Concepts of Pathophysiology
In this Discussion, you reflect on how understanding pathophysiology relates to the role of a public health professional and why it is important to be knowledgeable of these concepts. The mechanisms of carcinogenesis, the immune system, and inflammatory processes are three of the most overarching, intertwined, and important pathophysiological concepts in the area of human biology. Understanding these concepts is fundamental to health education and promotion activities relating to both chronic and infectious disease.
To prepare for this discussion:
After reviewing the resources for this module, reflect on the following items before responding to the discussion prompts in the next section.
- Review the resources on the immune system and reflect on two aspects that interest you, such as the hygiene hypothesis, vaccination, the role of the gut.
- Review the resources on inflammation and reflect on two aspects that interest you, such as a particular disease process.
- Review the resources on carcinogenesis and reflect on two aspects that interests you, such as genetics, environment, or behavior.
- You may seek out any additional relevant scholarly resources that interest you.
To complete the discussion, respond to these prompts:
By Day 3 of Week 5
Respond to the following points in your initial posting, using section headers to organize your responses:
- Explain why it is important for a public health professional to understand the immune system, supporting your ideas with resources and two examples of how this knowledge may be used in public health practice
- Explain why it is important for a public health professional to understand the pathophysiology of inflammation, supporting your ideas with resources and two examples of how this knowledge may be used in public health practice
- Explain why it is important for a public health professional to understand carcinogenesis, supporting your ideas with resources and two examples of how this knowledge may be used in public health practice.
