The US has a right to be concerned about its health statistics.
There are so many statistics we could give you that show why the US is concerned about its health statistics, but feel we’re not concerned enough to actually do something about it. Couple it with a struggling healthcare system that’s relying on medical recruiters to staff the workforce, and it’s no wonder why the US ranks last for healthcare system performance.
But, then again, you could argue the healthcare system wouldn’t have as many issues if people didn’t have as many chronic illnesses.
Below, we’ll go into more detail about why the US is so concerned about its health crisis.
Skyrocketing Rates of Obesity and Chronic Diseases
One of the primary concerns is the accelerated prevalence of obesity plus chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, or even cancer. The United States has made it clear that any battle with obesity is far from over considering its statistics on adult obesity, which estimates over 100 million US adults are obese and severe obesity increased to 9.2%.
Almost all chronic diseases, which are extremely expensive to diagnose and treat and which account for the majority of morbidity and mortality, carry obesity as a primary culprit.
Such an increase in preventable illnesses causes huge strains on the health care system and increases generic health care costs and saturation of health care providers.
Mental Health Challenges and Substance Abuse
The US isn’t alone with its mental health challenges – healthcare systems globally are experiencing an unprecedented mental health crisis.
There has been an upward trend in disorders, including depression and anxiety, with the COVID-19 outbreak making these cases worse. Social isolation, stress, and instability related to the economy because of the pandemic led to a rise in the amount of psychological problems people experienced. In the US, recent studies show 1 in 5 adults suffer from mental health issues.
The substance abuse problem is rather isolated to the US, which includes the growing problem of the opioid epidemic. In recent years, cities have experienced a surge in overdoses, with more than 100,000 deaths per year.
Notably, the dependence on prescription medications, illegal drugs, and alcohol is detrimental not only to the persons affected and their families but also to the healthcare and rehabilitation systems and law enforcement agencies as well.
Healthcare Costs
The health crisis in the US is a massive financial concern.
Healthcare in the US is more expensive than in most developed countries, and chronic disease incidence is one of the reasons for the highest costs. Approximately $4.8 trillion was spent on US healthcare in the year 2023, up from $4.3 trillion in 2019. Both employers and employees are affected by the soaring premiums for insurance, costs of treatment and drugs, and out-of-pocket payments.
With so much of the country’s economic well-being depending on the health (physical and mental) of the population, there are so many concerns to be addressed by the US. Are they tackling it well? We wouldn’t say so.
The US health crisis is a complex concern. There’s so much wrongdoing to undo, starting with the food Americans eat and the lifestyle they live, down to the healthcare system itself. Do you think it’s an impossible task to solve?
