# Describe how two different types of disease can interact to affect a person's health, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO).

> Edexcel GCSE Biology (1BI0) — 5.1 Health and disease · Describe · 4 marks

> A person living in an area with poor sanitation contracts cholera, a communicable disease. Over time, the repeated stress of illness and financial hardship leads to depression.

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being (WHO definition)
2. Cholera (communicable disease) negatively affects physical health, e.g. causing severe diarrhoea leading to dehydration
3. Depression (non-communicable disease) negatively affects mental health / social well-being
4. The two diseases interact so that one can make the other worse / having a communicable disease can increase susceptibility to or worsen a non-communicable disease, meaning the person does not achieve complete well-being

## Key terms

- [health](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/health)
- [disease](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/disease)

## Related

- [Revision notes for Edexcel GCSE Biology (1BI0)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Describe" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

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Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/describe-how-two-different-types-of-e32c1ecd) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.