...Health Care Issues in the United States Lori Schaffer Professor Gilliland Health Services Organization July 15, 2011 Health Care Issues in the United States Our health is affected by behaviors, economics, and social structure. Numerous behaviors and lifestyle patterns affect our health, such as: exposure to violence, vehicular accidents, alcohol, drugs, and infectious agents. (Williams/Torrens, p 67) Alcohol consumption and illicit drug use are examples of personal decision making and patterns of behavior that have tremendous adverse effects on health and on the economy. Alcohol abuse can lead to diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver, various cancers, intestinal disorders, and brain function deterioration. (Williams/Torrens, p 68) Drug abuse can lead to violent behaviors, liver, kidney, and brain deterioration. Tobacco abuse is associated with numerous diseases, including cardiovascular disease, lung and oral cancers. The above mentioned dysfunctional behaviors are made by personal choice. Some other behaviors that are detrimental to our health and affect the health care system are food choices. America is one of the heaviest countries, full of individuals that not only are overweight, but have unhealthy eating habits. This, too, can lead to illnesses. There is also the issue of unsafe sexual practices which lead to sexually transmitted diseases. A lot of these diseases go undiagnosed until irreversible damage to one’s health has occurred, such as, syphilis...
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...1 Health Care Issues in the United States Ashley Barnes Dr. George Ojie-Ahamiojie Health Services Organization Management July 15, 2010 2 Describe how health is affected by behaviors, economics and social structure. When it comes to our health, there are numerous factors that play a part in whether or not we stay healthy or not; some factors we can control(physical activity & nutrition), while others are not always up to us to decide (poverty level, income). There are six key factors identified by the Centers for Disease Control(CDC) (2010) that affect the health of individuals: alcohol and drug use, smoking, injury and violence, physical activity and sexual risk behaviors. A majority of these factors an individual can chose to engage in or not, however, economic situation and social structure can impact those decisions as well. For people who are in a less affluent status, they may not be able to purchase the more nutritious option in a grocery store and will have to resort to buying enriched and over processed food products that are less expensive. These types of groceries do not provide the necessary nutrition and with prolonged consumption of these goods, can lead to adverse health effects such as obesity and diabetes. Engaging in behaviors such as drinking, risky sex and violence can lead to issues later in life if started at a young age, and contribute to education and social problems that the United States currently faces (CDC, 2010). Certain...
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...Introduction Healthcare access across the world is vastly different between countries. The citizens of those countries also have varying opinions of those healthcare systems. Some of these countries utilize private healthcare systems. That is where the citizen is responsible for their healthcare. Some countries use government run systems. In some countries, it is up to the citizen to decide which route they want to choose. It is important for people to know what is available to them and to understand what each of the systems mean. After interviewing an individual who lived in of Canada for many years, it is easy to see the differences between their healthcare model and the United States’ model. How would you rate the healthcare quality on a scale from 1-10? The individual interviewed stated that he would give the Canadian healthcare system an eight out of ten. This person stated that healthcare access had been very easily obtained for him. He also stated that he had no difficulty in scheduling appointments with primary care providers. Also, he had to have a knee surgery and getting that taken care of was not a stress at all. One of the other reasons he rated it so high is that it is free. That is something that is greatly different between Canada and the United States. Also, in comparison to hospitals in the United States, the hospitals in Canada are not as nice. With that in mind, he said it was worth it because it was free. I would give the American healthcare system...
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...people of West Virginia and she is an asset to the West Virginia legislature on issues concerning healthcare in the Mountain State. As an emergency room physician, she is well aware of the problems within the healthcare industry and how these problems affect healthcare professionals and their patients. Her medical career and her political career were greatly influenced by her father, the late former United States congressman Harley Staggers. He advised her that helping others is doing God’s work. During her shift at Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospital emergency department, Dr. Staggers was interviewed on the topic of healthcare legislation. Delegate Staggers was first asked about current healthcare issues on the agenda. She states that the number one problem is dealing with drug abuse (M. Staggers, personal communication, June 10, 2012). She advised that she supported the new West Virginia substance abuse bill and was lobbied by pharmaceutical companies not to support this bill. She said that the pharmaceutical groups also argued that the bill would make it more difficult for people suffering from pain to receive treatment and it would be costly for pharmacies to implement the requirements set forth by the bill. Dr. Staggers, however, is not easily persuaded by these lobbyists and feels that the new law is much needed. Another issue of concern is healthcare reform. Dr. Staggers states that the biggest challenge is how to define and respond to Obamacare and that...
