Kristen Palmer--Public Health Community Trends Assignment

Kristen Palmer
Public Health Community Trends Assignment

I spoke with Dr. Michael Kroth M.D., who works as a physician in New York City.  When I asked her to list five of some of the most prominent health issues (trends in health issues) in New York, ones she had a lot of experience working with, she named the following: the flu, obesity, HIV, arthritis and asthma. She said that all of those were major health issues in New York, ones that she is always trying to make her patients and other civilians aware of.

The flue is a yearly problem in New York, just as it is everywhere else.  Every year there is a new virus that appears, which is why researchers must produce a new vaccine every year.  According to Dr. Kroth, public health officials are strongly pushing for people to get their flu shots early this year.  They hope to educate people on how getting a flu shot can greatly reduce the chance of getting sick and even help keep others from getting sick from herd immunity.

The obesity rate in New York has risen, worrying public health officials.  According to Dr. Kroth, many programs are being implemented to help people maintain a healthy body weight. For example, a new regulation on the size of soft drinks available for consumer purchase has been put into place. Sugared beverages larger than 16oz. can no longer be sold at restaurants, mobile food carts, sports arenas, or movie theaters. This new regulation has been greatly opposed by both consumers and retailers, but health professionals like Dr. Kroth are hopeful that it will reduce the obesity rate in New York as well as other health issues like diabetes.

HIV is still a major problem in New York and has been for years.  Many programs are in place to help people become more aware of HIV and how it is spread. The Urban Coalition for HIV/Aids is one of the many programs that Dr. Kroth greatly supports.  According to Dr. Kroth, one of the major problems is that people who have HIV don’t know it or they do know that they have it and do not seek treatment.  It is the goal of programs to help people know where they can go to get tested for HIV as well as get treated for HIV.

Arthritis is a growing problem for New Yorkers, especially those over the age of 65.  Nearly 56% of adults over the age of 65 have arthritis in New York and that number is only increasing.  Dr. Kroth often works with the New York State Arthritis Program to help treat those with arthritis.  According to Dr. Kroth, many people that have arthritis just ignore it until they finally have major pain or complications.  She wishes to prevent this and make sure people get the care they need.

Asthma is another growing trend in New York, one that affects over a million people there.  Every year more and more people are diagnosed with asthma. According to Dr. Kroth, more and more children are being diagnosed and the elderly are also becoming more affected by the problem.  Poor air quality is the major suspect of the growing rate of asthma.  Unfortunately this makes it difficult for individuals to reduce their chances of getting the disease, as it is difficult to find clean air in New York.