What public health issue have you selected and why? Provide a brief explanation of the issue.
I have chosen diabetes since it continues to be a major health issue due to a change in lifestyles. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention up to 30.3 million people in the US are affected by diabetes. These statistics represent 9.4 % of the US population, which then means that the rate of infections is high making diabetes a public health issue.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
How long has the health issue been prevalent in the community?
The problem of diabetes has been around since 1958 when the diagnosed diabetes was t 0.93 percent. As of 2015, the people that had been diagnosed for diabetes rose to 23.4 million, which is representative of 7.4 percent (CDC). Currently, the federal and state governments worked on alleviating the problem of diabetes by initiating and implementing relevant healthcare programs.
What are the factors that have caused the issue to become a public issue? Support your answer with data from your research.
Diabetes has become a public issue considering that more individuals are at an increased risk of getting diabetes owing to a change in lifestyle. This proposition is true when one considers that the rate at which children and adolescents are affected has increased. Moreover, diabetes has become a public issue considering that it disproportionally affects individuals from low-income families. Owing to this realization, the concerned stakeholders are called upon to offer equitable economic and healthcare solutions.
Are there any social implications of the issue? Why or why not?
Diabetes has several social implications especially if one considers the individuals who are predisposed to becoming diabetic. According to CDC t individuals from low-income families mainly the African-Americans Hispanics are more likely to be diabetic, as they cannot afford the right diet and treatment regimen. This finding then means that social inequalities are to be blamed for the rise in the number of diabetic cases
What prevention and intervention measures have been implemented to address this issue in your community?
CDC has been in the frontline to ensure that diabetes no longer becomes a public health issue by implementing policy and environmental strategies aimed at promoting effective self-management regimens. CDC works with federal, state, and local governments to come up with campaigns that educate the public on the importance of prediabetes awareness so that people can find out their risk levels. Moreover, the concerned stakeholders have developed new resources to guide health insurers, states and employers deal with diabetes cases.
Are there any issues that are not being adequately addressed? Support your answer with data from your research.
The efforts to deal with diabetes cannot be enough without addressing the root cause of this issue, which are economic and educational disparities. CDC has established that individuals from low-income brackets are likely to have worse diabetic cases, as they are not able to manage diabetes. Efforts to address diabetes will not be enough without empowering individuals to live healthier lives or by providing requisite healthcare services.
Reference
Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes. Retrieved on 12 June 2019 from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/