Current Trends in Health Care in USA - Essay Example

t of heart diseases it has been reported that 476,009 Americans under 85 died of cancer compared with 450,637 who died of heart disease as per the American Cancer Society’s annual statistical report of 2002. (“Cancer now top killer of younger Americans”, 2005) Almost one third of the cancer cases traces back to smoking while other are associated with obesity, poor diet and lack of exercise. There have been premature deaths caused by cancer, which arises from radioactive and carcinogenic materials in the surroundings.

Unsafe products like hair dyes, food additives, cosmetics and marketed medicines manufactured for quick profits are associated with problems like cancer. The increased consumption of junk food is a major cause. Indiscretion in sexual life and keeping multiple partners are one of the major causes. Considering the variations among gender, Centers For Disease Control And Prevention reports that in 2003, prostate cancer (150 per 100,000) have been highest in men among the other types while breast cancer (119 per 100,000) have occupied the highest rate among the other types in women.

Hepatitis B and C cause liver cancer; cervical cancer has been due to human papillomavirus while mainly H. pylori bacteria cause stomach cancer. AIDS related cancer is due to the HIV infection. Most of these cases are preventable through timely prediction, diagnosis and preventive measures through vaccines. (“Cancer now top killer of younger Americans”, 2005) The other most common types of cancer prevailing among both men and women are Lung and Colorectal cancer. The incidence of cancer is also highest among the blacks or the Afro Americans.

Most of these people opt for the western treatment of cancer involving chemotherapy and surgery rather than any traditional methods. The reasons are basically that the process of opting for these drugs and chemicals is faster and easier than the slow progress of traditional methods. Lack of adequate information and knowledge