Health is the efficiency of metabolic functioning in any organism. For human beings, health is the general condition of a human’s body and minds that usually means being safe from illnesses (Gofin J and GofinR 2011). The overarching goals of healthy people 2020 are numerous with various topics and objectives and have intentions of good health in mind. Some of the topics discussed are nutrition and weight status, adolescent health, maternal, infant and child health, access to health services, diabetes, mental health and health of those older adults. This essay aims at identifying an overarching goal of healthy people 2020, its specific example and discusses the recent progress on the issue.
One of the overarching goals of healthy people 2020 chosen to reduce diabetes and economic burden related to diabetes mellitus with a desire to improve life quality of everyone suffering from the diseases or at risk of acquiring it. I chose this goal because diabetes is chronic disease that exposes many to the burden of its management. Further, it is genetic and can easily be transferred to the offspring from parents thus its avoidance will be much of the benefit because the infected genes will no longer exist.
A very specific example of the overarching goal that I identified is diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus occurs when the body is not able to appropriately respond to insulin. Without an insulin signaling system that functions appropriately, the blood glucose levels get elevated making other metabolic abnormities occur. Abnormalities lead to the development of disabling conditions that at times cause severe complications.
The diabetes example pertains directly to the goal because it is expensive for human costs and the estimated financial cost of diabetes mellitus in a country as the United States was around one hundred and seventy-four billion. As a goal to reduce the economic burden, diabetes is said to be expensive to maintain with requirement of drugs throughout a person’s life. Moreover, no relevant body like the government has come up with any measure to provide free drugs for diabetes like the antiretroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS are provided. Besides the costs of medical care for diabetes, there are also other costs that may come with disability and premature death.
The goal of improving quality of life of everyone suffering from the disease or at risk of acquiring it has risks of diabetes pertaining directly with it. Diabetes increases risks of heart disease and is considered as the leading cause of kidney failure, adult onset blindness and amputations of lower limbs. All these mentioned problems associated with diabetes are not desirable and lower the quality of life especially when the risks are severe. If these problems related to diabetes can effectively be eliminated, the goal of improving quality of life can come to success.
The final example that pertains directly to the goal is based on the fact that diabetes lowers life expectancy by even up to fifteen years. The rate of diabetes mellitus increases day by day and more concern is based on the disease. The goal to reduce diabetes is relevant because prevention begins from reduction and consistent reduction leads to prevention. A world free of diabetes will be very healthy because there will not be any linked diseases of diabetes, reduced death rates and reduced economic burdens of maintaining the chronic disease.
The recent progress on diabetes is very positive and appreciated. First, there has been a reduction of diabetes infections and its related complications. It is a remarkable progress because research gives information that with the available health education services many people have had a change in their lifestyles like avoiding too much alcohol and consuming foods that have adequate sugars for the body. Besides, many people exercise a lot to avoid many other lifestyle diseases of which some may be related to diabetes. Medical checkups have also been a routine and health workers even provide mobile clinics for the checkups enabling the public to know their conditions thus taking clear measures in life.
Finally, another progress is the taking of advantage of discoveries that are recent. These discoveries are based on the individual and the society with benefits of improved management of diabetes and its prevention brought about by life-saving discoveries put into practice. Proper management of diabetes can prolong a person’s life despite its risk of life reduction and it is evident as a progress. Many people, who fall sick of diabetes lead a good life s prescribed by the medics, take the right drugs, diets and. Diabetes has thus not been a big issue since the management has been possible with people suffering from it living as equal with those safe from diabetes.
References
References
Gofin, J., & Gofin, R. (2011). Essentials of global community health. Sudbury, Mass: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Great Britain. (2011). Health and Social Care Bill. London: Stationery Office.
