An important aspect of providing quality healthcare is ensuring the diagnosis, giving proper care, and encouraging compliance of acre for those who have chronic diseases. People who suffer from chronic ailments come in every age, both genders, all ethnicities, and from all socio-economic backgrounds.
Diabetes is a disease that is being increasingly common in the United States. About 24 million Americans have the disease, or about 8% of the population, which can lead to disability and even death. The largest increase is in younger people, with the largest cause being obesity. Some of the measurements associated with diabetes include testing A1c levels to try and maintain results as close to five as possible. A person who is lower than seven is still considered to be in control. Another target number for a diabetic is having a LDL-C level of less than 100 mg/dL. One’s blood pressure should remain under 130/80. Kidneys and eye sight must also be closely monitored since they also have increased negative health issues (American Heart Association, 2007).
Even more Americans, about 34.1 million, suffer from asthma. It can be deadly, as about 5,000 people lose their lives annually to this disease (Akinbami, 2009). People with persistent asthma rely on medication to control their symptoms and possibly save their lives. Finding the correct medication is a necessary course of action but being compliant with treatment is essential (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).
Though these studies it is evident that those Americans with private health insurance and who come from a higher socio-economic background do engage in better preventive and maintenance care for their ailments. Changes do need to be made to ensure that all people with chronic ailments are receiving the best care possible and participating in their own care decisions and compliance. One of the possibilities is automated trigger systems to ensure compliance with care and treatment, but again, the lower one’s socio-economic status, the less likely one is to participate. Such access and engagement needs to increase across the board.
References
Akinbami, L.J. (March 2010). The State of Childhood Asthma, United States, 1980–2007:
Advance Data from Vital and Health Statistics. Pediatrics 123 (Supplement); S131-45.
Retrieved from: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/123/Supplement_3/S131
American Heart Association. (2007). Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2007 update.
Retrieved from: http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/1166711577754HS_StatsInsideText.pdf
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: National Center for Health Statistics, National
Health Interview Survey Raw Data. (2010). Analysis by the American Lung Association
Research and Program Services Division using SPSS and SUDAAN software. Asthma in
Adults Fact Sheet. Retrieved from: http://www.lungusa.org/lung-disease/asthma/resources/facts-and-figures/asthma-in-adults.html
