Care Demand Reduced Through More
Effective Health Promotion
We need a change of mindset from a consumerist approach to an
acceptance of personal and corporate responsibility for more healthy lifestyles.
According to recent research from England, "The
cost of health care continues to rise in the face of an apparently insatiable
demand. Unless the actual need for health care can be reduced to manageable
levels, the financial burden will probably become economically unacceptable.
"Although some illnesses are unavoidable, others
that are largely due to unhealthy lifestyles are preventable."
"Circulatory diseases, diabetes and some cancers,
which are major causes of morbidity and mortality in western societies, are
strongly linked to physical inactivity, psychological stress, unhealthy eating,
obesity and smoking. There is ample evidence that promotion of healthy
lifestyles, including physical activity, healthy eating and nonsmoking, are
effective for the primary and secondary prevention of these diseases. Although
there are examples of successful public health programs that have encouraged
more healthy lifestyles and reduced the burden of disease, we need to be much
more effective in putting theory into practice," wrote P. Phillips and
colleagues, Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust.
The researchers concluded: "In order to improve
the health of the nation and to prevent the economy from being overwhelmed by
the increasing demand for health care, we need a change of mindset from a
consumerist approach to an acceptance of personal and corporate responsibility
for more healthy lifestyles. Widespread collaboration among health care
agencies, private and public utilities, the entertainment industry, and the
communications media will be necessary in order to provide the necessary
incentives for lifestyle changes."
Phillips and colleagues published their study in Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice (The rising cost of health care: can demand be reduced through more effective health promotion?)
Source: Diabetes In Control Dot Com: J Eval Clin
Pract, 2002;8(4):415-419).
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