Upon reviewing the National Vital Statistics Report based on the 2005 year I was surprised that heart disease and cancer still comprised the top two diseases that result in death in the United States. It appears these two categories of diseases know no gender or race boundaries and strike all groups equally. Therefore, I shall discuss these two categories of disease and how they impact the U.S. population. In the United States roughly 600,000 people die each year from heart disease (CDC, 2014). If one were to break it down heart disease is responsible for 1 out of every 4 deaths (CDC, 2014). Coronary heart disease is the most common type of this disease and it costs the U.S roughly $110 billion each year for health care, medications, and lost productivity (CDC, 2014). The major risk factors for developing heart disease are having high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, and smoking. There are also several other factors such as: diabetes, obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity, and excessive alcohol use will contribute to the development of the disease. The second alarming from the National Vital Statistics Report is the prevalence of cancer among the U.S. Population. Currently, there will be an estimated 1,665,540 new cases of cancer diagnosed this year and over 585,720 deaths from cancer (ACS, 2014). Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States and is responsible for a quarter of annual deaths. The cancer trends must also be deciphered because the trends consist of 23 cancer types with the most common areas being lung, breast, colorectal, and prostate (ACS, 2014). Therefore, the numbers are not just one type of cancer but are rather combined from the various different forms of the disease... ... middle of paper ... ...preventive screening. Therefore it is of vital importance that the public health community educate the masses and encourage preventive screening measures. The government could also offer additional incentives such as tax breaks that would encourage individuals to lead healthy lifestyles. These proactive disease prevention steps would encourage individuals to lead healthier lifestyles which would reduce the overall prevalence of the two largest killers in the United States. Works Cited Cancer Facts & Figures 2014. (2014). Retrieved May 25, 2014, from http://www.cancer.org/research/cancerfactsstatistics/cancerfactsfigures2014/index CDC - DHDSP - Heart Disease Facts. (2014). Retrieved May 25, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm Turnock, B. J. (2009). Public health: what it is and how it works (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that heart disease and cancer still constitute the top two diseases that result in death in the united states.
- Explains that heart disease costs the u.s roughly $110 billion each year for health care, medications, and lost productivity.
- Explains that cancer is the second most common cause of death in the united states and is responsible for a quarter of annual deaths.
- Opines that the prevalence of these two diseases and the impact they have on the health system in the united states surprised them.
- Explains that the major causes of death in the united states have been discussed, and methods to reduce the overall prevalence of the disease must be determined.
- Explains that seven areas have been determined that will reduce the overall likelihood one developing cancer. these include not using tobacco products, maintain a healthy weight, adopt an active lifestyle, eat plenty of vegetables and reduce red meat intake, limit alcohol consumption, and be active in prevention screening and health care choices.
- Opines that public health communities can exploit anti-tobacco, encouraging exercise, healthy eating habits, and proactive preventive screening measures.
Related
- explanatory
- argumentative
- opinionated
- comparative
- Cancerexplanatory essayMore than 1,350,000 new cases of cancer occur in the United States each year. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the nation, and the leading cause of death from disease in children between the ages of 1 and 14. The figures for the United States are 217/100,000 men and 137/100,000 women. The most death causing cancers are lung cancer- 1st in each sex, colorectal cancer- 2nd in both sexes, and breast and uterine cancers in women, and prostate cancer in men. Since 1949 death from cancer in the United States has been higher among men than women. The sex ratios of different cancers vary considerably. Death from cancer is higher among blacks than among whites.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that cancer is new growth of tissue resulting from rapid production of abnormal cells. there are three major subtypes of cancer: sarcomas, carcinomas, leukemias and lymphomas.
- Explains that cancer is the second leading cause of death in the nation. the most death causing cancers are lung cancer, colorectal cancer and breast and uterine cancer.
- Explains that a cancerous growth is clonal. fatal cells are unable to mature into an adult. cancer cells retain the physical and biological characteristics of the tissue in which they originated.
- Explains that cancer can be caused by a number of factors, including inheriting genes, contracting viruses, being exposed to radiation, and environmental factors. the earlier cancer is treated, the greater the chance for cure.
- Explains that traditional methods for treating cancer include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. recent treatments include hormone therapy, combined modality therapy and biologic therapies such as immunotherapy.
- Explains that the number of deaths from cancer has risen rapidly and steadily, from 298,000 in 1965 to more than 550,000 in 1996.
- Explains that the most important preventive measure in controlling cancer is the reduction of tobacco. many more cancer cases can be prevented if individuals follow a healthy diet.
