Chronic Disease

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to create room in their budget for this growing concern, to put the money toward the right things, and to somehow decrease costs. Treatment is not the only concern. Prevention is a top priority. According to The American Public Health Association (2017), by investing in prevention and treatment of the most common chronic diseases, the U.S. could decrease treatment costs by $218 billion per year and reduce the economic impact of disease by $1.1 trillion annually. This leaves room for other important health issues or economic necessities and also saves lives as prevention is always a better option than treating someone who’s already ill. Stopping the disease altogether is always the best option for the individual, for society, and for everyone’s finances.

Preventing any illness from developing or worsening is always the goal. There are many ways that public health plays a role in achieving this goal. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017), coordinating chronic disease prevention into four main domains is the most effective and efficient way to prevent these illnesses. These domains include epidemiology and surveillance which allows for the necessary monitoring of trends and the tracking of progress. Environmental approaches which is the second domain, promotes good health and healthy behaviors. The third domain is health care system interventions which focus on the efficiency and use of clinical and other preventative services. The fourth domain is community programs linked to clinical services. This final domain focuses on improving and maintaining chronic conditions. By coordinating a plan that allows for illnesses and vulnerable people to be tracked, and services to be offered as early as possible, less deaths are likely to result from chronic disease. Prevention is always the goal, however, health care services to ensure that health is maintained and conditions are stopped from worsening, saves money and lives. Prevention and intervention are key.

Overall, chronic disease is a serious topic. Trillions have been spent on various chronic diseases and millions have died from their illnesses. It’s a subject that I feel the public needs to be educated on, starting in childhood. Teaching children to take care of their bodies as early as possible can save them from undesirable diagnoses in adulthood, especially since artery damage can begin during one’s youth. This is where public health comes in. Public health professionals need to promote healthy eating in a way that focuses on more than just weight and energy, but on one’s ability to perform better in sports or dance. Targeted campaigns are likely to appeal to children and resonate with them, encouraging heathier habits. Through public health education, and intervention services, chronic disease will take fewer lives, affect less budgets, and become a problem that the public is as concerned about preventing as medical professionals are.

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