Disease is defined as an abnormal condition that affects an organism, while health is the level of functional and metabolic efficiency of a living being. The document discusses disease and health from global, national, and personal perspectives. It provides questions to consider for a research project on factors that influence health and disease internationally, within individual countries, and among communities and families. A number of websites are also listed as resources on related health topics such as life expectancy, infant mortality, obesity, and access to healthcare worldwide.

1. DISEASE AND HEALTH
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
CAMBRIDGE IGCSE P6

2. DISEASE AND HEALTH
• Disease is a particular abnormal condition, a disorder of a structure or
function, that affects part or all of an organism. The study of disease
is called pathology which includes the causal study of ethiology.
• Health is the level of functional and metabolic efficiency of a living
organism. In humans it is the ability of individuals or communities to
adapt and self-manage when facing physical, mental or social
changes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health

3. QUESTIONS FOR YOUR
RESEARCH PROJECT

4. GLOBAL/INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES
• How do infant mortality rates and expected life spans compare in
different countries?
• What are the reasons for this?
• What are the major health problems facing the world today?
• Is access to good health care a right?

5. LOCAL/NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES
• How good are my local health care and sports facilities?
• Are they equally available to everyone?
• Which people in my locality have the greatest health care needs?
• How well does my community cater for people with disabilities?

6. FAMILY/PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES
• What can I do to keep myself healthy?
• Do I have a responsibility to keep myself healthy, and if so, why?
• Where should I go if I have a health worry or need advice about
staying healthy?

7. WEBSITES 1
Visit archives.
Write to doctor/ministry of health/health campaigners/health charity.
www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/int/geog/health/development/social/life_expe
ctancy/index.shtml
World life expectancy information.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4850986.stm Example of UK variations in infant
mortality.
www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/int/geog/health/health/index.shtml A
resource with an interactive map to look at cholera, cancer, malaria and coronary
heart disease.
www.who.int/topics/obesity/en/ World Health Organization (WHO) site on obesity.
www.who.int/features/2005/chronic_diseases/en/ Malri’s story: facing obesity
(Kenya). Chronic disease site from the WHO.
www.who.int/topics/child_health/en/index.html WHO Child health site

8. WEBSITES 2
www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/en/index.html WHO diet and physical activity campaign
www.prb.org/Publications/Datasheets/2007/2007WorldPopulationDataSheet.aspx
Population Research Bureau statistics including report on malnutrition (2007).
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7018057.stm Article about a young American boy
who died through lack of access to health care.
www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/ A site for producing country scale population pyramids for
present and future.
www.census.gov/aboutus/stat_int.html A gateway into all national statistics sites.
www.prb.org/Articles/2007/OctDCPBlurb.aspx A brief site with links to the debate on
elderly populations.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4756650.stm A BBC report on encouraging a healthy lifestyle.
www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/stark-warning-on-childhood-obesity-problem-
468833.html The Independent newspaper, UK. Article on adopting a healthy lifestyle.

9. WEBSITES 3
www.netdoctor.co.uk/teenagehealth/index.shtml A general site with information about teenage
health.
www.youthhealthtalk.org/ Real-life case studies of teenage health issues. Local helplines e.g. school
nurse, health clinics, Samaritans.
www.dpi.org/ Disabled Peoples’ International – an organisation that promotes rights of disabled
people worldwide.
www.unicef.org UNICEF main website.
www.childinfo.org A UNICEF site focused on child welfare.
www.wethepeoples.org.uk A DVD of nine films which support the UN Millennium Development
Goals.
www.actionaid.org International charity website with national site links.
www.sightsavers.org International charity aimed at supporting those with sight difficulties.
www.avert.org/aids.htm Global information about Aids.
www.rafi.ki/gemin-iplus/ Rafiki project: MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) is an international medical
humanitarian organisation. It delivers emergency medical aid to people affected by armed conflict,
epidemics, natural disasters or exclusion from health care.

10. WEBSITES 4
www.netdoctor.co.uk/teenagehealth/index.shtml A general site with information about teenage
health.
www.youthhealthtalk.org/ Real-life case studies of teenage health issues. Local helplines e.g. school
nurse, health clinics, Samaritans.
www.dpi.org/ Disabled Peoples’ International – an organisation that promotes rights of disabled
people worldwide.
www.unicef.org UNICEF main website.
www.childinfo.org A UNICEF site focused on child welfare.
www.wethepeoples.org.uk A DVD of nine films which support the UN Millennium Development
Goals.
www.actionaid.org International charity website with national site links.
www.sightsavers.org International charity aimed at supporting those with sight difficulties.
www.avert.org/aids.htm Global information about Aids.
www.rafi.ki/gemin-iplus/ Rafiki project: MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) is an international medical
humanitarian organisation. It delivers emergency medical aid to people affected by armed conflict,
epidemics, natural disasters or exclusion from health care.