Abstract

PUBLIC HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE OF NON- INFECTIOUS EPIDEMICS IN INDIA

Singh N. K., Upadhyay A. K.*, Sharma Himani, Roma, Maansi, Ansari Iram, Sanower and Kumar Ajay

ABSTRACT

Being a world’s largest democratic country, the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases are very serious public health and socioeconomic concern. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the medical conditions that are not caused by infectious agents. NCDs are rapidly increasing globally and reached epidemic proportions in many countries and India is not untouched. These are mostly due to globalization, industrialization, and rapid urbanization with demographic and lifestyle changes. NCDs are one of the major challenges for public health in the 21st century. NCDs affect all age and gender. The important NCDs which causes high mortality and morbidity are Cardiovascular diseases (Hypertension, Coronary heart disease, Stroke etc.), Cancer (Mouth, Esophagus, Lung, Stomach, nasopharynx cancer etc.), Diabetes (mostly Type2 diabetes) and Respiratory diseases (Asthma, COPD, Bronchitis etc.). In India, NCDs causes’ nearly 5.8 million people death and this may be double by 2030 if preventable measures would not be taken. Globally these data is 41 million people (71% global death) and by 2030 it would be 55 million. The major risk factors of NCDs are physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, use of tobacco, alcohol and smoking. The diseases may be chronic in nature and exposure with these risk factors in pre- and post natal life may affect in adulthood. Study showed that changes of DALYs from 30% to 55% and NCDs death from 37% to 61% indicate that there is a rapid epidemiological transition with a shift in disease burden to NCDs.

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