The Prevalence of Chronic Disease — the Failure to Cure

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The Prevalence of Chronic Diseases — the Failure to Cure

Jan 21, 2004 12:44 PST

 

The Prevalence of Chronic Diseases — the Failure to Cure

 

A study published in a 1996 issue of Journal of the American Medical

Association (JAMA) reported that approximately 40% of the population

in

the United States, or 100 million people, suffer from one or more

chronic diseases that significantly interfere with normal activities

(Hoffman, Rice, et al. 1996). This astonishing finding shatters any

illusion we may hold that our scientific, high-tech health care

system

actually makes us healthier. Rather, it confirms what has long been

suspected, namely, that modern medicine has failed in its mission to

maintain health in society. The major impact of modern medical care

has

been to change the pattern of prevalence of diseases. Chronic

diseases

have replaced acute infectious diseases, while the overall health of

society has not improved. Indeed, the term " chronic disease "

signifies

that cure is not possible for many diseases, e.g., emphysema,

coronary

artery disease, Alzheimer's disease, cirrhosis, Crohn disease, and

most

cancers.

 

Rise of Infectious Diseases

 

Another example of the breakdown in modern medical care is the rise

of

infectious diseases previously controlled. Currently, an estimated

80,000 deaths occur each year in U.S. hospitals due to nosocomial

(hospital acquired) infections (Starfield, 2000). The escalating

incidence of bacterial infections caused by

multiple-antibiotic-resistant organisms threatens our ability to

treat

infectious disease and the credibility of our modern medical system.

Examples include Mycobacteria that cause tuberculosis and

Staphylococcus

aureus that causes wound infections (Brudney and Dobkin, 1991;

Center

for Disease Control and Prevention, 1992; U.S. Public Health Service

Department of Health and Human Services, 1992). Even less serious

infections are often difficult to treat because community-acquired

organisms have developed resistance to commonly used antibiotics due

to

overuse in treating self-limiting infections.

 

Escalating Health Care Costs

 

The rapidly increasing cost of modern diagnostic and treatment

services

is one of the most critical problems confronting our nation. Three

fourths of U.S. health care expenditures are for care of chronic

diseases in 40% of the population (Hoffman, Rice, et al., 1996). In

the

year 2000, approximately $1.3 trillion or 13.2% of the U.S. gross

domestic product was spent on medical services (Plunkett's Health

Care

Industry Almanac, 2003) while the percentage of the gross domestic

product spent on modern medical care is predicted to rise to 14.7%

in

2002. Research shows that managed care and other cost-containment

strategies are unlikely to solve this problem (Jencks and Schieber,

1991; Burner, Waldo, et al., 1992; Schieber, Poullier, et al.,

1994).

Even though the U.S. spends more on medical services than any other

industrialized country, it has some of the worst health outcomes in

the

developed world (Fuchs, 1983; Fuchs, 1990). According to a recent

report, the U.S. ranks 12th among 13 leading nations on an average

of 16

health indicators (Starfield, 2000).

 

Lack of Effective Prevention Strategies

 

It has been suggested that most diseases and related health care

costs

are potentially preventable with known technologies. However, only

1% of

the U.S. health care budget is currently used to prevent disease

while

99% is spent on treatment of disease (Center for Disease Control,

1992).

Furthermore, studies indicate that 50% of deaths (McGinnis and

Foege,

1993) and 70% of diseases (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services,

1991) in the U.S. are caused, at least in part, by lifestyle

patterns

such as smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, diet, and physical

inactivity.

The nation is suffering from an epidemic of disease-causing

behaviors,

yet our physicians and health care professionals are not effectively

trained to address behavioral causes of disease. Thus, there is an

urgent and widely recognized requirement for a reformation of

medical

education and practice to emphasize more comprehensive and effective

approaches to preventing disease and promoting health (The Pew

Health

Professions Commission, 1995).

 

Coronary artery disease offers a striking example of a preventable

disease that continues to plague society. Despite advances in acute

medical and surgical care, e.g., coronary artery bypass surgery,

cardiovascular disease still remains the number one cause of

morbidity

and mortality in industrialized nations and is rapidly increasing in

developing nations. This is because modern medicine continues to

focus

on acute disease treatment or early detection of active disease

rather

than on prevention. Dr. Alexander Leaf, until recently Chairman of

the

Department of Preventive Medicine at Harvard Medical School,

described

the current response to coronary heart disease as " inadequate,

despite

massive efforts to apply costly treatments after the disease is

clinically manifest. " Doctors are too preoccupied with measures that

only lessen symptoms and which will do nothing for the next

generation

of 30-, 40-, or 50-year-olds, dooming them to the same heart

disease. "

(Leaf, 1993). Little progress has been achieved in widespread, long-

term

modification of risk behaviors for primary prevention of heart

disease

through modern health care. However, an effective, scientifically

verified prevention program is available through Maharishi

Consciousness-Based Health CareSM.

 

 

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References

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City: human immunodeficiency virus, homelessness, and the decline of

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745–749.

 

Burner, S., Waldo, D., McKusik, D., (1992). National health

expenditures

projections through 2030. Health Care Financing Review 14(1): 1–29.

 

Center for Disease Control (1992). Fifteen leading causes of death

for

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Fuchs, V. R. (1983). Who Shall Live? Health, Economics and Social

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Fuchs, V. (1990). The health sector's share of the gross national

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Medical

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The Pew Health Professions Commission (1995). Executive Summary. San

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U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (1991). Healthy People 2000:

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U.S. Public Health Service Department of Health and Human Services

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