Preventive Medicine Essay

1870 Words4 Pages

In the crisis of over rising health care costs in the USA, we are more urgent than ever to search for affordable methods to reduce health risks. To bring down the costs under control, the solution is simple; we should spend more on prevention because it can avoid the expensive treatments later in life. More importantly, we consistently hear about the deaths of cancer victims due to late diagnosis. This fact brings us to realize that just like cancer, many diseases might not be treatable but preventable. Early diagnosis with an appropriate treatment before it becomes complicated can stop or slow the rate of further decline. Preventive medicine contains the capabilities to escape the high risk of later diagnose or treatment, and reduce the health care cost. It is necessary and beneficial not only to the individual but to the society. However, to learn about how preventive medicine can offer a good return on investment, we need to understand how the preventive medicine can reduce health risks. To make this clear, I will address the following topics before I conclude with my discovery and point of view on this matter: What is Preventive Medicine, Levels of Prevention, and The Prevention of Specific Diseases.

What is Preventive Medicine?
The 21th century is a mechanically progressive experimental time. Every year, millions of Americans die from the five leading causes for death: smoking (18%), overweight (15%), disease, breathing issues, and unintentional wounds (Vorwick, 2010.) While death is inevitable, most of the causes for death are preventable with change in behavior and lifestyle. Preventive medicine refers to measures taken to prevent a certain disease, opposed to disease treatment once one gets the disease. While ...

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