PANDEMIC?
The World Health Organization (WHO) declares a pandemic when a disease’s growth is exponential. This
means growth rate skyrockets, and each day cases grow more than the day prior.
In being declared a pandemic, the virus has nothing to do with virology, population immunity, or disease
severity. It means a virus covers a wide area, affecting several countries and populations.
WHAT IS AN ENDEMIC?
An endemic is a disease outbreak that is consistently present but limited to a particular region. This makes
the disease spread and rates predictable.
Malaria, for example, is considered an endemic in certain countries and regions.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PANDEMICS AND EPIDEMICS?
The WHO defines pandemics, epidemics, and endemics based on a disease's rate of spread. Thus, the
difference between an epidemic and a pandemic isn't in the severity of the disease, but the degree to
which it has spread.
A pandemic cuts across international boundaries, as opposed to regional epidemics. This wide geographical
reach is what makes pandemics lead to large-scale social disruption, economic loss, and general hardship.
It's important to note that a once-declared epidemic can progress into pandemic status. While an epidemic
is large, it is also generally contained or expected in its spread, while a pandemic is international and out of
control.
CAUSES OF DISEASE OUTBREAKS
Several factors contribute to the outbreak of infectious diseases. Contraction can occur as a result of
transmission from people, animals, or even the environment. For example:
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Epidemic, Endemic, Pandemic: What are the Differences?

The novel coronavirus pandemic is the perfect model for understanding what exactly a pandemic is and how it impacts life on a global scale. Since the emergence of COVID-19 in 2020, the public has been bombarded with new language to understand the virus and the subsequent global public health response. This article will uncover the factors that make a pandemic and how it differs from epidemics and endemics.

WHAT IS AN EPIDEMIC?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes an epidemic as an unexpected increase in the number of disease cases in a specific geographical area. Yellow fever, smallpox, measles, and polio are prime examples of epidemics that occurred throughout American history. Notably, an epidemic disease doesn't necessarily have to be contagious. For example, West Nile fever and the rapid increase in obesity rates are also considered epidemics. In broader terms, epidemics can refer to a disease or other specific health-related behavior (e.g., smoking) with rates that are clearly above the expected occurrence in a community or region.

WHAT IS A PANDEMIC?

The World Health Organization (WHO) declares a pandemic when a disease’s growth is exponential. This means growth rate skyrockets, and each day cases grow more than the day prior. In being declared a pandemic, the virus has nothing to do with virology, population immunity, or disease severity. It means a virus covers a wide area, affecting several countries and populations.

WHAT IS AN ENDEMIC?

An endemic is a disease outbreak that is consistently present but limited to a particular region. This makes the disease spread and rates predictable. Malaria, for example, is considered an endemic in certain countries and regions.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PANDEMICS AND EPIDEMICS?

The WHO defines pandemics, epidemics, and endemics based on a disease's rate of spread. Thus, the difference between an epidemic and a pandemic isn't in the severity of the disease, but the degree to which it has spread. A pandemic cuts across international boundaries, as opposed to regional epidemics. This wide geographical reach is what makes pandemics lead to large-scale social disruption, economic loss, and general hardship. It's important to note that a once-declared epidemic can progress into pandemic status. While an epidemic is large, it is also generally contained or expected in its spread, while a pandemic is international and out of control.

CAUSES OF DISEASE OUTBREAKS

Several factors contribute to the outbreak of infectious diseases. Contraction can occur as a result of transmission from people, animals, or even the environment. For example:

 Weather conditions. For example, whooping cough occurs in spring, whereas measles tend to appear in the winter season.  Exposure to chemicals or radioactive materials. For example, Minamata is a disease contracted after exposure to mercury.  The social aftermath of disasters such as storms, earthquakes, and droughts can lead to high disease transmission.  A number of environmental factors such as water supply, food, air quality, and sanitation facilities can catalyze the spread of infectious diseases. Disease origins can also be unknown. These kinds of diseases could be caused by a variety of factors, including:  A new or newly modified pathogen  Natural toxins  Undetected chemical releases  Unknown ionizing radiation over-exposure The field of epidemiology works to trace these unidentified outbreaks to the source in an effort to protect public health and safety.

NOTABLE PAST PANDEMICS

The current COVID-19 outbreak is not the only disease to have impacted the world on a global scale. Here are just a few examples of past pandemics that have shaped the evolution of outbreaks and human immunity. The Black Death (1346 - 1353): The Black Death caused an estimated death of 25 million people across the world in the 14th century. According to scientists, the outbreak was caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis. This Bubonic Plague lasted for about four years.

American Plagues (16th Century): A cluster of Eurasian diseases brought to the Americas by

European explorers, smallpox was one of the chief illnesses of the American Plagues, which

contributed to the collapse of the Inca and Aztec civilizations. Some estimates suggest that 90%

of the indigenous population in the Western Hemisphere was killed off as a result.

The Flu Pandemic (1889 - 1890): New transportation routes made possible in the industrial age made it easier for influenza viruses to spread widely in the United States and beyond. In the span of months, influenza travelled around the globe, with the earliest cases reported in Russia. The virus spread rapidly throughout St. Petersburg before quickly making its way through Europe and the rest of the world, despite

the fact that air travel didn't exist yet, leaving 1 million people dead in its wake.

Spanish Flu (1918 - 1920): Another massive disease outbreak was the influenza pandemic, popularly called Spanish flu. This viral pandemic began in 1918, immediately following World War 1. Over 50 million deaths were recorded during this outbreak, with the disease lasting only two years. The Asian Flu (1957 - 1958): The Asian Flu pandemic, which was a blend of avian flu viruses, began in China and eventually claimed more than 1 million lives. The CDC notes that the rapidly-spreading disease was reported in Singapore in February 1957, Hong Kong in April 1957, and the coastal cities of the United States in the summer of 1957. The total death toll was more than 1.1 million worldwide, with 116,000 deaths occurring in the United States.