689 wordsRead More - Fighting a losing battle: spending billions and making little progress in the war on cancer.argumentative essayIt has been over forty years since the signing of National Cancer Act of 1971; in this time ample funding has been dedicated to the war on cancer, and yet a cure has not been found, cancer survival rates have not increased proportional to the money and time spent, and health disparities continue to serve as a major problem for minorities and those of low socioeconomic status. This year over a half million Americans are projected to die from cancer, which equals approximately 1,600 deaths per day 1. One can think of cancer as a biological terrorist taking more lives annually than all of the casualties from combat in the United States during 19th century 2. Cancer effects are not only seen in the number of deaths it causes, but it also results in tremendous grief and pain for those who continue to battle cancer. With no cure in the foreseeable future, it is clear we are fighting a losing battle in this war on cancer.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that with no cure in the foreseeable future, we are fighting a losing battle in this war on cancer.
- Explains that the 5-year relative survival rate is one of the most common statistics used to demonstrate progress in the war on cancer.
- Analyzes how health disparities in the united states have hindered the 5-year relative survival rates of blacks and american indians, and states that a larger emphasis needs to be placed on access to resources in order to overcome them.
- Cites ziegel r, ma j, zou z, jemal a. cancer statistics, 2014. ca cancer j clin.
- Concludes that medical advances and racial/ethnic disparities in cancer survival are evidence of success against cancer.
540 wordsRead More - Heart Disease in the United Statesexplanatory essayHeart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States. It is very important to learn about the heart to prevent heart disease. Many forms of heart disease can be prevented and treat with healthy lifestyle choices. For someone who has heart disease or does not; there is information, facts, symptoms, different types, diagnoses, tests, treatment, care, and living and managing that can be given.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that heart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the united states.
- Explains that heart disease can be caused by a variety of causes, including smoking, alcohol, high blood pressure, diabetes, stress, electrocardiograms, cardiac computerized tomography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.
- Explains that kawasaki disease is a mucutaneous lymph node syndrome that causes inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body. the main goal is to reduce the risk by using aspirin and intravenous gamma globulin.
- Explains that peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare disorder in which the heart muscle becomes weak and cannot pump blood. cardimyopathy disease complicates 1 in every 1,300 to 4, 000 deliveries.
- Opines that it's mandatory for everyone to take care of themselves to prevent heart disease or help to treat it.
726 wordsRead More - What are Cardiovascular Diseasesexplanatory essayIn the state of Maryland, the rate of deaths caused by heart disease in 2009 was about 11,143 (DHMH, 2011), though majority of these deaths were men, the difference between the deaths in men and women was not much. Among women living in Maryland, heart disease accounts for about 31.6% of deaths recorded (DHMH, 2011), with an average of 19 deaths per day in women (American Heart Association, 2010). About 59.0% of women living in Maryland are either obese or overweight, and 13.4% are also smokers (DHMH, 2011), while obesity and smoking are leading factors of CVD in Maryland.
In this essay, the author
- States that cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in men and women in the united states, and it is also the cause of disability in american adults.
- Explains that the rate of heart disease deaths in maryland in 2009 was about 11,143, though majority of these deaths were men, the difference between men and women was not much.
- Explains that prince georges county is one of the most culturally diverse counties in maryland. the county has the highest rates of deaths, and disabilities caused by cvd.
- Explains that in prince george's county, cvd is the leading cause of death and disability among women between the ages of 35-60.
- Explains that more women die from heart disease than men, and that breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women. heart diseases such as stroke and heart attacks should be taken for granted.
- Explains that high blood pressure, high ldl cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease among women. knowing one's risk is important to preventing a heart attack.
- Explains the risk factors for heart disease seen in residents in prince george's county, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, overweight/obesity, inadequate physical activity, smoking status, and poor nutrition.
- States that heart disease in women is preventable if certain measures and precautions can be taken. reducing sodium intake in food can reduce the chances of cvd.
685 wordsRead More - Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates in AFrican Americansopinionated essayIn 2004, it was estimated that more than 1.3 million people in the United States would be diagnosed with cancer. In Texas alone, it was estimated that approximately 85,000 individuals will be diagnosed with cancer in 2004, and another 37,000 will die from the disease (Table 1). Four cancer sites account for more than half of the cancer that affect Texans, lining up with the national incidences and mortality sites. These include lung and bronchus, colorectal, breast (female), and prostate cancer. Together these four sites account for approximately 41,900 new cases of cancer diagnosed and 16,900 cancer deaths in Texans. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States and is expected to become the leading cause of death within the next decade. Cancer also is the second leading cause of death in Texas.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that cancer is a large classification of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. it can be categorized into three factors: external (chemicals), internal (hormones, immune conditions, genetics) and lifestyle.
- Estimates that more than 1.3 million people in the united states will be diagnosed with cancer in 2004, and another 37,000 will die from the disease.
