Brittany Hill- Washington State

For this assignment I spoke with a family friend who is a doctor in my ward at home (Washington State) and asked him about the top five health trends in our state. He had me narrow it down and pick a topic that I was interested in or something that has affected me in my life. My grandpa passed away from heart disease and he said that heart disease is the top threat to the health of men of all ages. So men’s health was our public health trends topic. The top five threats to the health of men are heart disease; cancer; accidents/unintentional injuries; type 2 diabetes and stroke.

Heart Disease: Heart Disease affects 25.7% of the male population. This disease changed the way the heart works and makes it harder for it to pump blood normally. The more common forms of heart disease are Atherosclerosis- a condition that affects the arteries. Next, Congestive heart failure, also called heart failure. It occurs when the heart is not able to pump due and often leads to physical disabilities. And last is Coronary Heart Disease, which is the most common type. It is caused by a blockage in one or more coronary arteries.

Cancer:  Cancer affects 24.3% of the male population. In Washington State in 2012 there was an estimated 35,670 new cases of cancer and 12,170 cancer deaths. Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men, lung cancer being the second most common. You can reduce your risk for cancer by engaging in healthy activities. Early screening is important and the state of Washington has many programs to reduce the burden of cancer.

Accidents/Unintentional Injuries: (This topic I was very surprised with its numbers!) Affects 6.6% of male population. Injuries in Washington State are the leading cause of death and disability for people ages 1-44. Injuries kill more Americans ages 1-44 than all disease combines. Cost on average, $1.1 million in medical and lost productivity for each injury death in Washington State.

Stroke: Affects 4.5% of the male population. A stroke is often called a “brain attack” because it affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. Common types of stroke are Ischemic stroke with is 80% of all strokes, and Hemorrhagic stoke. Knowing the signs and symptoms of a stoke can save a persons life.  “Time lost is brain lost.”

Type 2 Diabetes: Affects 2.9% of the population. A disease when your blood glucose in too high. Main types of diabetes is type 1 where your body does not make insulin and people with this type have to take insulin daily. And type 2 where the body does not make or use insulin well. This type is the most common form of diabetes. Diabetes can cause more serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and could even lead to amputations of the foot or leg. It is important that people with diabetes make healthy food choice, stay at a healthy weight and be physically active every day.

            It is important to change behaviors and live a healthy lifestyle for both the male and female population. Staying active, eating healthy, not smoking, limiting stress in your life and many other factors are things we all can practice to live better lives.

(We visited the Washington State Department of Health website to help explain and go over cancers and diseases http://www.doh.wa.gov/)