yes i just dropped this bomb ...
i got reallly good marks for the fist bit
Cancer
Cancer is a class of disease in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth ( division beyond normal limits) invasion (intrusion on and destruction of adjacent tissue) and sometime metastasis (spread to other parts of the body by lymph or blood). Most cancers form a tumour but some like leukaemia do not.
Cancer can effect anybody at any age, but the risk for most varieties increase with age. Cancer causes about 13% of human deaths. Cancer can even affect animals.
Most cancers are caused by abnormalities in the genetic material of the transformed cells. The abnormalities may be from the effect of carcinogens, tobacco, radiation, chemicals or infectious agents. Also can be caused by DNA replications or are inherited.
One type of cancer which is increasingly growing is skin cancer. Skin cancer is the diagnosis for about a quarter of patients with cancer and has largely gone unrecognised.
Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. Due to our climate also the fact that many if us have fair skin which isn’t suited for the harsh conditions, our proximity to the equator and most of all our social attitudes and love for the outdoors.
Skin cancers are related to ultra violet radiation exposure, geographic latitude as well as attitude effects the amount of ultraviolet exposure and the risk of skin cancer. Another factor is our ozone depletion, it is known to increase the risk of ultra violet exposure and skin cancer . a lot of fair skinned people or people with an increase genetic risk for cancer are most at risk for skin cancer.
Each year over 1700 Australians will die from skin cancer (ABS 2009). At least 2 in 3 Australians will develop skin cancer by the age of 70. The great news is that we can minimise our chances of developing skin cancer by being “sun smart”.
Who is at risk?
In Australia everyone is at risk of developing skin cancer due to high levels of uv radiation throughout the year. You are at risk of developing skin cancer if you have
·[FONT="] [/FONT]Moles or freckles
·[FONT="] [/FONT]Fair skin (which burns easy and does not tan)
·[FONT="] [/FONT]Light coloured hair and eyes(blue and green)
·[FONT="] [/FONT]Suffered sunburn
·[FONT="] [/FONT]A family history of skin cancer
·[FONT="] [/FONT]Used solaria
·[FONT="] [/FONT]Spent hours in the sun, even when wearing sunscreen
There are three main types of skin cancer
1.[FONT="] [/FONT]Basal Cell Carcinoma
2.[FONT="] [/FONT]Squarmous Cell Carcinoma
3.[FONT="] [/FONT]Melanoma
Melanoma in Australia
Reports indicate that 10,684 Australians were diagnosed with melanoma in 2005 making melanoma the 4rth most common cancer in Australia (AIHW 2008). There were 1279 recorded deaths from melanoma on 2007(ABS 2009). Melanoma accounts for 11% of all cancers diagnosed in Australia.
Australia adolescents have by far the highest incident of malignant melanoma in the world. It accounts for 1/3 of all cancers in female adolescents and ¼ in males (Stiller CA 2007).
Over 8% of melanoma cases are diagnosed in people under 35 28% in those aged 35-54 41% in those aged 55-74 and 23% in those aged 75+ (AIHW 2008).
Non-Melanoma skin cancer
Is the most common cancer in Australia causes of NMSC are not usually reported to state and territory cancer registries , however obtained by population surveys suggest that apx 434,000 Australians will be treated for non melanoma cancer.
In 2008 it was projected that 253,000 moles and 180,000 females with one or more NMSC.
Because of its high incidence, NMSC imposed the highest health-system expenditure of
any cancer in Australia during 2000–01 at an estimated $264 million. The second leading
cancer in expenditure terms was breast cancer at $241 million.
Mortality rates are relatively low at 3.2 per 100,000 for males and 1.0 for females(AIHW Cancer in Australia 2008).
Most skin cancers are preventable. Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squarmous Cell Carcinoma are thought to be associated with chronic long term sun exposure. There is a need for public education to change the populations attitude to sun tans and increase its awareness of the importance of sun protection. The general public needs to be aware of early signs of melanoma and of the other non melanoma skin cancers.
Treatment
The majority of skin cancer patients will need surgery performed. Simple excision and direct closure of a small lesion is a short procedure. For tumours, or in some cases of secondary disease , more than one session will be required.
Mental health problems and illnesses
Mental health is a state of well being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with normal stresses of everyday life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.
Mental health problems occur often as a result of life stresses. Mental health problems also have a negative impact on persons cognitive, emotions and social abilities but may not meet the criteria for an illness. The difference between mental health problem and mental health disorders is not well defined and is made on the basis of harshness and duration of the symptoms.
A mental illness or disorder is a diagnosable illness that considerably interferes with an individuals cognitive, emotion and or social ability. There are many types of mental disorders example: depression, anxiety, psychosis, substance abuse all these disorders may all occur in different severity.
Mental illness are common in Australia with one in five Australians experiencing a mental illness at some stage in life and many experiencing more than one illness at a time. Prevalence of mental illness decreases with age. Prevalence is greatest among people at the age of 18-24 27% while people 65+ 6.1%. mental disorders are the third leading cause of disability burden in Australia accounting for an estimate of 27% of the total years lost due to disability. Major depression accounts for more day lost to illness the almost any other physical or mental disorder.
How common are specific disorders?
About 10% of Australians are effected by anxiety disorders in their life 20% of people will be effected by depression and 6% will experience a major depressive illness. Postnatal depression effects between 10-20% of all new mothers. 3% of Australian are effected by psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar mood disorder at some point in life. About one in 100 australians will experience schizophrenia apx 2%of Australian swill experience some type of eating disorder most of these are women (90%)
The difference between men and women
Women are more likely than men to report anxiety disorders (12% compared with 7.1%) and affective disorders (7.4% compared with 4.2%). Men are twice as likely as women to have a substance disorder (11% to 4.5%) being three times more common then drug disorders. Men are effected with schizophrenia in slight greater numbers, women tend to experience later onset,, fewer periods of illness and better recovery. Girls were still more likely than boys to self-harm — 13 in 100,000 boys were hospitalized, compared with 70 per 100,000 girls.
Mental illness in young people
The greatest numbers of people with a mental illness are in the age of 18-24. 14% of Australian children and adolescents aged between 4-17 have mental health problems. This rate of mental health problem is found in all age groups and genders, although boys are slightly more likely to experience a mental health problem than girls. Usually schizophrenia and onset bipolar comes in the mid to late teen year. Depression is the most common of all mental health problems in young people. Adolescents with mental health problems report a high rate of suicidal thoughts and other health risk behaviour including smoking and drug use.
Children aged 10-14 are being hospitalized after harming themselves and the rate has grown by 35% in just under a decade. New figures suggest a growing prevalence of anxiety, depression and other mental health problems in young people and at earlier ages. An Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report says the rate of children aged 10 to 14 hospitalized for intentional self-harm rose from 30 per 100,000 in 1998-1999 to 41 per 100,000 in 2006-2007.
Figures show that the economic impact of mental health problems is up to $20 billion each year in Australia.(ABS)
Where to get help
- Your local doctor.
- The community health centre in your area.
- A private counsellor.
- The specialist mental health service applicable to the area where you live.