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...The Healthcare Systems of China (In Comparison to the United States) Tiara C. Robinson HSM 310- Professor Jennifer Pryor April 4 2011 China, whose population estimate for 2010 was 1,330,141,295, has a growth rate of 0.5%, a birth rate: 12.1/1000, an infant mortality rate of 16.5/1000, with an average life expectancy of 74.5 years. Prior to my research, I had some knowledge of the problem of overpopulation in China. Even the elders of China were exceeding the normal range. One source states, “As a result [of the overpopulation] China’s 60+ populations will increase dramatically – from 200 million in 2015 to over 300 million by 2030.” (<http://www.china-mike.com/chinese-culture/society/china-population-growth-crisis/>) To better understand the population of China, in comparison to the whole world, (http://www.prb.org...) states that China now has a life expectancy at birth “increasing by two-thirds from 40.8 to 71.5 between 1955 and 2005.” Adding on, “The country already has about 102 million elderly (those ages 65 and over), or over one-fifth of the world's elderly population and the percentage of elderly in China is projected to triple from 8 percent to 24 percent between 2006 and 2050, to a total number of 322 million. Before vigorous research which will include availability and access to healthcare, technological influences, political and cultural economic issues and providers available, I sought it necessary to complete background information on the country…just...
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...Introduction The primary objective of AHA is promoting quality healthcare provision by all the medical institutions such as the hospitals, and it networks through the public policy system. It is made up of the professionals that provide information about the healthcare as well as an administration to health care providers and the public. It was founded in the year 1898 with the main offices in Chicago, Washington DC, and Illinois. Additionally, it provides the health care information and unrelated information to clinical treatments. However, it has been faced with critical issues throughout its operations in the health care sector in all the states (American Hospital Association, 1974). The key issues are limited service providers, price transparency, quality and safety of the patients, health care information technology, workforce, variations in the health care, working with the employees, teaching hospitals-medical education, emergency readiness, Ebola preparedness and post-acute care among other critical issues faced by American Hospital Association (Jonas, Goldsteen & Goldsteen, 2007). Workforce Over the operational years of the American Hospital Association, workforce has been a critical issue in which a series of attempts have been made to address it in the health care institutions. The populations in all the states have been increasing steadily, the numbers of the patients who are seeking...
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...Introduction United States has one of the highest GDP among developed nations yet it fails to deliver a widespread and affordable health care to its citizens. Will health care reform be able to deliver quality services at affordable cost with its existing workforce crisis in the healthcare system? Number of uninsured Americans has significantly increased, mainly due to aging population and income change. The prevalent issue of America’s healthcare system is insurance coverage, access to healthcare. Americans believe this issue should be prioritized, and it is the direct responsibility of federal government to ensure medical care for those citizens that lack insurance. This essay include history of United States healthcare system, its evolution and how healthcare providers can contain costs of healthcare and provide quality and access to healthcare for everyone. From the beginning of 2014 Affordable Care Act by Obama government is trying to solve the enduring issue of American healthcare system. It is a step in the right direction but this reform is facing lots of resistance from Republican Party, that this reform will put country in debt stress. Many Americans are concerned with quality and access to healthcare with the influx in number of insured entering the healthcare system which is already facing the workforce crisis. United States Health care History Healthcare in United States is enduring issue and it is very sensitive subjects for Americans. United states from the...
