2. Main cause of death in DCs and LDCs

The main causes of death in DCs are degenerative diseases while in LDCs the main causes of death are infectious diseases.

Describe the variation in types of diseases causing deaths between DCs (i.e., high-income countries) and LDCs (i.e., low-income countries) with reference to

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en/index1.html

· Main causes of death for high-income countries are heart attacks, cancers and diabetes.

· Main causes of death for low-income countries are tuberculosis, malaria, dengue fever, HIV/AIDS

Definition of degenerative disease: A disease in which the function or structure of the affected tissues or organs changes for the worse over time.

Definition of Infectious disease: A disease caused by a microorganism or other agent, such as a bacterium, fungus, or virus that enters the body of an organism.

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Which diseases cause more deaths in DCs and LDCs?

Infectious diseases

Diseases that are communicable or contagious, and are transmitted by a pathogen like bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi through vectors from one person to another (cause a higher proportion of death in LDCs)

Examples: Dengue fever, Lower respiratory infections, Diarrhoeal diseases, HIV/AIDS and Malaria

Commonly associated with poverty, poor diet and limited healthcare, thus occur at a higher rate in LDCs than in DCs

Degenerative diseases

Leading causes of death tend to shift from infectious to degenerative diseases as countries develop

Although infectious diseases are less common in DCs, individual cases of infectious diseases such as pneumonia and bronchitis still occur in DCs

Health conditions that are characterized by a gradual breakdown of physiological function like tissues or organs (cause a higher proportion of death in DCs)

Examples: Coronary heart disease, Stroke, Chronic obstructive lung disease, Cancer of the trachea, bronchus and lung and Alzheimer’s disease

Commonly associated with lifestyle choices, eating habits, bodily wear and tear or genetic causes

Leading causes of death due to people in DCs having longer lives

As countries develop, the diets of people change with rising affluence. For example increasing consumption of meat and other non-staple food which could lead to heart disease and obesity

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cancer accounted for 7.6 million deaths worldwide and 13% of all deaths in 2008

High-income countries had more than double the rate of all cancers combined compared to low-income countries.