Significant Health Care Event

There have been several events that have helped to change and mold health care throughout history in the United States. Some influences that have are significant to benefit Americans and stay on track with the needs of Americans include society, culture, finance, religion, politics, technology, health trends, environment, and population (Shi & Singh, 2012) Significant Event’s Relation to Health Care In the year 2011 there were many reports in the media regarding bisphenol A (BPA).

BPA is a hormone-disrupting chemical linked to adverse health effects like cancer, infertility, diabetes, obesity and ADHD (Newbold, 2009) A large amount of BPA has been removed from water bottles as well as baby bottles. However, the epoxy resin lining food cans was still a grave concern and widespread problem throughout the United States. A new study done during this time found BPA in several canned fruits, vegetables, and pasta treats consumed by many children.

A Harvard study found that volunteers who consumed canned soup daily for five days had a 1,000 percent increase in urinary BPA (Datz, 2011). BPA is found in many foods and drinks ingested by Americans every day. It has also been proven to be found in sealants and dentistry composites used by dentists. Many countries have banned BPA use in baby bottles, sippy cups, along with other products primarily used by children. BPA has been used in the United States since the 1950s, and was approved as a food additive by the FDA at that time (Rust & Kissinger, 2009).

Personal Accountability for a healthier lifestyle Another event that has become more common in the United States is personal responsibility of each American to lead a healthier life that leads to a decrease in health care costs in the long run. Access to effective health care is an important component to many people as well as an important social responsibility. Americans as a society can find many ways to promote healthy environments and lifestyles. These ways include pollution control, occupational health, sanitation, preventative medical care and education, along with food and drug safety.

Greater attention should be paid to strategies for health promotion other than access to healthcare, such as environmental and public health and health research (Resnick, 2007). The lifestyle of many Americans is the primary cause of the majority of illnesses in the United States. The leading causes of disease have been proven to be contributing factors to disease and death in the United States. Chronic diseases are the leading cause of disability as well as death in the United States and are on the rise. 7 out of 10 deaths among Americans each year are from chronic diseases.

Heart disease, cancer and stroke account for more than 50% of all deaths each year (Kung, Hoyert, Xu, & Murphy, 2005). More than one-third of all adults do not meet recommendations for aerobic physical activity based on the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, and 23% report no leisure-time physical activity at all in the preceding month, cigarette smoking is more prevalent in high school students as of 2007 with a reported percentage of 20%, and more than 43 million adults are cigarette smokers in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008).

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, and cigarette smoking causes almost all cases. Compared to nonsmokers, men who smoke are about 23 times more likely to develop lung cancer and women who smoke are about 13 times more likely. Smoking causes about 90% of lung cancer deaths in men and almost 80% in women. Smoking also causes cancer of the voice box (larynx), mouth and throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, and stomach, and causes acute myeloid leukemia (U. S.

Department of Health and Human Services, 2004). Chronic conditions that are caused by poor lifestyle choices ultimately create a huge burden on health care spending in the United States. The cost of health care spending for chronic conditions has increased the United States from $75 billion in 1970, $2. 6 trillion in 2010, and is expected to reach $4. 8 trillion in 2021. 75% of these costs is because of unhealthy lifestyles that lead to chronic conditions (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2011).

General practitioners and insurance companies must focus more on educational resources related to preventative medicine and care to ensure citizens lead healthier lifestyles that will lead to longevity of life. This can be a difficult task as physicians are taught to uphold a creed to take care of all people who are ill, and Americans as a society are obligated to care for vulnerable citizens. There are no quick fix solutions. However, I believe that education can assist many Americans to strive more to live a better and healthier lifestyle in order to avoid disease and death from one of the many preventable chronic conditions.