There is much talk about prevention these days, leading us to the question, “Who is responsible for prevention?” This article looks at prevention from many different perspectives to answer that very question.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
~Benjamin Franklin
According to the CDC…
If we continue the way we have been, the future doesn’t look so bright for Americans. That’s why one of the new buzz words is “prevention” which means increasing awareness, making changes that support the body in avoiding disease, and creating an environment that promotes good health habits.
The only way we will really achieve wellness and prevention is for everyone and every entity to work towards it. As the CDC points out, “Prevention should be woven into all aspects of our lives, including where and how we live, learn, work and play. Everyone—government, businesses, educators, health care institutions, communities and every single American—has a role in creating a healthier nation.”
Here’s a quick look at what each party can do to play a role in creating a healthier America through prevention:
Individuals
Click here to learn more about what you can do as an individual to prevent disease.
Clinicians & Healthcare Institutions
Businesses & Organizations
Government & Communities
The Prevention and Public Health Fund
The Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund is the nation’s largest single investment ($14.5 billion) to date in prevention, with the goal being to improve the health of Americans and prevent chronic disease over a 10 year period by mandating certain preventive measures and supporting community programs that reduce obesity and tobacco use and increase physical activity and nutrition compliance.
By making changes that reflect healthier choices in housing, education, transportation, environment, access to healthy food, and the workplace, this fund will help to bring America’s focus to be more on wellness and prevention instead of on sickness and disease as it currently is.
The bottom line is everyone benefits from making steps toward preventing disease:
Adults & Employers benefit because preventing disease allows people to be more productive at work and miss less days of work. It allows people to enjoy a better quality of life so that they can be happier and better able to accomplish their daily activities.
Children benefit because they miss less school and they are better able to learn when they are healthier and engaging in healthier lifestyle choices. No child should have to endure diseases like obesity and diabetes, and too many of them are today. With prevention, children can thrive and enjoy being children.
Seniors benefit by prolonging their independence and maintaining a much more enjoyable quality of life. The “young seniors” you see out and about are usually the ones who have taken good care of themselves and may have prevented disease without even realizing it just because they lead active and healthy lifestyles.
Sources:
https://www.bcbsms.com/2014-prevention-key.html
http://healthyamericans.org/report/106/
http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/28/1/37.full
http://healthyamericans.org/health-issues/prevention-page/
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PreventionStrategy/
If you enjoyed this article please consider sharing it!