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...Childhood Obesity’s Impact on Healthcare The current epidemic of childhood obesity spans the globe affecting the majority of the industrialized world (Trasande & Elbel, 2012). In the United States, this epidemic will have an increased negative impact on the healthcare delivery system if not addressed at every level of the community. The importance of understanding this issue and working towards solutions will make for healthier American children and ensure decreased health problems as our children grow into adults. This type of effort will ensure a reduction in unnecessary health problems and fiscal cost for every citizen that utilizes the U.S. healthcare delivery system. Healthcare managers throughout the nation must educate themselves on this issue and be a vital part of the solution. When is a Child Considered Obese? The most accurate way to determine obesity is through the Body Mass Index (BMI) and actual measuring of the body mass composition (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Utilizing a height for weight and age chart doctors is capable of defining a child’s body mass index for his or her age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). The recommended BMI for a child’s age will determine if they are at a proper weight, overweight, or obese. Many families are unaware of this index and fail to understand where their child may be in accordance with medical guidelines. When discussing the standards for children age two to twenty, the average BMI...
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...Health Care Issue in the United States Kevin L. Coleman Strayer University Professor: Dr. Kaluyu HSA: 500 January 15.2012 Nations throughout the globe have issues of providing quality healthcare for its citizens, and the United State is no exception to this mammoth problem. The United State has a profit driven economy where health care is mostly in the hands of the private business sector. In a lot of countries health care is either supplement or control by their government. Even democratic societies such Great Britain and Canada both control most of their countries medical industry. Because the U.S. is such an open “free market economy” the quality of health care is based on how much a person has can spend on their healthcare needs Understanding how the care of health is impacting the citizens of the United States we must investigate how health care needs are affecting the behaviors, economics, and social structure of U.S. citizens; how the stages of medical technology development is improving the healthcare needs of U.S. or is the technology a hinders; how understanding the trends in the population demographic over a period of 80 years have changed towards healthcare, and lastly, what are the morality trend over the past century. The impacted of healthcare on the United State is tremendous. Healthcare costs are the most single important factor influencing the federal government. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projection without any change in federal law...
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...Socioeconomic Factors and Immigration Status in Healthcare Accessibility for the Latinx Community in the U.S. Srijan Gattem College of Letters and Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles SOCIOL 185: American Society Dr. Isaac Speer 15 March 2024 The complex cobweb of the American healthcare system is not one that’s easily traversed, and the Latinx community, in particular, occupies a position filled with disparities and barriers that highlight the intersection of socioeconomic factors and immigration status. These barriers dig deep into medical care but also tie into systemic obstacles such as unequal employment levels, linguistic difficulties, and problems regarding legal status. Derose et al. (2007) discuss...
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...Jerrica Miller English III 2/19/2016 “Why Healthcare Should Be Free?” As Marcy Jackson walked to the counter of the Healthcare information desk, she took a deep breathe. Marcy had been to the healthcare desk once before about 4 months ago and she was denied access because she was overweight. So Marcy thought if she lost the 13 pounds within this month, she could go back and reapply. Walking up to the desk, she was accompanied by her daughter, who was 6 –years –old, Anna Jackson. The receptionist asked her, “How can I help you today?” She replied, “I am here to re-apply for healthcare.” She received the forms, filled them out and was told to wait for a phone call in a couple of days. A few days went by and Marcy was away at work and missed the call from the Healthcare organization, but they left her a message on the answering machine. The message said, “Hi, sorry that you missed our call. I am a representative from the healthcare organization that you applied to a few days ago. I am so sorry that because of your weight, you have been denied access for affordable healthcare. If you have any questions you can contact us at your local healthcare location. Have a nice day.” Marcy fell to her knees she could not believe what she had just heard. She tried so hard to lose the weight and just when she thought it was enough, she failed again. Marcy worked two jobs just to keep things in order and being able to afford healthcare for her and her daughter, just was not enough. And this should...