- Explains that while cancer affects all people, it does not subscribe to "equal opportunity" mandates; varied distributions appear when cases are tallied by gender, age, race and economic groups, usually to the disadvantage of the minority in each instance.
- Describes the factors that contribute to the increased cancer risk of african american men and women.
- Explains that poverty is a critical factor affecting one's health. texas leads the nation in the percentage of working people who have no health insurance.
- Explains that historical social inequalities suffered by african americans, such as racial discrimination, still influence the quality of health care received by this segment of our population.
- Explains that african americans have traditionally eaten high-fat foods compared to whites, while southern food or soul food came from cheaper cuts of meat and use of animal fats for cooking.
- Opines that the african american population is still disproportionately suffering from cancer incidence and mortality, especially with the elderly population expected to increase by 160% over the next quarter of a century.
- Cites the american cancer society, texas division, and texas department of health, cancer registry division. cancer health disparities: fact sheet.
890 wordsRead More - The Economics of Prostate Cancer Screeningexplanatory essayThe American Cancer Society states that cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. If the spread is not controlled, it can result in death (10). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cancer is the second leading cause of death. In 2002 alone, half a million Americans will die of this disease. Of this numerical figure, it is estimated that perhaps more than 1,500 individuals a day will die. In addition, one of every four deaths in America is from cancer (9).
In this essay, the author
- States that prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in the united states, according to the american cancer society.
- Explains how the cost of prostate cancer screening in texas was calculated from numerous sources, such as random-sample surveys and the texas department of health.
- States that there is no clear medical consensus about whether screening for prostate cancer reduces mortality or whether early treatment prolongs life.
- Explains that without solid evidence on the effectiveness of prostate cancer in reducing mortality and morbidity, cost-effectiveness cannot be properly evaluated.
- Explains the cost of prostate cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment that would result if psa screening were implemented nationally.
- Explains that there is a direct correlation between stage at diagnosis and the length of survival in patients with prostate cancer.
2964 wordsRead More - Underlying Risks for Cardiovascular Diseaseexplanatory essaySince 1960 the age-adjusted mortality rates for cardiovascular disease (CVD) has declined steadily in the U.S. due to multiple factors, but still remains one of the primary causes of morbidity and premature mortality worldwide. Greater control of risk factors and improved treatments for cardiovascular disease has significantly contributed to this decline (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). In the U.S. alone it claims approximately 830,000 each year and accounts for 1/6 of all deaths under the age of 65 (Weiss and Lonnquist, 2011). Based on the 2007 mortality rate data an average of 1 death every 37 seconds is due to cardiovascular disease (Lloyd-Jones et al., 2009). Controlling and reducing risk factors is crucial for saving lives. There are a number of contributing risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which may appear in the form of hereditary, behavioral, and psychological, all of which ultimately converge in social or cultural factors.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that age-adjusted mortality rates for cardiovascular disease (cvd) have declined steadily in the u.s. due to multiple factors, but still remains one of the primary causes of morbidity and premature mortality worldwide.
- Explains that one out of every five males has some form of cardiovascular disease and the same applies for females.
- Explains that blacks, both male and female, are more likely to experience cardiovascular disease than all other races.
- Cites agency for healthcare research and quality's findings on cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions in women.
1649 wordsRead More - Gender and the Rates of Cancercomparative essayCancer is very prevalent in America. It is one of the many diseases still left without a cure. Men and women all the around world are affected by this disease as it continues to spread. There are many different types of cancer that impact both men and women such as pancreatic, lung, breast, skin, and many more types of cancer. Bailar and Gornik say that despite decades of basic and clinical research and trials of promising new therapies, cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality (1997). Whether you are male or female, cancer has the ability to terminate any one’s life.
In this essay, the author
- Concludes that even though women are more emotional than men, they are still fighters and take risks. the question remains whether men have higher rates of cancer than women.
- Explains that hints data was collected by a survey that provides changing patterns, needs, and information opportunities in health.
- Explains that the variables were collected from the hints dataset. the variables selected were "are you male or female" and "in general, i depend on numbers and statistics to help me make my decision on health."
- Explains that they used spss version 18 to calculate their data and ran an anova test to find that the two variables weren't significantly related to each other.
- Explains that the proposed method of statistical assessment will be having the male and females take a survey with questions related to the main research questions.
- Explains that cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality despite decades of basic and clinical research and trials of promising new therapies.
- Cites bailar, gornik, hartman, liu, czene, miao, chia, and ma, j.
