Better Health for the Future

This article gave us information on Healthy People 2020, which was launched on December 2, 2010 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The article states that Healthy People 2020 is a strategic approach by the federal government, states, communities, and many other public and private partners to improve the health of the US population. This plans states that improvement will be completed over a ten-year time span. The Healthy People strategy was designed to define and promote a common sense of purpose and goals. These goals include: attaining a longer high quality live free of preventable disease, disability, injury, and premature death, achieving health equity, eliminating disparities, and improving the health of all groups,

US Department of Health and Human Services (2014) Healthy People.Gov: 2020 Topics and Objectives. Retrieved from: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/default.aspx

Purpose: Link public health data at state/county levels to the Healthy People 2020 Target rates. Describe the indicator, target data and whether progress has been made towards the goal.

Specific issues that should be monitored over the next decade include: (1) having access to the entire care continuum and to increasing and to measure insurance coverage and; (2) Addressing disparities that affect access to healthcare (e.g., race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, sex, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and residential location); (3) Assessing the capacity of the healthcare system to provide services for newly insured individuals; (4) Determining changes in healthcare workforce needs as new models for the delivery of primary care become more prevalent, such as the patient-centered medical home and team-based care; (5) Monitoring the increasing use of telehealth as an emerging method of delivering health

Every individual in the world deserves to enjoy health and wellness. Maintaining or achieving proper health needs enables individuals to be productive at work and leisure. Traditionally, many people have had barriers obtaining adequate healthcare due to economic constraints or personal inconveniences. Despite impressive technological advances in medicine, the challenge of delivering quality healthcare to the Americans continues to be debated amongst the nation’s political and healthcare leaders. The aging baby-boomers and the increased number of uninsured people add to the equation of population growth which results in limited access to primary healthcare for the entire public. On the

Not only has the cases of preventable chronic diseases increased over the years affecting half of the U.S population, they account for 86% of the health care costs. Programs and policies that address risk factors and causes of these diseases at their roots would not only promote public health but reduce the cost of health care both in treatment and hospitalization.

One of the issues is the increasing cost of healthcare which is dominating the health policy in U.S. this is accompanied by an increase in spending on healthcare. According to projections by the government, the spending on medical care will continue to rise. U.S spends more money on health care than any other nation globally (Holtz, 2013). The increase in the spending is as a result of improved tools for disease diagnosis, better surgical interventions among others. This raises an issue for the policy makers on the maximum GDP percentage that a country has to spend on healthcare, and whether the nation will afford the cost that is continually growing. In contemplating any change in the health policy, policy makers should consider the cost of the healthcare and the ability of the nation to support that high cost.

“Hope… Sometimes that’s all you have when you have nothing else. If you have it. You have everything .” In The Road by Cormac McCarthy a recurring theme in the story is gaining or losing hope. Throughout this story there are numerous instances and events that occur in which all seems lost at a dead end, but in those moment hope carries through and thrives. In this dystopian post apocalyptic world the man and boy are fighting to stay alive while keeping their humanity as well as searching for what humanity is left in this kill or be killed cannibalistic planet. As their time journeying down the road increases so do the dangers and obstacles they face to survive. The more they overcome the more hope thrives in them showing that in even in the most catastrophic events having hope helps them get closer to finding the light at the end of the tunnel and not being consumed by the darkness.

One cause is genetics some people are prone to more illnesses and diseases than others. Lifestyle choices of whether to eat health, exercise, drink water, and see a doctor regularly can make some people healthier than others. A person’s income and access to health care can cause them to be health or unhealthy. Formal education has a positive effect on the health of an individual. A person with a strong support system can have better health due to the support and assistances they can provide. The physical environment can negatively affect a patient’s health if they are in an area without easy access to health care, or work with carcinogens.

The health status of the population in the United States is a national priority. The Healthy People 2020 outlines priorities and to improve the health of individuals and communities across the country. Healthy People 2020 is defined as a comprehensive set of national objectives for “improving the health of all Americans” (Healthy People 2020, n.d, para. 1). The Healthy people 2020, is aimed at improving the health of individuals and communities and envisions “a society in which all people live long, healthy lives” (Healthy People 2020, n.d, para 4). A short priority list was developed and contains twenty-six objectives knowns as Leading Health Indicators (LHI). The list of objectives was created to prioritize health issues that must be addressed and to find appropriate actions to take in order to improve the health of the population.

We all know someone who has suffered from heart disease. Whether it was from a heart attack, congestive heart failure, or stroke, some type of cardiovascular disease has taken the life of someone we loved way too soon. This epidemic of heart disease must be stopped through the collaboration of physicians, nurses, law makers, and concerned citizens. The purpose of this paper is to examine cardiovascular disease, the risks associated with heart disease and obesity per Milo’s framework, comparison of obesity and Healthy People 2020 national goals, and finally the long-term and short-term goals and interventions selected for this paper.

In 2010, Healthy People 2020 was started by the Department of Human Health Services. Health programs and research topics were instituted to help Americans live healthier and longer lives (CDC, 2014). The 42 topics presented are all very important in maintaining the goals set by Healthy People 2020. If these programs were to be cut or budget restraints imposed on them, the impact would be felt by all Americans. There would be more unhealthy people, preventable chronic diseases would be more prevalent, and education and health associated programs would be

Healthy People 2020 discusses a number of special population’s that have barriers to care including; race, age sex, sexual identity, age, disability, socioeconomic, and location; this post will discuss race (ethnic) group.  There are a number of races mentioned in healthy people 2020, such as, Asian, American Indian, Alaskan, Latino and African American (Healthy People 2020, n.d.). Access to health care in an ethnic group is multifaceted from the lack of trust, lack of health care education, discrimination and cost of care including health insurance. According to Howard, Peace, & Howard (2014), African Americans have a greater risk of three preventable diseases, hypertension, renal failure and bacterial infections stating; “no other disease

US health care expenditures have been rising quickly over the past few years; it has risen more than the national financial system. Nonetheless a number of citizens in the US still lack appropriate health care. If the truth be told, health care expenditures are going to continue to increase; in addition numerous individuals will possibly have to make difficult choices pertaining to their health care. Our health system has grave problems that require reform, through reforming, there is optimism that there will be an increase in affordable health care and high-quality of care for America. Medicaid, Medicare and private sector insurances are all going through trials and tribulations because of

Since 1980, the United States has taken on 10-year plans that outline certain key national health objectives set to be accomplished during a 10-year timeframe (Shi & Singh, 2015). These initiatives are founded on medical care with prevention services, health promotion, education, community health care, and increased access to integrated services. The initiative, Healthy People 2010: Healthy People in Healthy Communities, launched in 2000. The initiative emphasizes the role of community partners such as