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...Healthcare-Outline The United States is faced with a myriad of social and economic issues every day. Among these issues, The Affordable Healthcare Act (more popularly known as Obamacare) is a recent policy that has caused a lot of controversy. The Affordable Healthcare Act is a federal, 1 social program that will give all citizens healthcare coverage through government funding via tax revenue (Lazarus, 2011). The argument of whether or not to implement The Affordable Healthcare Act is fiercely debated on by both politicians and ordinary, informed citizens. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to solve this debate, as there are many valid arguments on both perspectives of the issue. One side supports The Affordable Healthcare Act, claiming that Americans need healthcare and many cannot afford it. On the other hand, there are those who do not support The Affordable Healthcare Act, stating that it will hurt the economy, lower the quality of healthcare, and harm healthcare workers financially both reflect a complex issue and a compromise is needed. There are serious flaws with the current state of healthcare in America, and the side that supports The Affordable Healthcare Act has valid points as to why the current healthcare policy should be changed. In 2010, almost fifty million Americans were uninsured (Lazarus, 2011). Healthcare is unaffordable to many people in its current state, therefore, many individuals can potentially be denied quality treatment for serious illnesses...
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...in the United States? Health Care spending in the United States comes from several sources such as physician service, patient treatment, prescription drug treatment, administration cost, Medicare, Medicaid and hospital spending, These sources are just a very few of the sources of spending on healthcare in the United States. On March 23, 2010 President Obama passed the healthcare reform bill to help citizens with receiving affordable healthcare. Even though health care spending has improved over the years, health care is something that everyone needs and there is a possibility that this could change over the years to come. According to Santiago (2009), the goal of healthcare reform is to make healthcare more accessible and available to American citizens. Currently, the national health care expenditures are at a struggle but yet continue to grow. According to Foreman (2011) National health expenditures reached $2.1 trillion in 2006, after further revisions and a 6.7% increase from the previous year. This translated into $7,026 per person and 16% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Foreman, 2011). These expenditures include but are not limited to those sources such as physician service, patient treatment, prescription drug treatment, administration cost, Medicare, Medicaid and hospital spending. The Obama Reform is a reform that has been transmitted to make healthcare available for those who currently need healthcare. Hospital spending makes up 31% of healthcare spending...
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...Running head: MEASURING THE U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM 1 Measuring The United States Healthcare System Luc John Arnaud HCM 550 Quality and Performance Improvement in Healthcare Colorado State University Global Campus Dr. Gloria Wilson March 27, 2016 MEASURING THE U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM2 The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is based in Paris, France, and it is essentially an assembly that comprises over thirty members (countries) who work with each other and who all share common commitments to democratic states and market economies. The goal of the OECD is to promote and improve economic growth, prosperity, sustainable growth, and expansion of each nation (OECD United States Mission, n.d.). The OECD “tracks and reports annually on more than 1,200 health system measures across 30 industrialized countries, ranging from population health status and nonmedical determinants of health to health care resources and utilization” (Anderson, F., Squires, D., 2010, para 1). The article titled Issues in International Health Policy clearly exposed the fact that the United States of America fundamentally lacks behind the majority of other developed nations as it’s related to the efficiency, effectiveness, and solvency of its overall healthcare system industry. The facts and data within the article come from an analysis of health data from 2006 from the OECD, ...
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...The Future of Healthcare The question asked by healthcare professionals is: Is the United States healthcare system going to be prepared to address such issues as the obesity epidemic and the aging population as more Americans fall under these groups? The aging population and obesity epidemic go far beyond American soil but this report will focus on the healthcare concerns arising in the United States. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2011) has stated that the population of those greater than 65 years of age is estimated to grow from 12.4% in 2000 to 19.2% in 2030. In age that means in 2030 the population of those over 65-year- old will be at 75 million, up from 35 million in 2000. Furthermore, those individuals 80 years of age and older will rise from 9.3 million to 20 million in that same time frame. In 2025 the United States, minus Alaska and Florida, will see an estimate of 15% of their population who are 65 years old and older. Three combined factors make up the aging phenomenon; Age Dynamics: The fertility rate elevated between 1946 and 1964 (baby boom era); Fertility Rate Decline: The amount of older people has increased as the number of young people reproducing has decreased; and Increase in Longevity: Medical technology and healthcare improvements have helped to increase life expectancy by 20 years (Transgenerational, n.d). The CDC (2011) has stated the following: “The growing number of older adults increases demands on the public health system and on...
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