Global Health Challenges Of The United States

The health of the United States has been declining in recent years. More individuals are suffering from health issues such as obesity and high cholesterol. This is particularly true of Know County in Maine. There are many health concerns in Know County. In order to address these problems a community program called ACHIEVE reached out to the YMCA to help improve the health of the area. In order to assess the success of this program it is important to understand the area in which it is implemented and the details of the program.

This paper will step out of the comfort of the first world American lifestyle and look beyond to the health and social issues around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) is the leading stakeholder in advancing the awareness and support on global health issues along with the United Nations (UN) and other governmental and nongovernmental agencies. Only once the issues of these vulnerable people are identified can these organizations move forward in addressing and prioritizing the rapidly evolving global health agenda. The Millennium Development Goals will be defined briefly, however, since their goal completion date has ended, a future look at follow on program, Sustainable Development Goals seems the best place

For second part of reading response, I choose to report on Promoting public understanding of public health article by our professor Stephen Bezruchka. I really enjoyed reading the article he wrote about how people in the America are being less healthy than those people in other rich nations. Promoting public awareness about this topic should be high priority for all Public Health majors. Health is the most important part of human life and it surprising to me that people in America are not really doing anything to change it. Solving this problem need individual supports and public supports.

“Without a lifespan view of women’s health… we are unlikely to be successful in advancing women’s health” (Woods 2009, pg. 400). A Global Health Imperative (2009) by author Nancy Fugate Woods explains the issues about health status and opportunities for the health of girl-children world-wide, which includes sex and gender disparities. Girl and women’s health is important, but just not as important as men’s health. Woods gives example of women’s health issues that are extremely serious. “Health issues or problems that occur predominantly in women are breast cancer and menopause” (Woods 2009, pg. 400). Women all over the world have the risk of getting breast cancer, HIV and Aids. Women that are affected by these diseases in some countries may

Good health for all people has turned out to be an acknowledged global objective and the records reveal that there have been extensive achievements in life expectancy over the past century. However, there has been persistence in health disproportions between affluent and deprived despite the fact that the prospects for upcoming health trends depend more and more on the latest processes of globalization. In the previous times, globalization has frequently been observed as an economic process comparatively. At the present times, however, it is progressively perceived as a wide-ranging trend fashioned by a multitude of aspects and incidents that are restructuring and changing the format of our society swiftly (Huynen, Martens & Hilderink, 2005).

Globalization involves the movement of people, food, goods from one place to another. And in the process of countries integrating, people and goods move from one location to another. In as much as there is positive impact for people, goods and services to move from one country to another. There are chances that the people, goods and service in a county can be infected and taken across the border to another country. In the course of globalization people move from one country to another and they might have contacted diseases or the product that they are carrying across the border. Diseases such as AIDs, tuberculosis, malaria are the top among the list of the disease that is usually carried by people. But just as globalization increases the frequency and ease with which diseases can move around the world, it also can improve access to the medicines, medical information, and training that can help treat or cure these diseases. Drug companies and governments now have the ability to ship drugs to remote parts of the world affected by outbreaks of diseases. There are various options that can be used to lower the spread of global disease. Most countries usually have screening borders to check the people, food and

I concentrated my Master’s studies in international health, and, to understand and experience health from an international perspective, felt it was important to live and be educated overseas. Studying in Australia, I was exposed to, not only cultural differences, but systematic, political, and infrastructure differences, and I began to understand how what one has access to influences their life.

The National Institute of Health's article states that the commencement of the 21st century helped with the provision of a preview of the numerous challenges that the US would face in the coming decades. The article's areas of focus that would help change the health of America's population include the adoption of a population health approach that gives consideration to health determinants, the strengthening of the public health infrastructure of the government, the development of accountability systems to enable the assurance of the quality and availability of public health services, and others (Curry, 2005). Furthermore, the report suggests several findings that would help enhance America's public health. For instance, the article suggests that appropriate education and training should be provided to the public health workforce if America's public health is to undergo a significant evolution. Despite NIH article's findings and commitment to change America's public health, no significant efforts have been channeled towards the elimination of the health challenges faced by a huge percentage of America's population. Essentially, America is yet to realize its goals of eliminating incessant health challenges. Today, in the US, the obesity rate has soared from 27.6% to

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services unhealthy eating and physical inactivity are the leading causes of death in the United States. Every year, 300,000 to 600,000 deaths result from unhealthy eating and inactivity (CSPI). Health risk behaviors are the main contributors to the nation’s rising premature death rate in the last twenty-five years. Heath related diseases have begun to span across several generations and is no longer limited to adults. The rise in obesity and malnutrition has resulted in children suffering from diseases that were once considered “adult” diseases. Many children are dying sooner then expected, and this generation of children is projected to “be the first generation of children who live

With the huge diversity and changeability of human biology, it is impossible to imagine a reality without some mutations, changes, or issues in the organs and tissues of humans. Thus, it rightly follows that medications and pharmaceuticals have been created in an effort to counteract the various ailments and illnesses that people can experience. However, as time has gone on and these pharmaceuticals have become more and more high-tech, regulated, and trusted, they have also become incredibly commercialized. Worse still, medications have become incredibly expensive and can be unattainable for some people.

I think that obesity is America’s biggest health problem because so many other health problems are contributed and linked to obesity.

The public health crisis in the United States has reached a critical point that demands action. Chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory diseases and diabetes are the leading causes of disability and premature death in America. While chronic diseases are among the most common and costly health problems, they are also preventable. Three health-damaging behaviors at the center of the issue are tobacco use, lack of physical activity and poor eating habits. Public health campaigns aimed at these behaviors have been in place for many years. However, these pervasive habits continue in America. The best way to address the problem is through government policies that use incentives or penalties to bring about the

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the principal government agency in the United States working to improve the health of all Americans despite their economic, social and educational status. HHS has identified three national goals of global health, including strengthen health care, advance scientific knowledge and innovation, and advance the health, safety and well-being of Americans (Secretary, 2014). The first goal to strengthen healthcare refers to HHS's push in making health insurance affordable for all Americans. This will increase access to preventative care as well as ensuring assess to high quality, culturally competent care. This goal focuses on improving transitions in care across the continuum, which in

The Somalis are one of the largest groups of new refugees to arrive in the United States in the last two decades. Most Somali refugees resettling in the United States have arrived from refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. A substantial number of Somali refugees have witnessed refugee camps. Families who were admitted to the US as a refugee could file refugee/asylee relative petition and could bring their spouses or their children. However, the U.S. accepts large numbers of Somalis. Most of those refugees live in Minnesota and many other cities. Before they arrive in the U.S, medical practitioners at the refugee camps make sure that none of those refugees carries any transmittable diseases.

I believe that the United States is clearly taking action and are a part of the problem against the nation’s leading public health threats obesity, tobacco use and HIV/AIDS. These issues affect just about every racial and ethnic community, especially those who have limited health care. Yes, the public is well educated with the media and public service announcements about prevention of these health issues, but what about the problems that still exist and how much more can be done to intervene altogether.