Public Health Issues

noun a disease caused by a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1) in the diet, characterized by neurological symptoms and heart failure

• Beriberi is a disease caused by a deficiency of thiamine in the diet.
• My grandma used to tell me to eat my vegetables so I wouldn't get beriberi.
• I heard that skipping meals can give you beriberi, so make sure you eat regularly.
• In a metaphorical sense, neglecting self-care can lead to a form of 'beriberi' in terms of mental health.

noun a defect or abnormality in a person's physical or mental condition that is present from birth

• The baby was born with a rare birth defect that required immediate medical attention.
• My cousin was born with a birth defect that affects her hearing.
• Dude, did you hear about that kid with the crazy birth defect?
• Her inability to trust others was like a birth defect in her personality.

noun a condition of congenital hypothyroidism in children that results in physical and mental retardation

• Cretinism is a congenital form of hypothyroidism that results in physical and mental retardation.
• I can't believe he still believes in those conspiracy theories, what a cretinism.
• She's acting like a total cretinism, always causing drama.
• The outdated policies of the company are a form of organizational cretinism.

noun a mental health disorder characterized by persistently low mood and loss of interest or pleasure in activities

• Clinical depression is a serious mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide.
• I've been feeling really down lately, I think I might be dealing with some depression.
• I can't seem to shake this funk, I think I'm in a bit of a depression.
• The dark clouds of depression hung heavy over her, making it hard to see any light.

noun a type of allergic rhinitis

• Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, is a common allergic condition that causes symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and a runny nose.
• I can't go outside during spring because my hay fever acts up and makes me sneeze like crazy.
• My hay fever is really kicking my butt today, I can't stop sneezing!
• Dealing with difficult people at work is like having hay fever - it's annoying and hard to ignore.

noun a medical condition affecting the heart

• Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide.
• My doctor warned me about the risks of heart disease.
• Eating too much junk food can really mess up your heart.
• Neglecting self-care is like inviting heart disease to knock on your door.

noun a medical condition characterized by high blood pressure in the arteries

• Hypertension is a medical condition characterized by high blood pressure.
• My doctor told me I have hypertension, so I need to start watching my salt intake.
• I never realized how serious hypertension could be until my uncle was diagnosed with it.
• The tension in the room was so high, it felt like a form of hypertension among the group.

noun an infectious viral disease causing swelling of the parotid glands, especially in children

• The outbreak of mumps in the school has prompted health officials to take necessary precautions.
• I heard that Sarah caught the mumps and has to stay home from school for a while.
• I can't believe I got hit with the mumps right before finals week, what bad luck!
• The spread of rumors in the office was like a case of mumps, infecting everyone with false information.

noun a disease caused by a deficiency of niacin in the diet, characterized by skin lesions, gastrointestinal disturbances, and mental disturbances

• Pellagra is a disease caused by a deficiency of niacin in the diet.
• My great-grandmother suffered from pellagra when she was young.
• I heard that pellagra was nicknamed the 'four Ds' disease back in the day.
• Neglecting self-care is like inviting pellagra into your life.

noun a substance used for destroying insects or other organisms harmful to cultivated plants or to animals.

• The farmer sprayed pesticide on the crops to protect them from pests.
• The farmer used pesticide to get rid of those annoying bugs on the plants.
• I heard you can just spray some pesticide on the plants to kill off the pests.
• Sometimes we need to use mental pesticide to rid ourselves of toxic thoughts.

noun a contagious bacterial disease characterized by fever and delirium, typically with the formation of buboes (bubonic plague) and sometimes infection of the lungs (pneumonic plague)

verb to cause continual trouble or distress to

• The bubonic plague was a devastating pandemic in the 14th century.
• The plague wiped out a large portion of the population in medieval times.
• The plague was like, totally gnarly back in the day.
• Negativity can spread like a plague if left unchecked.

noun a condition of being ill or unhealthy; disease or illness

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• The sickness spread rapidly throughout the community, causing concern among health officials.
• I had to call in sick to work because of my sudden sickness.
• I feel like I'm coming down with some nasty sickness, I hope it's not the flu.
• The sickness of greed had taken hold of the company, leading to unethical behavior.

noun a severe form of gingivitis characterized by painful ulcers and necrosis of the gums and jaw

• Trench mouth, also known as acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, is a severe gum infection caused by bacteria.
• My dentist warned me about trench mouth after I neglected my oral hygiene for too long.
• I heard that not brushing your teeth can lead to trench mouth, that's gross!
• Neglecting to take care of your responsibilities can result in a metaphorical trench mouth of problems piling up.

noun a condition characterized by persistent symptoms that continue for weeks or months after the acute phase of a COVID-19 infection has resolved

• Long Covid refers to the lingering symptoms that persist long after the initial infection has resolved.
• Have you heard about long covid? It's when people still have symptoms even after recovering from Covid-19.
• Long Covid sucks, man. It's like the gift that keeps on giving.
• Dealing with long covid is like navigating through a never-ending maze of symptoms and challenges.

noun Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a type of lung disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways.

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease that makes it hard to breathe.
• My grandpa has COPD from smoking for so many years.
• COPD is like having a permanent smoker's cough.
• Living with COPD feels like trying to breathe through a straw.

noun a process in which the Earth's atmosphere traps heat from the sun and causes the planet's temperature to rise

• The scientific community is in agreement about the detrimental effects of global heating on the environment.
• Hey, have you heard about global heating and its impact on the planet?
• Man, global heating is really messing things up for us.
• The rapid increase in global heating is like a fever burning through the Earth's ecosystem.

noun an extreme fear of medical procedures involving injections or needles

• Trypanophobia is a specific phobia characterized by an extreme fear of medical procedures involving injections or needles.
• I can't even think about getting a shot without feeling anxious because of my trypanophobia.
• My trypanophobia makes me freak out whenever I have to get a needle.
• Her trypanophobia was like a dark cloud hanging over her whenever she needed medical treatment.

noun the act of killing a woman or girl, in particular by a man and on account of her gender

• Femicide is a serious issue that needs to be addressed through policy and education.
• The news reported another case of femicide in our city last night.
• It's sickening how some people think femicide is justified.
• The rise in femicide is like a dark cloud hanging over our society.

noun a noun referring to a specific type of eating disorder that involves an unhealthy preoccupation with consuming only healthy or 'pure' foods

• Orthorexia nervosa is a term used to describe an obsession with eating healthy food.
• Some people take healthy eating to the extreme and develop orthorexia nervosa.
• I heard she's got a serious case of orthorexia, always talking about clean eating and organic food.
• His orthorexia nervosa is like a prison, restricting him from enjoying a variety of foods.

noun a person who performs abortions

• The abortionist performed the procedure in a safe and sterile environment.
• Some people consider the abortionist to be a controversial figure.
• I heard the abortionist is booked solid for the next few weeks.
• She was known as the abortionist of bad ideas, always willing to terminate a flawed plan.

noun a type of diabetes that typically develops in adulthood, often related to lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise

• Adult-onset diabetes, also known as type 2 diabetes, is a chronic condition that affects how your body metabolizes sugar.
• My doctor told me that I have adult-onset diabetes, but with proper diet and exercise, I can manage it well.
• I never thought I would be dealing with adult-onset diabetes at this age, it's a real wake-up call.
• Dealing with adult-onset diabetes feels like a constant battle, but I'm determined to stay healthy.