BTEC LEVEL 3 Tia Newell Page 1
Unit 12 - Public Health | Task 2 ( P3, P4, M2, D1)
P3 - Describe Current Patterns of ill health and how they are monitored
Ill Health - Ill health is a term used to describe someone who suffers from an illness or they keep
becoming sick. The main causes of ill health include physical work, drugs, diet, emotions and cli-
mate. Some examples of ill health are both mental and physical. Physical injuries include eye-
strain, some cancers and hearing loss. Mental illnesses include anxiety and stress.
WHO Definition + Role
According to WHO (World health organisation), ‘Health is a state of complete physical, mental and
social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’ (WHO Constitution, 1948)
There is one organisation that monitors health globally called WHO. WHO stands for world health
organisation. This organisation is responsible for monitoring data and improving the quality of
medicines and health products for the world. WHO also works with national governments to help
prevent and reduce the risk of communicable diseases that are spreadable, for example Covid-19.
The World Health Organisation ‘collects information about national and international health and
can make comparisons between countries’ Whitehouse, Mary; Billingham, Marilyn; Talman, Hilary;
McKie, Stuart; Author,, Mr. BTEC Level 3 National Health and Social Care: Student Book 2 (Level 3
BTEC National Health and Social Care) (p. 115). Pearson Education Limited.
Monitoring Health - In the UK, health in monitored by local authorities. Local governments collect
information and data from health and social care settings such as hospitals, clinics, dentists and
GP’s. The data that is collected is analysed and used to help find out what parts of an area are high
in specific health problems so they can help lower the numbers of conditions or illnesses in that
area by putting measures in place. This is done by the local governments sending this information
to Public Health England. The chief medical officer produces yearly reports about health, informa-
tion and measures that can be done to improve people’s health overall, for example exercise.
5 Big Killers + Evidence | The 5 big killers over the past 20 years in the UK are:
- Cancer
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Liver Disease
- Respiratory disease
According to the 2014 Living well for longer document by the government, in 2012, 62,000 people
passed away due to cancer, 33,000 people passed away due to cardiovascular disease,14,000 peo-
ple passed away due to respiratory diseases and 8,000 people passed away due to liver conditions.
It was noted that in the UK, 2 in every 3 people who are in the early stages of liver disease were
found to have small amounts of fat in the liver. Liver disease deaths in the UK rise every year and
has been on the rise since 2015. Between 2015 and 2017, around 26,000 people died prematurely
due to liver disease in England. The rate at the time was 18.5 per 100,000 people under 75 years
old.
,BTEC LEVEL 3 Tia Newell Page 2
In the living well for longer document it also states that ‘the main risk factors contributing to early
death and reduced quality of life compromise of smoking tobacco, having high blood pressure, be-
ing overweight or obese, lack of physical activity, excessive alcohol consumption’ ( Living Well For
Longer, 2014). On the diagram above, it shows a number of diseases from 2001 to 2015. This data
was collected from males in per 100,000. The red stands for heart disease. Heart disease was the
highest throughout the chart from 2001 all the way up to 2015. Even though heart disease deaths
decreased significantly, it was still the highest killer going from around 330,000 deaths in 2001 to
around 180,000 deaths in 2015. There are a number of heart diseases including coronary artery
disease, cardiovascular disease and cardiomyopathy. All of the heart diseases combined was one
of the most caused disease for men dying in the UK. All of the 5 big killers can be caused by diet,
genetic and lifestyle. For example smoking can cause a respiratory illness, too much alcohol con-
sumption can cause liver disease, a bad diet can cause coronary artery disease which is a type of
heart disease. According to cancer research, the expected deaths of all cancers combined rise each
year. From 1970 to 2016. In 1971 there are around 140,000 deaths caused by all different types of
cancer compared to 2016 with around 235,000 deaths. Thats a 95,000 difference. On the cancer
research website, it states that 164,901 passed away from cancer between 2015 and 2017 which is
a very high number.
, BTEC LEVEL 3 Tia Newell Page 3
The evidence above from 2010 shows what people died of that year alone. In total from all ages
nearly half a million people passes away from all causes. However this mind map chart also shows
the highest amounts of deaths with certain causes. This shows that the 5 big killers listed are the
most popular illnesses and diseases that kill people yearly in the UK alone. In the green, 141,446
people passed away from cancers and neoplasms. In the burgundy colour 158,084 people passed
away due to some type of circulatory illness from all ages. In the light blue, 67,276 people passed
away from respiratory diseases. Some of the most common respiratory diseases include asthma,
cystic fibrosis, pneumonia and bronchitis.
