COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant collapse of the healthcare sector worldwide, climate change and its delirious effects on various countries, geopolitical disturbances and violation of human rights, and so on – the human race has witnessed such calamitous situations in a short span of 3 years. One may readily point fingers and argue about how to bring these problems under control.
Whether we like it or not, people have been on the receiving end of all of these casualties with no concrete foreseeable solution. The irony is we have gotten to the moon, but we still need to discover a cure for cancer or a treatment for the COVID-19 virus. All of this leads us to the conclusion that our health is our most valuable possession.
Decades of perseverance and medical research have brought us to a stage where longevity has increased. Despite all efforts, chronic diseases affect a swath of the American population. Following are a few shocking statistics supporting this claim:
- Almost 1.6 million cancer cases are dedicated each year;
- Close to 30 million Americans including children suffer from diabetes;
- Heart disease still tops the list of diseases claiming the lives of Americans.
Preventive care seems like a possible solution to reduce, if not entirely contain, diseases.
What is preventive care?
Preventive care is a culmination of steps one takes that result in early detection or prevention of health issues including chronic diseases. This could be in the form of dietary restrictions, the inclusion of workouts, regular medical checkups or any lifestyle changes.
Annual health checkups, Flu shots, tests and screenings, etc, fall in the bucket of preventive care. The goal of undergoing preventive care is to analyse and reduce the negative outcome which may lead to emergencies or disabilities.
Preventive care in many ways reduces the burden on the healthcare industry. Early examination of any disease or medical issue helps in starting the relevant treatment at an early stage.
The medical cost of treating any disease in its infant stage is much lesser as compared to the later stage.
A very old research paper published in Health Affairs suggested that if in the year 2006, 90 per cent of preventive care was utilised then it could have saved $ 3.7 billion. Imagine, if this was the impact of taking preventive care about 15 years ago what would it entail for today’s economy.
Here are 4 types of common preventive care:
- Diabetes Screening
Earlier in this article, we mentioned the number of people who get diabetes in a year. These numbers are worrisome.
It is not news that diabetes is detrimental. It is an invitation to heart diseases, nervous system-related issues, kidney failure and even vision loss.
Shockingly, about 25 per cent of the people are unaware of having diabetes. The conditions mentioned occur in those who have very high sugar levels. Early detection of the symptoms can avoid such dreadful diseases.
- Cholesterol Tests
Cholesterol levels have a direct linkage to cardiovascular diseases. It is advisable to get your blood cholesterol checked once every 4-6 years.
High levels of cholesterol can be dealt with proper medication and changes made to lifestyle. Recommendatory changes in lifestyle usually talk about the inclusion of physical activities.
- Cancer Screening
1 in every 8 women may suffer from breast cancer. Breast cancer is curable if detected and treated at an early stage. This is when mammograms, a type of cancer screening, come as a blessing.
- Mental Health Screenings
Mental Health is the talk of the town. People are more forthcoming in talking about the mental health disorders they are facing and in seeking help for the same. Close to 970 million people across the globe have mental disorders.
Mental health issues like depression and anxiety are prevalent in the United States of America. Proper counselling clubbed with medication can help individuals deal with it more effectively.
Mental disorders are silent killers having a humongous impact on communities at large.
Other types of preventive care are blood pressure tests, vaccinations for kids, dental health checkups, well-child visits, sexually transmitted infections, etc.
Preventive care is not an alternative but a compulsion. Proper and timely preventive care is good for the overall physical and financial health well-being of an individual.
To get help from an expert, take the first step and book an appointment today with TrueHealth for yourself and your loved ones. For more details visit our website or call on (631) 581-0737 or send us an email at scheduler@truehealthdocs.com.