What are the Risk Factors of Communicable Diseases?

What Increases the Risk of Communicable Diseases?

Communicable diseases are contagious or infectious illnesses that spread from one person to another. The transmission of communicable diseases is a key concern worldwide. Key risk factors for communicable disease include forced displacement, poor water, hygiene and sanitation, and crowded conditions.

Stay to learn about reportable communicable diseases, risk factors, transmission modes and prevention.

Communicable Diseases and Modes of Transmission

Diseases spread through contact with infected or contaminated air, people, objects, or animals are contagious or communicable diseases. There are various communicable diseases, and some of the reportable illnesses include:

• Tuberculosis
• HIV
• Influenza
• Covid-19
• Strep Throat
• Hepatitis
• Malaria
• Plague
• Measles
• Dengue
• Whooping cough
• Diphtheria

Some different ways in which contagious diseases are transmitted include:

• From physical contact with the affected person, for example, touch, droplets, sexual intercourse, and faecal
• Through insect or animal bites  
• Contaminated objects or surfaces like phones, countertops and doorknobs, blood, and food or water
• From air droplets when the affected person sneezes or coughs
• From organ transplants, blood transfusions and other clinical procedures  

Risk Factors of Communicable Diseases

Harmful organisms or pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, and prions, cause infection, leading to communicable diseases.

Other risk factors for contagious diseases are:

1. Poor Water, Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH) : WASH includes serious problems in daily life, including a lack of safe drinking water, poor hygiene behaviour, and water scarcity. Moreover, inadequate sanitation, lack of bed nets, and unavailability of latrines considerably impact high contamination.  
2. Nutrition : Nutrition factors, including poor nutrition and malnutrition, can increase the likelihood of being affected by infectious diseases. Malnutrition weakens the body's immune system, so it fails to fight against infections. Also, exposure to contaminated foods with parasites, viruses or bacteria can contribute to communicable diseases.
3. Poor Living Conditions : Poor living conditions are a combination of living problems like overcrowding, inadequate shelter, poor sanitation and waste disposal. In poor living conditions, harmful organisms or infections can easily spread and cause communicable diseases.   
4. Environmental Factors : Climate and weather, such as dust and cold storms, causes vector expansion (mosquitoes) and water contamination, are environmental factors with a high risk of transmitting communicable diseases. Climate change impacts rainfall, temperature, storm frequency and humidity, which influence the spread of infectious diseases.  
5. Chronic Health Conditions : People living with chronic conditions like HIV and cancer, and taking medicines or steroids that weaken the immune system, are at risk of developing communicable diseases. These health conditions impair the body's capability to fight against infections and increase susceptibility to contagious diseases.  

Tips to Prevent the Spread of Communicable Diseases

Some healthy habits can prevent the spread of communicable diseases, including:

• Wash hands thoroughly before eating, after using the washroom, cooking, contact with a sick person and treating any wound
• Wash cooking utensils, fruits, vegetables and surfaces during food preparation
• Cleaning and disinfecting home surfaces, especially food areas and doorknobs
• Sneezing and coughing into a handkerchief or tissue
• Avoid sharing personal-use items with anyone
• Getting vaccinations
• Avoid contacting sick animals
• Isolating oneself when suffering from any communicable disease

Communicable diseases are transmitted through breathing in airborne viruses, contact with body fluids and insect bites. Weak immune systems, malnutrition, poor living conditions, overcrowding, poor water, sanitation and hygiene practices are key risk factors for communicable diseases.