Death in early twentieth century
Causes-In the beginning of the twentieth century, the most common causes of death were infectious diseases. These were the likes of pneumonia, influenza, and tuberculosis. Most treatments at the time were not very effective. In the event of severe attacks on individuals, they took a massive toll on health and often led to death. Other diseases included gastrointestinal infections such as diarrhea, typhoid, and cholera. At that time, most people did not maintain proper hygienic standards. Though most were aware, they at times ignored them or never took them seriously. Nevertheless, these diseases were not very fatal and could easily get treated, and casualties were relatively rare (Armstrong, Conn & Pinner 61).
Cancer is another disease that emerged in the turn of the twentieth century. Most doctors and practitioners never understood this condition entirely. At that time, there was very scanty knowledge of genetics. This disease arises from genetic mutations that cause uncontrolled cell growth. Cardiovascular disease and heart disease mainly attacked the elderly.
Place of death- A good number of people died in their homes especially in rural areas. There were no proper means of transport in remote locations. Some also preferred to seek outpatient services rather than get admitted to hospital wards. The elderly also preferred to die close to families rather than in nursing homes. Very few chose to live in such places. In urban areas and cities, most individuals died in hospitals (Laderman 9).
Doctor and family- When death occurred, it was the doctor's role to communicate with the family the cause of death. They also gave death certificates to the relatives. Apart from that, doctors had no other role. The funeral directors did the embalming and not the next of kin. The family took over the funeral arrangements. They cleared mortuary fees and planned for the burial. After the planning, friends and relatives held funerals and buried the deceased.
The medical situation at the time- During the early twentieth century, medicine mainly focused on battling infection, proper nutrition, and vaccination. There were some vaccines such as for whooping cough, measles, and smallpox. As a result, such diseases nearly got eliminated. When it came to infectious illnesses, medicines were mainly curative.
People with long term illnesses did not have much support to reduce suffering. The treatments offered were relatively unproven and did very little in assistance. For this reason, most of them did not live very long. They soon succumbed to the illnesses. Though there were numerous breakthroughs in medicine during this period, life expectancy was still quite low compared to modern times.
Death in Modern America
Causes- In recent times, life expectancy has risen to much higher levels thanks to groundbreaking improvements in healthcare. Nowadays, the most common causes of death in America are lifestyle diseases. These are the likes of diabetes and heart disease. However, cancer is still a major killer of most people above the age of sixty. Most Americans have adopted sedentary lifestyles, and agricultural enhancements have led to the abundance of food.
Junk food consumption also continues to increase by the day. When people do not exercise and consume such foods, they are bound to get diseases associated with their lifestyles (Danaei, et al., 31). Heart disease is more common in older citizens above the age of sixty compared to the youth. Other causes of mortality among the younger population are accidents, homicides, drug abuse and murder (Mokdad 1238).
Place of death- With the increasing institutionalization of health care, most people die in hospitals. The exception to this situation is those who die of unnatural causes especially younger people. Their number is higher than their counterparts who die in hospitals. Younger people have strong immunity and coupled with proper healthcare, not many die of infectious disease. The elderly mostly die in hospitals and some die due to natural causes while in nursing homes. They might die during their sleep of a minor condition such as a cold.
Family and Doctors- Doctors nowadays play an increasing role in the healthcare of patient’s right from admission to the hospital all the way to death. More and more practitioners are now working closely with families. They frequently communicate and give feedback to the household. Close friends and relatives of the sick patient can now get full information on diagnosis and prognosis of health conditions of loved ones.
Furthermore, doctors and physicians now listen more to patient needs. The sick are now freer to demand certain services and treatments that suite their personal medical needs. When death occurs, doctors still have the duty to explain the causes of death. They are also responsible for issuing death certificates. The role of funerals and burials get largely catered for by family and friends.
Modern trends in medicine- Modern medicine mainly focuses on the prolonging of life in addition to battling the diseases. Innovations in genetics and virology have now enabled deadly viral diseases to get regulated. An example is the deadly HIV that killed very many people in the early days of its discovery. But currently, there are highly effective treatments that prolong the lives of patients and enables them to live normal productive lives. More focus is also getting placed on adherence to healthy diets and keeping fit through physical activity to avoid lifestyle diseases.
Works cited
Armstrong, Gregory L., Laura A. Conn, and Robert W. Pinner. "Trends in infectious disease mortality in the United States during the 20th century."Jama 281.1 (1999): 61-66.
Danaei, Goodarz, et al. "The preventable causes of death in the United States: comparative risk assessment of dietary, lifestyle, and metabolic risk factors." PLoS Med 6.4 (2009): e1000058 Print.
Laderman, Gary. Rest in peace: A cultural history of death and the funeral home in twentieth-century America. Oxford University Press, 2003.
Mokdad, Ali H., et al. "Actual causes of death in the United States, 2000."Jama 291.10 (2004): 1238-1245. Print.
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