2009 power of prevention Essay

Submitted By Maafua02
Words: 6491
Pages: 26
Open Document
The Power of Prevention
Chronic disease . . . the public health challenge of the 21st century

2009

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

The Power of PrevenTion
ChroniC disease . . . the publiC health Challenge of the 21st Century
The United States spends significantly more on health care than any other nation. In 2006, our health care expenditure was over $7,000 per person, more than twice the average of 29 other developed countries.2 We also have one of the fastest growth rates in health spending, tripling our expenditures since 1990. Yet the average life expectancy in the United States is far below many other nations that spend less on health care each year.
As a nation, more than 75% of our health care spending is on people with chronic conditions.3
These persistent conditions—the nation’s leading causes of death and disability—leave in their wake deaths that could have been prevented, lifelong disability, compromised quality of life, and burgeoning health care costs. The facts are arresting:
• 7 out of 10 deaths among Americans each year

are from chronic diseases.4

• In 2005, 133 million Americans—almost 1

out of every 2 adults—had at least one chronic

illness.5 • About one-fourth of people with chronic

conditions have one or more daily activity

limitations.3

• Health disparities in chronic disease incidence

and mortality are widespread among members

of racial and ethnic minority populations. For

example, heart disease death rates are higher

among African Americans than whites,4 and

diabetes rates are substantially higher among

American Indians and Alaska Natives than

whites.6 • Mental illnesses and chronic diseases are

closely related. Chronic diseases can exacerbate

symptoms of depression, and depressive

disorders can themselves lead to chronic diseases.7 The scope and severity of the chronic disease problem has not escaped the public’s attention.
More than two-thirds of all adults believe that the U.S. health care system should place more emphasis on chronic disease preventive care, and more than 4 in 5 Americans (84%) favor public funding for such prevention programs.8



whaT are These chronic condiTions?
Tackling chronic disease requires a closer look at the major conditions that affect our nation— namely, heart disease and stroke, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, obesity, respiratory diseases, and oral conditions. Heart disease and stroke
The good news is that since 1999, death rates for coronary heart disease and stroke have declined
20.8% and 24.4%, respectively.4 In addition, the percentage of adults with high cholesterol, a major risk factor for heart disease, has been cut by almost half since the early 1960s.6
YET . . .
• Heart disease and stroke remain the first and third leading causes of death, accounting for more than 30% of all mortality,4 and are among the leading causes of disability.9
• 1 million Americans are disabled from strokes; many can no longer perform daily tasks, such as walking or bathing, without help.9
• In 2003, approximately 37% of adults reported having two or more of the major risk factors for heart disease and stroke (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, current smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity).10
• Many disparities persist—for example, age-adjusted stroke death rates for 2005 were 31% higher for African Americans than for whites, and heart disease death rates were 23% higher.4 Cancer
During the past two decades, tremendous progress has been made in developing and using effective cancer prevention strategies, early detection interventions, and cancer treatments. Largely through public health efforts targeting screening, breast cancer deaths among women decreased by 2% per year from 1998 to 2005, and deaths from colorectal cancer decreased among both men and women by 4% per year from 1995 to 2005.
YET . . .
• Cancer continues to claim more than half a million lives each year and
Show More

Related Documents: 2009 power of prevention Essay

Crime Causation and Diversion Paper

intervention, and prevention programs. These programs create an environment for the youth to understand the consequences of their actions, responsibility, and help. This paper will be examining two juvenile diversions, interventions, and prevention…

Words 1405 - Pages 6

Alcoholism and Recovery Process Essay

lives concluding from the program. ("About the 12-step," 2012). Many people who have used the twelve step recovery program have not only been facilitated to quit their addiction but also have been guided in a direction toward a new way of life (T., 2009). The twelve-steps are generally the same for everyone with only a few wording changes to fit each support group exactly. The following are the twelve steps taken from Abbott’s book “Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs: Challenging Myths, Assessing…

Words 3078 - Pages 13

Suicide and New York Essay

Crisis 2011; Vol. 32(2):61–64 © 2011 Hogrefe Publishing Editorial Editorial Cultural Context Is Crucial in Suicide Research and Prevention Heidi Hjelmeland Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, and Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway According to Geertz (1973), “. . . there is no such thing as a human nature independent of culture . . . We are . . . incomplete or unfinished animals who complete or finish ourselves through culture . . .” (p. 49). And…

Words 2958 - Pages 12

Eir in Australia Essay

has become both an opportunity and challenge, it is imperative that operational goals to maintain efficiency and flexibility are achieved. The Fair Work Act 2009 (FWA) has served businesses in Australia for many years; however, any proposed changes to the FWA give rise to issues impeding on business growth and its effect on the bargaining power of employees. Established in 1983, the Business Council of Australia (BCA) is an employer association that represents the CEOs of the top 100 Australian businesses…

Words 1624 - Pages 7

History Of The Gay Rights Movement

1969 The gay rights movement refers to efforts to protect rights and obtain equality for people who are homosexual (sexually attracted to people of the same sex); bisexual (attracted to members of both sexes); or transgendered. Transgendered individuals are those whose gender identity—that are their sense of being male or female—differs from their physical sex. A major goal of the gay rights movement is to eliminate laws that restrict or ban same-sex sexual relations. 1973 The American psychological…

Words 430 - Pages 2

Essay on Nursing methodology in health promotion

signify little more than the administror of medicine and application of poultices. It aught to signify the proper use of fresh air, light, warmth, cleanliness, quiet and the proper selection and administration of diet, all at the least expense of vital power to the patient” (Judd, D., & Sitzman, K. p. 73, 2014). The foundation of health promotion can be realized best by examining primary care. Healthcare system’s in the U.S.A. is primarily a disease care system. Ninety-five cents of every dollar are…

Words 1119 - Pages 5

Essay about Breast and Ovarian Cancer

prevent from getting it. It is not a guarantee that you will not get these types of cancers if you follow these prevention methods but it does bring your chances way down and brings the survival rate up. II. Restated Thesis: Being tested and self-exams are the most effective way to catch it early to prevent death. III. Call to action: Talking is the best way for prevention the more you and your family know the better off everyone is. I encourage you to ask questions and be informed about…

Words 1241 - Pages 5

Essay on People: Criminal Justice Policy

Criminal justice policy research seeks to provide assessment and analysis of crime and provide strategies for its reduction. Criminal justice researchers can make their work more relevant to criminal justice policy makers by understanding the politics, power, and policy dynamics that govern how these agencies operate. Criminal justice policy also uses language that has inherent social and moral connotations such as criminals, delinquency, community dysfunction, social isolation, individual and environmental…

Words 388 - Pages 2

Essay on MaryJaneMiles Complete FinalProject

outcomes for the prevention and or reaction to the problems of workplace violence and bullying? This question is evaluated through multiple research articles that identify the invasiveness within companies and the like, how it impacts the organization, what the statistics say about this impact, and what are the most effective ways to address these concerns in preventing them from happening and mitigating incidents that occur in the most positive way. It has been found that prevention is the key in…

Words 2019 - Pages 9

Essay about Healthcare Proposal

before it can begin to fulfill its purpose and goal, to heal. This broken system if left as is will continue to increase the number of people who are sick, and at the same time drive the national economy at a constant global struggle (Armoni et al., 2009). Legislative Proposal 1. Preventive Care Mandates i. Cheaper health care cost for those that have healthier lifestyles (Braveman & Gruskin, 2003) ii. More incentives for people staying healthy a. If the nation stays healthy, then the money…

Words 1809 - Pages 8