MEDICAL GEOGRAPHY

The Green Revolution: Miracle or Debacle Ethical problems Ownership of new genetic “strain” One-sixth of the Earth’s population is seriously malnourished Rural areas hardest hit Male vs. female caloric intake

Nutrition and Diet Caloric consumption Protein and carbohydrates important Wide variation among the world’s population “Hidden hunger” Early protein deficiency leads to damage

World Caloric Intake

www.worldmapper.org

Mitigating the Risks Ten areas where action should be taken to reduce the likelihood of a food crisis (from UN): Population Continue Green Revolution Expansion of farmlands Encourage local production Promote land reform Enhance food distribution systems Search for alternative food sources Better policies for ocean fishing Reduce meat consumption Endorse social change

The Distribution of Health Medical geography Core areas and difussion Distinct spatial patterns Contagious diseases Location of clinics Transportation routes Medical imagery technology

Infant and Child Mortality Infant mortality rates (IMR) Mirrors a society’s health Mother’s physical health is key High IMRs can be found in poorer countries Lacking clean drinking water and/or hygienic human waste-disposal facilities

A Rural Community Water Source

Infant and Child Mortality Malnutrition and child mortality Poorer areas = lower life expectancy Child mortality rates staggeringly high in much of Africa and Asia Kwashiorkor Lack of protein early in life Marasmus: Inadequate protein and insufficient calories

Infant and Child Mortality

Life Expectancy An indicator of a society’s well-being Regional contrasts Age contrasts

The Distribution of Disease http://www. ted Medical geography and disease Major types of diseases Infectious diseases Chronic or degenerative diseases Genetic or inherited diseases Disease terminology Epidemic Pandemic Endemic

Vectored: Malaria www.worldmapper.org

The Distribution of Disease Medical geography and disease Disease diffusion (infectious diseases) “Agents” and viruses Disease reservoirs in hosts Nonvectored vs. vectored Disease transmission

The Distribution of Disease Vectored infectious diseases: Malaria

The Distribution of Disease www.worldmapper.org Vectored infectious diseases: Yellow fever

The Distribution of Disease Vectored infectious diseases: Sleeping sickness (trypanosomaisis)

The Distribution of Disease Vectored infectious diseases: Tropical regions: Schistosomiasis, Onchocerciasis…

The Distribution of Disease Nonvectored infectious diseases: Cholera

Dr. Snow & Cholera (1854)

http://www. ted. com/talks/lang/eng/steven_johnson_tours_the_ghost_map http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/steven_johnson_tours_the_ghost_map.html

www.worlmapper.org

http://www.ted.com/talks/nathan_wolfe_hunts_for_the_next_aids.html

The Distribution of Disease Nonvectored infectious diseases: Influenza 1918 “worldwide pandemic” (WP = Bush-ism) Originally from China

Recent outbreaks of flu www.worldmaper.org

The Distribution of Disease www.worldmaper.org AIDS Identified in 1980s in Africa > 40 million infected by 2002 Dimensions still uncertain A blood-borne disease Africa most affected Botswana (highest) vs. Uganda (slowed) Need for development and intervention

The Distribution of Disease Chronic diseases The leading cause of death in the US Ever-changing list Other factors may be affecting our health New dangers confront children Lead-based paints Water “treatments” Obesity

http://urbanhealthupdates. wordpress http://urbanhealthupdates.wordpress.com/2011/03/22/growing-cities-heighten-clean-water-sanitation-concerns/

The Distribution of Disease http://worldfocus Genetic diseases Chromosomal mutations or accidents (evolution?) Some are selective Metabolic problems Galactosemia: a primary adult disease African geophagy No cattle or milk livestock = galactosemia

Epidemiologic Transition Stage Stage 1: Pestilence and Famine Deaths by animal attacks Accidents Infectious and parasitic diseases

Epidemiologic Transition Stage 2: Stage of receding pandemics. Improved sanitation Improved nutrition Improved medicine during the Industrial Revolution

Epidemiologic Transition www.worldmaper.org Stage 3: Degenerative and human-created diseases, a decrease in deaths from infectious diseases of stage 2. -heart attacks -cancer

Epidemiologic Transition www.worldmapper.org Stage 4: Delayed degenerative diseases Cancer and heart disease still remain but life expectancy is extended through medical advances Reduced use of tobacco, alcohol and better diet and exercise

Epidemiological Transition Stage 5: New strains of viruses are bacteria resistant Poverty prevents paying for medicine Improved travel: rural residents can go to the urban areas for contagious diffusion SARS AIDS SMALLPOX

Resources http://www.ted.org www.worldmapper.org De Blij, Harm, J. (2010). Human Geography People, Place and Culture. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc. Domosh, Mona, Neumann, Roderic, Price, Patricia, & Jordan-Bychkov, 2010. The Human Mosaic, A Cultural Approach to Human Geography. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company. Fellman, Jerome, D., Getis, Arthur, & Getis, Judith, 2009. Human Geography, Landscapes of Human Activities. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Pulsipher, Lydia Mihelic and Alex M. and Pulsipher, 2008. World Regional Geography, Global Patterns, Local Lives. W.H. Freeman and Company New York.   Rubenstein, James M. (2011). An introduction to human geography The cultural landscape. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.