Group behavior can impact choices and actions in human. Group behavior has evolved because membership can increase the chances of survival for individuals and their genetic relatives. Large groups of people acting simultaneously to achieve a goal is called herd behavior. Consider a large number of people in a stadium that catches on fire.
Small groups of individuals may find quick and safe exits from the stadium, while large groups of people attempting to escape in the same direction are often trampled, or even killed. Herd behavior is also known as neighbor copying. The dynamics of group behavior can also be seen when people join protests, especially when they turn into mobs.
Group behavior is very important to public health. Due to the spread of worldwide travel,
urbanization, and globalization, the spread of infectious disease is more of a risk than it has
ever been in the past. An epidemic occurs when the number of individuals who have
contracted an infectious disease is higher than expected within an area. A pandemic occurs when this happens on a global scale. The fear of epidemics and pandemics can have an impact on the behavior toward them. Understanding how individuals change their behavior in response to an epidemic threat is important when forming public health policies for infection control.
Why has group behavior evolved?
Group behavior in these situations can be highly effective in slowing or stopping the transmission of infectious diseases. For example, through education and behavioral shifts to safer sex practices in Africa, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS infections have been reduced in developing countries.
A survey conducted by NIH in 2009 determined that individuals were more likely to change their behavior based on:
• Media-communicated risk of the infection
• Individuals’ anxiety levels regarding possible infection
• Effectiveness of protective measures against infection
• Size of the household (particularly those with small children)
Group behavior can be highly effective in slowing or stopping the transmission of infectious disease.
How has group behavior slowed the spread of HIV/AIDS?
According to a survey conducted by NIH, individuals are more likely to change their behavior based on what factors. You only need to state 1 factor
The health of populations on a worldwide scale is called global health. The field of global health aims to protect against global health threats regardless of borders, worldwide health improvement, and decreasing disparities in health access. In general, developed countries tend to be healthier than developing countries. For example, diarrhea is the 2nd leading cause of child death worldwide, due to poor sanitation in developing countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the dominant authority on global health. The WHO focuses on improving:
• global access to medicines
• public health in specific populations
• identifying causes and risk factors (epidemiology)
• research and data for policy decisions
• cost-effectiveness for allocating health resources
What is the aim/goal of global health?
What is the second leading cause of death worldwide?
What caused smallpox?
What are symptoms of smallpox?
Who introduced the smallpox virus to Americans?
How did smallpox spread?
What virus caused the Spanish Influenza (aka Flu of 1918)
List two symptoms of the Spanish Flu
How many Americans died in a matter of months because of the Spanish Flu?
What causes malaria?
List two symptoms of malaria
How did malaria play a role in WWI
Today, is malaria a concern in the US?
What is the cause of polio?
List two symptoms of polio?
Name one famous person who survived polio.
What causes typhoid?
Typhoid was common before the public sewage system.
Who is Typhoid Mary?
What causes tuberculosis?
State two symptoms of tuberculosis.
TB continues to globally infect how many people?
What does HIV stand for?
When was HIV/AIDS first documented?
How is HIV transmitted?
Large groups of people acting simultaneously to achieve a goal is called
What organization is the dominant authority for global health?
State two things that the World Health Organization focuses on.
When was the smallpox vaccine created?
When was the last known case of smallpox documented?
As of today, how many people have immunity to H1N1?
During WWII, the US attempted to end malaria by introducing the pesticide DDT.
What body system does polio affect?
The vaccine was perfected in the
The microbe that causes typhoid is found in
List one disease/illness that can result due to typhoid.
Evidence of tuberculosis has been found in Egyptian mummies.
In what year was an antibiotic for tuberculosis (TB) developed?