Why are some diseases common in developing countries and others in developed countries, and how can they be managed?
The distribution, causes, effects and management of diseases of the developing world such as malaria, cholera and kwashiorkor and diseases of the developed world such as heart disease and cancer, including the role of primary health care.
An SQA National 5 Geography answer on health, covering the distribution, causes, effects and management of diseases of the developing world such as malaria and cholera and of the developed world such as heart disease and cancer, including primary health care.
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What this dot point is asking
The SQA wants you to describe the distribution of diseases (where they are found), explain their causes, describe their effects, and describe how they are managed and controlled, contrasting diseases common in the developing world (such as malaria, cholera and kwashiorkor) with those common in the developed world (such as heart disease and cancer), and explain the role of primary health care.
Diseases of the developing world
These are mostly infectious or deficiency diseases linked to poverty, a hot climate, dirty water and poor diet.
Effects - illness and death, especially of children; weakness that stops people working or going to school; and a cycle of poverty as ill health holds back development.
Diseases of the developed world
These are mostly lifestyle (non-infectious) diseases linked to wealthier living and ageing populations:
- Heart disease - linked to a fatty diet, smoking, obesity, stress and lack of exercise.
- Cancer - linked to smoking, diet, alcohol, sunlight and an ageing population.
Effects - major causes of death in developed countries, high health-care costs, and pressure on services.
Managing disease
Management differs between the two groups:
- Developing-world diseases - attack the cause: drain stagnant water and use bed nets and spraying (malaria); provide clean water and sanitation (cholera); use oral rehydration to treat diarrhoea; and give food aid and supplements (kwashiorkor).
- Developed-world diseases - health education (healthy eating, exercise, stop smoking), screening to catch disease early, and treatment with surgery and drugs.
Examples in context
Example 1. Malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. A leading cause of child deaths, tackled with insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor spraying, draining breeding sites and anti-malarial drugs through primary health care.
Example 2. Heart disease in the UK. A major cause of death linked to diet, smoking and inactivity, tackled by health education, screening, drugs, surgery and campaigns to encourage healthier lifestyles.
Try this
Q1. Name the insect that spreads malaria. [1 mark]
- Cue. The (female Anopheles) mosquito.
Q2. State one feature of primary health care. [1 mark]
- Cue. It is cheap/local/preventive (for example vaccination, clean water, health education).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA N5 style5 marksFor a disease found in the developing world, explain its causes and describe methods used to control it.Show worked answer →
A 5-mark answer wants causes explained and control methods described, so split the marks, using malaria as the example.
Causes. Malaria is spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes that breed in warm, still water and pass on a parasite when they bite. It is common in hot, wet tropical areas with stagnant water for breeding.
Control 1. Reducing breeding by draining stagnant water, spraying oil on water surfaces, and introducing fish that eat mosquito larvae.
Control 2. Protecting people with insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor spraying and covering the skin to avoid bites.
Control 3. Treating the disease with anti-malarial drugs and educating people about prevention.
Markers reward the causes (the mosquito, the parasite, the warm wet breeding conditions) and clearly described control methods (attacking the mosquito, protecting people, treatment and education).
SQA N5 style4 marksExplain why primary health care is suitable for improving health in developing countries.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark Explain answer wants developed reasons, so explain what primary health care is and why it fits poorer countries.
Primary health care is basic, low-cost, local care, such as vaccination, clean water, sanitation and health education, so it is affordable for poor countries.
It can be delivered in villages by trained local health workers, so it reaches rural and remote people who cannot travel to distant hospitals.
It prevents disease rather than just treating it, for example through vaccines and clean water, which is cheaper and saves more lives.
It uses simple, appropriate methods such as oral rehydration to treat diarrhoea, which are cheap and effective. Markers reward each reason (low cost, local delivery, prevention, simple appropriate methods) explained as suiting developing countries.
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Sources & how we know this
- National 5 Geography Course Specification (C833 75) — SQA (2025)
- National 5 Geography - Course overview and resources — SQA (2025)