Cardiovascular disease is still the number one killer in the United States. More people die from cardiovascular disease than any other cause. In 2022, almost 700,000 people died from this cause in the U.S.
That’s more than cancer (600,000) or unintentional injuries (218,000). Cardiovascular disease has held its position as the deadliest thing in the U.S. for quite some time.
With this information in mind, many researchers are surprised that more isn’t being done to help combat it. If cardiovascular disease is so deadly, and if it continues to grow in prevalence, why isn’t more being done to stop it?
Researchers aren’t quite sure.
Education tends to be the first step toward action. Social scientists often will point to a six step process when it comes to life changes and decisions. Steps one and two are the pre-contemplative and the contemplative stages. This is when someone is not quite ready to make a change or is starting to think that a change is needed. They are the stages where people are acquiring information and mulling over how the proposed changes might impact them. Education is key in these two stages because it is supposed to help people make informed decisions.
This is the process that was used to help raise awareness about smoking. The public was given a whole bunch of information about the dangers of smoking. Action finally resulted years down the road and cigarette smoking became less and less prevalent as a result.
The research team wonders why this isn’t happening when it comes to cardiovascular and heart health. There’s so much public information that shows how dangerous heart disease is. People know the benefits of good diet and exercise. Yet the needed changes to reduce heart disease risk are not occurring with the same kind of urgency that one would expect, and as a result, many seniors face a lower quality of life or die prematurely.
This research was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Hopefully, it is helpful in regards to raising awareness about cardiovascular disease and can be instrumental in helping more people prevent it or avoid serious complications from it. There’s a lot of room for improvement in this area as cardiovascular disease remains the deadliest issue in the U.S.
If you have concerns or questions about how a professional can help you and your family navigate this, you have a lot of resources on your side. Your first step should be to reach out to a physician that is familiar with your health history.
We’re also here to help. Senior care can be overwhelming when you’re first getting started, but it can do a world of good for someone suffering from cardiovascular disease or any of a host of other health issues. If you’re looking for guidance, have questions, or just want to talk about what kind of senior care options might be beneficial for you and your family, give us a call. One of our professional caregivers will be happy to answer your questions and get you pointed toward the right help.
Leave a Reply