616 wordsRead More - Cells And Lung Cancerexplanatory essay...iciaries. Among the patients diagnosed with cancer, survivability and the probabilities of dying from their cancer and of other causes by there age, and stage of cancer were calculated. Death rates continued to be on the decline for all cancers with the combination of men and women of all major ethnic and racial groups and for most major cancer sites; rates men and women combined was decreased by 1.5% per year from 2001 towards 2010. Overall incidence rates were decreased in the male population and were stabilized in the female. The article “Annual Report to the Nation on the status of cancer” (2013) states that “the prevalence of comorbidity was similar among cancer-free Medicare beneficiaries which were 31.8%, breast cancer patients which were 32.2%, and prostate cancer patients which were 30.5%; and intermediate among colorectal cancer patients which was 40.7%.”
In this essay, the author
- Explains that humans have 46 chromosomes that are located in most cells of the body.
- Explains that some genes are there to stop from developing cancer, such as stk11, msh6, brca, mlh1, apc, etc. some people are born with a mutated gene.
- Explains miller and levine's theory that if a single individual is carrying an inherited mutated gene, there is 50% plausible chance of passing it to his or her children in the future.
- Explains that cancer is a disorder in which body cells lose the ability to control growth.
- Explains that there are numerous ways in preventing these deleterious cancerous cells from spreading and to prevent it in general.
- Explains that the four most basic ways to cure lung cancer are through surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.
- Explains that the cdc, naaccr, and the national cancer institute are diligent government or supranational organizations that come together yearly to create an update on cancer occurrences and death rates that trends in the united states.
1847 wordsRead More - What Is Heart Disease Essayexplanatory essayThere is not an ethnic group that is not affected by heart disease. However, “the cardiovascular disease death rate among African Americans is 34 percent higher than for the overall U.S. population”. (“The Facts of Cardiovascular Disease”) African American women ages 50 and up are twice as likely as Caucasian women to be diagnosed with heart disease, and is more likely than Caucasian women to have a heart attack. A heart attack is the most common outcome of heart disease.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that heart disease is a disorder of the blood vessels within the heart, which cannot be cured.
- Explains that risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, obesity, being physically active, and having a family history of heart disease.
- Explains that african-american women are twice as likely as caucasian women to be diagnosed with heart disease and are more likely than caucasians to have a heart attack.
- Explains that a heart attack occurs when the blood flow that brings oxygen to the heart muscle is severely reduced or cut off completely.
- Opines that it is best to treat a heart attack right away, before the blood starts clotting drastically.
- Explains that cardiac rehabilitation is a medically supervised program that helps improve the health and well-being of people who have heart problems.
- Explains that rehabilitation consists of two parts: exercise training and education, counseling and training.
- Explains that recognizing the symptoms of a heart attack can be complicated. sudden, dramatic hollywood heart attacks can occur at times.
- Explains that certain drugs, emotional stress, cold living conditions, and cigarette smoking can cause a heart attack. infections and relationship issues can also cause heart attacks.
- Explains that a negative relationship with your husband/wife or significant other can be bad for the heart. negative relationships can increase the chances of heart attacks by almost 30 percent.
- Explains that depression can increase the risk of an adverse cardiac event such as a heart attack or blood clots. heart attack survivors have higher chances of having another one if they are always depressed.
- Explains that different types of heart disease have similar traits, but they also have main differences that determine their treatment.
- Explains congenital heart disease is a heart abnormality present at birth, which affects parts of the heart, including the septum.
- Explains that congestive heart disease occurs when the heart can no longer produce blood to spread throughout the body like it is supposed to.
- Explains that coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease. cyanotic heart disease causes low blood oxygen levels throughout the body and bluish skin, puffy face, and hyperventilating.
- Explains that hypertensive heart disease is caused by several previous heart problems.
- Explains that structural heart disease refers to congenital cardiac defects, but may also include abnormalities of the valves and vessels that develop with wear and tear on the heart.
- Describes ischemic heart disease, which results in reduced blood supply to the heart, atherosclerosis, and coronary artery disease.
- Explains that having heart disease while pregnant can be very severe. pregnancies with a diseased heart produce blood to spread throughout the body during gestation, resulting in the woman being weakened by labor and delivery.
- Explains that heart disease can take a huge toll on individuals with it. physical activities, such as construction workers, running for long periods, and any other cardio activities can damage the heart and make the individual more prone to heart failure.
- Explains that polluted air can increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, arrhythmias and heart failure in susceptible people, such as elderly people and people with previous heart conditions.
- Explains that cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the united states, accounting for 440,000 of the 2.4 million annual deaths.
- Explains that nutrition and diets play a huge role in preventing heart disease, including the mediterranean diet.
- Explains that maintaining a good health is the best thing to do when it comes to preventing heart disease.
- Explains that there are three types of exercises that are good for the heart. running, jogging, and biking are examples of aerobic activities.
- Recommends exercising at least twice a week and lifting weights to prevent heart disease.
- Urges people to get up, start jogging, and get ready for a healthy, happy life. ways to prevent heart disease exist.
1933 wordsRead More