Unit 12 - Public Health | Task 2 ( P3, P4, M2, D1)
P3 - Describe Current Patterns of ill health and how they are monitored
Ill Health - Ill health is a term used to describe someone who suffers from an illness or they keep
becoming sick. The main causes of ill health include physical work, drugs, diet, emotions and cli-
mate. Some examples of ill health are both mental and physical. Physical injuries include eye-
strain, some cancers and hearing loss. Mental illnesses include anxiety and stress.
WHO Definition + Role
According to WHO (World health organisation), ‘Health is a state of complete physical, mental and
social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’ (WHO Constitution, 1948)
There is one organisation that monitors health globally called WHO. WHO stands for world health
organisation. This organisation is responsible for monitoring data and improving the quality of
medicines and health products for the world. WHO also works with national governments to help
prevent and reduce the risk of communicable diseases that are spreadable, for example Covid-19.
The World Health Organisation ‘collects information about national and international health and
can make comparisons between countries’ Whitehouse, Mary; Billingham, Marilyn; Talman, Hilary;
McKie, Stuart; Author,, Mr. BTEC Level 3 National Health and Social Care: Student Book 2 (Level 3
BTEC National Health and Social Care) (p. 115). Pearson Education Limited.
Monitoring Health - In the UK, health in monitored by local authorities. Local governments collect
information and data from health and social care settings such as hospitals, clinics, dentists and
GP’s. The data that is collected is analysed and used to help find out what parts of an area are high
in specific health problems so they can help lower the numbers of conditions or illnesses in that
area by putting measures in place. This is done by the local governments sending this information
to Public Health England. The chief medical officer produces yearly reports about health, informa-
tion and measures that can be done to improve people’s health overall, for example exercise.
5 Big Killers + Evidence | The 5 big killers over the past 20 years in the UK are:
- Cancer
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Liver Disease
- Respiratory disease
According to the 2014 Living well for longer document by the government, in 2012, 62,000 people
passed away due to cancer, 33,000 people passed away due to cardiovascular disease,14,000 peo-
ple passed away due to respiratory diseases and 8,000 people passed away due to liver conditions.
It was noted that in the UK, 2 in every 3 people who are in the early stages of liver disease were
found to have small amounts of fat in the liver. Liver disease deaths in the UK rise every year and
has been on the rise since 2015. Between 2015 and 2017, around 26,000 people died prematurely
due to liver disease in England. The rate at the time was 18.5 per 100,000 people under 75 years
old.
,BTEC LEVEL 3 Tia Newell Page 2
In the living well for longer document it also states that ‘the main risk factors contributing to early
death and reduced quality of life compromise of smoking tobacco, having high blood pressure, be-
ing overweight or obese, lack of physical activity, excessive alcohol consumption’ ( Living Well For
Longer, 2014). On the diagram above, it shows a number of diseases from 2001 to 2015. This data
was collected from males in per 100,000. The red stands for heart disease. Heart disease was the
highest throughout the chart from 2001 all the way up to 2015. Even though heart disease deaths
decreased significantly, it was still the highest killer going from around 330,000 deaths in 2001 to
around 180,000 deaths in 2015. There are a number of heart diseases including coronary artery
disease, cardiovascular disease and cardiomyopathy. All of the heart diseases combined was one
of the most caused disease for men dying in the UK. All of the 5 big killers can be caused by diet,
genetic and lifestyle. For example smoking can cause a respiratory illness, too much alcohol con-
sumption can cause liver disease, a bad diet can cause coronary artery disease which is a type of
heart disease. According to cancer research, the expected deaths of all cancers combined rise each
year. From 1970 to 2016. In 1971 there are around 140,000 deaths caused by all different types of
cancer compared to 2016 with around 235,000 deaths. Thats a 95,000 difference. On the cancer
research website, it states that 164,901 passed away from cancer between 2015 and 2017 which is
a very high number.
, BTEC LEVEL 3 Tia Newell Page 3
The evidence above from 2010 shows what people died of that year alone. In total from all ages
nearly half a million people passes away from all causes. However this mind map chart also shows
the highest amounts of deaths with certain causes. This shows that the 5 big killers listed are the
most popular illnesses and diseases that kill people yearly in the UK alone. In the green, 141,446
people passed away from cancers and neoplasms. In the burgundy colour 158,084 people passed
away due to some type of circulatory illness from all ages. In the light blue, 67,276 people passed
away from respiratory diseases. Some of the most common respiratory diseases include asthma,
cystic fibrosis, pneumonia and bronchitis.
