The US is currently facing a huge coronavirus pandemic situation, with the number of infected people constantly growing. This is definitely taking priority when it comes to what has to be done to protect citizens. However, at the same time, we cannot neglect all the other health concerns that are affecting the country.
The following are the top areas of public health focus that are a concern right now in the US, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
Alcohol-Related Problems
In the US, around 88,000 deaths happen every single year and are connected with alcohol consumption. Excessive alcohol use poses serious health risks in the short-term, like falls, burns, drownings, homicide due to violence, sexual assault, suicide, stillbirth, and more. Numerous SEO and PR campaigns are launched every single year to warn people about these dangers. To make matters even worse, long-term exposure leads to health risks like heart disease, digestive problems, liver disease, stroke, memory problems, learning problems, alcoholism, social problems, and mental health problems.
Food Safety
1 in every 6 US citizens is affected by a problem coming from foodborne illness. This leads to 3,000 deaths. In regards to this, the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) calculated that foodborne illnesses lead to costs of $15.6 billion every single year. The good news in this case is that such illness is mostly preventable. Food safety is nowadays promoted at a federal and local level.
Healthcare-Associated Infections
HAIs (healthcare-associated infections) appear when the patient is treated inside the healthcare facility. Every single day, a surprising 1 of 25 hospital patients end up with a HAI, like bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections, or surgical site infections. Resources and tools meant to prevent HAI appearance are constantly being developed.
Stroke And Heart Disease
Both stroke and heart disease stand out as leading death causes in the US right now. Around 610,000 people actually die because of heart disease every single year. A lot of prevention is needed right now and it focuses on the addressing of high LDL cholesterol, smoking, and high blood pressure. At the same time, we have to add the 130,000 deaths that happen every year because of strokes. Strokes can affect mobility and stand out as a leading disability cause in the US.
HIV
Right now, the number of brand new HIV diagnoses in the US is going down. However, around 44,000 people per year are still being diagnosed. Right now, there are over 1.2 million US citizens that live with the virus. Unfortunately, around 13% do not actually know they are infected. Each year, close to 10,000 people die because of AIDS and HIV in the United States. Education is vital and people need to learn how to prevent the infection of HIV. Techniques range from condom use to abstinence.
Motor Vehicle Injuries
Every year, motor vehicle accidents lead to 2 million injuries and 32,000 people dead. A third of the deaths involves drunk driving. The second third involves speeding. According tot eh CDC, it is vital to use seat belts for all adults and car seats for children. Also, driving without impairments cause by drugs and alcohol or distractions is mandatory.
