Public Health Trends

Fernando Silva 

Public Health Trends

I contacted Oregon State Public Health Department and talked with Patricia Nest, who is an executive assistant to the public health office.  She told me that the top five health trends in the state for pre-mature death (anything before the age of 75) were Injuries, cancer, heart disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, and cerebrovascular disease.  The average potential years of life lost were 63% higher for males than for females. 

Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death and disability to Oregonians aged 1 to 24 and one of the leading causes of death and injuries to Oregonians of all ages.   Speeding doubles the likelihood that the crash will result in injuries and fatalities.  In 1985-87, the average number of deaths due to motor vehicle crashes on rural interstates in Oregon was 32 per year. In 1987, the speed limit was increased to 65 mph. In 1989-90, deaths on rural interstates averaged 50.5 per year, a 57% increase.  Speed reduces the time drivers have to avoid crashes, increases the likelihood of crashing, increases the crash severity, compromises the performance of restraint systems such as airbags and safety belts, and compromises roadside hardware and safety features.

Cancer is not one disease but a group of more than 100 diseases characterized by an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. When evaluating cancer clusters and potential exposures, each cancer site or system is considered a separate disease.  Most cancers diagnosed today result from exposures and events that occurred many years ago. The majority of cancers do not develop immediately after an exposure to a carcinogen, or cancer causing substance. For adults, the lag time is often 10-30 years between exposure and diagnosis. 

Heart disease created a total cost of hospitalizations in 2006 of more than $1.2 billion in Oregon.  Major cardiovascular disease (CVD) death rates increase rapidly with age, particularly above the age of 65 years.  Considering race, ethnicity, and sex, African American men suffered the highest rate for years of potential life lost due to major cardiovascular disease, followed by American Indian/Alaska Native men and African American women.

Chronic lower respiratory disease includes Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema.  Tobacco smoking is the most important risk factor for chronic bronchitis and emphysema, accounting for about 80% of cases. Cigarette smokers are 10 times more likely to die from these diseases than nonsmokers.  The remaining 20% of cases are attributable to environmental exposures and genetic factors.  Asthma appears to have a strong genetic basis, with 30% to 50% of all cases due to an inherited predisposition. A direct association between secondhand smoke and lower respiratory disease has been documented by the Environmental Protection Agency.  Smoking cessation in the single most effective way to reduce the risk of CLRD and its progression.
Cerebrovascular Disease refers to a group of conditions that affect the circulation of blood to the brain, causing limited or no blood flow to affected areas of the brain.  The most common forms of cerebrovascular disease are cerebral thrombosis (40% of cases) and cerebral embolism (30%), followed by cerebral hemorrhage (20%).
They are always looking for ways to prevent or lessen preventable deaths.  Through education about risk factors, sign and symptoms can help prevent, or catch in the early stages, some of these causes of death.