Occupational, Environmental & Nutritional Factors

 

Occupational

Austrians have typical jobs as seen in America. Since we viewed hospital jobs, specifically, we acknowleded nurses were at risk for the same things in Austria as in America. Nurses wear comfortable shoes to help with long hours on the job. These shoes are called schlappe (sandals). Nurses are also at risk for injuries from poor body ergonomics. 

 

Environmental

An environmental hazard in Austria are avalanches and landsides due to the Alps and eartquakes, however natural disasters are not common in Austria. There is some forest degradation due to air and soil pollution. The air pollution is due to coal emissions and oil-fired power. Soil pollution is from agricultural chemicals. Austria prides itself to being green. Medicine also tries to utilize the environment in order to provide better patient outcomes. For example, PMU has researchers for Eco-Medicine (http://www.ecomedicine.cc/). They study how using waterfalls can help reduce the symptoms of asthma and how hiking in the Alps improve cardiovascular and respiratory health.

 

Nutrional

Food in Austria is inluenced by Bohemia, Hungary, Germany and Italy. We had the chance to cook a traditional Austria lunch. 

Cooking traditional Austrian foods: Käsespätle and Apfelstrudel. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frau Holzer taught us how mealtime is important in Austria. People do not rush while eating out. Waiters/waitresses have to be asked for a check. They do not bring one by. People will spend hours after eating, by ordering drinks and dessert. 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                   Global Patterns of Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases

 

          Unlike developing countries, Austria, a developed country, does not have a high incidence of communicable diseases. However non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are prevalent. Austria is similar to the United States in the top causes of death. The World Health Organization (2014) finds out of 78,000 deaths, 43% are due to cardiovascular diseases, 27% cancer, 4% Diabetes, 4% Chronic respiratory diseases and 14% other NCDs. However, from 2000 to 2012, the incidence of cardiovascular diseases has decreased and has plateaued since 2012 in both women and men (WHO, 2014). Cancer decreased somewhat, however stays consistent in the amount of deaths in both men and women (WHO, 2014). Diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases has remained fixed with the amount of deaths per year from 2000-2012 (WHO, 2014). 

                                                                                 Leading Causes of Death by Noncommunicable Diseases

           Noncommunicalbe diseases make up the top ten causes of death in Austria. The top ten causes of death, from highest number of deaths to least are ischaemic heart disease; stroke; hypertensive heart disease; trachea, bronchus, lung cancers; Diabetes mellitus; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; colon and rectum cancers; breast cancer; pancreatic cancer; Alzheimers and other dementias (WHO, 2014). Ischaemic heart disease has had no change in the amount of deaths (WHO, 2014). Stroke is second and has also remained unchanged (WHO, 2014). Hypertensive heart disease has been steadily increasing in the number of deaths (WHO, 2014). Trachea, bronchus, lung cancers has decreased (WHO, 2014). Diabetes Mellitus has steadily increased (WHO, 2014). Chronic obstructive pulmonary diease has decreased (WHO, 2014). Colon and rectum cancers has decreased (WHO, 2014). However, breast and pancreatic cancer has increased along with Alzheimer’s and other dementias (WHO, 2014).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                          Risk Factors

            The increase of NCDs is influenced by modifiable risk factors, such as tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and diet. Other risk factors include raised blood glucose, hypertension and obesity. Inactivity has led to an increase of NCDs such as Diabetes Mellitus Type II (Hermann et al., 2014). Unhealthy diets has impacted the rising rate of obesity, hypertension and hyperglycermia. The fact these risk factors are modifiable allows Austria to provide programs in order to combat NCDs. 

                                                                                                       Smoking  & Alcohol

          In Austria, smoking is considered the "single largest cause of avoidable death" (Ladurner, et al., 2011, p.92). However, Austrian citizens have been the least supportive when it has come to initiating smoking bans in public venues (Ladurner, et al., 2011). Advertisemnts for tobacco products are not allowed in Austria (Ladurner, et al., 2011).  In order to decrease smoking, inpatient smoking cessation programs have been implemented. Patients go through three-weeks of therapy (Schoberberger, Böhm, & Schoreder, 2014). Alcholism is also an issue in Austria since it occurs in 10% of the population (Ladurner, et al., 2011). Alcohol consumed in large amounts can lead to the development of "fatty liver, diabetes mellitus type II, pancreatistis, certain types of carncinomas, kidney damage, cardiomyopathy, circulatory disturbances, hypertension and cirrhosis" (Ladurner, et al., 2011, p. 95). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                          Nutrition

           Nutrition is also another concern in Austria since it is found they consume too much sodium and too little folic acid, calcium andVitamin D (Ladurner, et al., 2011). Children are found to to eat to few fruit and vegetables and too much fat and sweets (Ladurner, et al., 2011). In order to combat NCDs due to diets, Austria has created a plan to promote health diets while reducing unhealthy diets. Funds for a Healthy Austria finances health promotion, however, it is not structured so the projects do not work out well (Brown, Lang, & Resch, 2012). Austria launched the Austrian National Nutrition Action Plan which intends to reduce the rising rate of obesity in Austria and reduce noncommunicable diseases caused by poor diets (Bundesministerium Für Gesundheit, 2015). The Ministry of Health also created an initiative to reduce the amount of salt in food (Bundesministerium Für Gesundheit, 2015). In order to combat hypertension, the Ministry of Health planned  a 15% of salt by 2015 in bread and pastries (Bundesministerium Für Gesundheit, 2015). Beginning in 2009, companies cannot produce or sell foods with more than 2% trans fatty acids or put any processed food on the market with more than 2% trans fat (Bundesministerium Für Gesundheit, 2015). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                            References

Brown, P., Lang, G., Resch, K. (2012). Evidence-based health promotion for older people and instrumentalisation comparing the influence of            policy contects in Austria and England. Critical Public Health, 22 (4). 441-453. doi: 10.1080/09581596.2012.700392.

 

Bundesministerium Für Gesundheit (2015). Topics. Retrieved from www.bmg.gv.at

Hermann, G., Herbst, A., Schütt, M., Kempe, H.-P., Krakow, D., Müller-Korbsch, M., & Holl, R.W. (2014). Association of physical activity with

            glycaemia control and cardiovascular risk profile in 65666 people with type 2 diabetes from Germany and Austria. Diabetic            

            Medicine, 31 (8) 96-912. doi: 10.1111/dme.12438

 

Ladurner, J. Gerger, M., Holland, W.W., Mossialos, E., Merkur, S., Stewart, S., Irwin, R., & Soffried. (Eds.). (2011). Public health in Austria.                          London: WHO and European Observatory on Health Systems and Polices. retrieved from www.euro.who.int

 

Schoberberger, R., Böhm, G., & Schoreder, Y. (2014). Heavy dependent nicotine smokers- Newfound lifestyle appreciation after quitting                      successfully. Experiences from inpatient smoking cessation therapy. Public health, 129. 539-544. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2015.02.011

 

World Health Organization [WHO]. 2014. Austria. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/countries/aut/en/