NCD screening using WHO steps among UG medical students

of RIMS

Introduction
Non-Communicable disease also known as chronic disease, don’t spread from
person to person. These take long time to develop and don’t present symptoms in
early stages these are the leading causes of adult mortality and morbidity
worldwide. Different types of non-communicable disease are coronary heart
disease, hypertension, stroke, Rheumatic heart disease, cancer, diabetes,
Mellitus, obesity, visual impairment and blindness. One of the most serious
concerns about NCDs are that they affect people in the productive years of life.
Of 56.9 million global deaths in 2016, 40.5 million or 71% were due to non-
communicable diseases. In India NCDs contribute to 60% of all deaths. The four
major causes of NCDs deaths are:
1. Coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension (45%)
2. Chronic respiratory disease (22%)
3. Cancers (12%)
4. Diabetes (3%)
Most often, non-communicable disease originates from unhealthy lifestyle and
adverse physical and social environment. Well known risk factors include poverty,
poor diets like intake of food rich in fat, salt and sugar, physical inactivity,
consumption of tobacco, excessive use of alcohol and stress.
NCDs are the largest cause of mortality both globally and in majority of low-
and middle-income countries (LMIC) NCD mortality exceeds that of
communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions combined.
The data below shows that risk factors are increasing among people.
 30 years old individual has 1/4th chance of dying from any of four major
NCDs before age of 70years.
 Prevalence of tobacco consumption in India is 44.5% in males and 6.8% in
females. Globally the prevalence of tobacco consumption is 22%.
  Rapid increase in obesity and overweight is seen, with prevalence of
obesity increasing from 9.3% to 18.6% in males and 12.6% to 20.7% in
females.
 Prevalence of hypertension has increase by 10% from 2010 to 2014.
 The level of physical inactivity among Indian adults is around 12%.

Rationale of Screening
90% of NCDs deaths before age 60 years in low- and middle-income countries
(LMIC) resulting in loss of household heads,
Wasted education investments and huge out of pocket costs to families. Most of
these deaths are preventable causes, such as tobacco use, unhealthy diets,
alcohol consumption and physical inactivity. Hence NCD screening provide the
first entry to NCD diagnosis and care. It provides the most effective means for
detection of undiagnosed NCD causes and early treatment initiation that lowers
morbidity and mortality due to these diseases.
References
i. https://mohfw.gov.in > files pp-nuget-health-ncd
ii. https://www.copenhagenconsensus.com