I contacted the Health department
for the Alameda County in Northern California. I am from Pleasanton, which is
in the Alameda County, so it was interesting to me to hear about the community
health trends in that area. I spoke with Sherri Williams, the Public
Information Officer. She works in the Alameda County Health Department. I
specifically wanted to know the top 5 health concerns in women in that area. She
asked if I needed just infectious or chronic diseases and I wanted to know the
main 5 health concerns that are affecting women in that area. She didn’t have
exact stats at the time of our conversation, but she told me that as far as she
knows, the top 5 health concerns in that area at the moment are breast cancer,
osteoporosis, heart disease, autoimmune disease, and depression.
Besides
lung cancer, breast cancer has the highest death rates among women in the U.S.
The estimations for breast cancer in the United States in 2013 prove why this
is a major health concerns. The American Cancer Society estimates that 232,340
new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women. They also
estimate that 64,640 new cases of carcinoma in situ will be diagnosed and about
39,620 women will die from breast cancer (American Cancer Society, 2013).
Breast cancer is a big deal in the U.S. and in California, 55% of women who get
breast cancer are under the age of 65. I think women in the Alameda County
should get a mammography to stay healthy.
According
to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, 1 in 3 women over 50 will suffer
a fracture due to osteoporosis; this increases to 1 in 2 over 60. They also
state that “worldwide, lifetime risk for osteoporotic fractures in women is
30-50%” (International Osteoporosis Foundation, 2004). There are currently 40
million people in the U.S. who already have osteoporosis or are at high risk
due to low bone mass (NIH, 2011). Sherri told me that women are more likely to
get osteoporosis due to menstrual cycles. She said that recently, they have had
a lot of elderly with symptoms of this disease and they are predicting that it
will only get worse as the people in the community age. The trend is dangerous
for our health and fractures can damage the quality of life.
Heart
disease is a problem in the U.S. Heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women. In
women, the condition is responsible for about 29% of deaths, reports the CDC.
With obesity on the rise, women are at risk for heart disease. With decreased
physical activity and higher cholesterol, the health of a woman’s heart is
damaged. Sherri told me that the cost of this disease is great and have noticed
increased patterns within medical bills over the past 10 years. With this
disease being so common and dangerous, woman in the Alameda County are
encouraged to talk to a doctor and to take care of their body.
Autoimmune
diseases are a group of disorders in which the immune system attacks the body
and destroys or alters tissues. There are more than 80 serious chronic
illnesses in this category, including lupus, multiple sclerosis, and type 1
diabetes. Sherri said that about
75% of autoimmune diseases are in women. I had never thought about autoimmune
diseases being a huge health problem, but this is a common trend in the U.S. I
learned that in 2006, there are over 8 million cases of autoimmune diseases in
the U.S. I think this is definitely an important fact to get out to people and
to educate the public. By understanding the seriousness of these diseases,
women in the Alameda County will need to go to the doctor and get tested.
According
to the National Institute of Mental Health (National Institute of Mental
Health, 2008). the prevalence of depression is 6.7% of the U.S. adult
population. They also have found that women are 70% more likely than men to
experience depression during their lifetime (National Institute of Mental
Health, 2008). The NIMH reports that about 12 million women are affected by a
depressive disorder each year (Zamora, 2013). The Uplift program says that 41%
of depressed women are too embarrassed to seek help (Murray, 2005). This is too
high of a number for the seriousness of this disorder. The Uplift program also
states that 15% of depressed people will commit suicide. When I was in high
school, there were a number of my classmates who committed suicide. When she
told me how prevalent depression is, I was scared and nervous for the residents
in my area. I know that suicide is something that has a contagious effect, and
Sherri told me that the Public Health department is always cautious with
depressed young adults and depressed people in general because it’s not a good
way to live and it’s also a scary thing for teenagers.
I
have learned so much from talking to this public health professional. I loved
to be able to learn about my community and what my family and friends need to
look out for. All of these trends are major problems in the U.S. and so I think
it will be important for all women in all states to be cautious and educated
about diseases, disorders, and other issues that will affect their health.
Work Cited
American Cancer Society. (2013, February
26). Retrieved March 12, 2013 from http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/detailedguide/breast-cancer-key-statistics
International Osteoporosis Foundation
(2004). Osteoporosis Fact Sheet.
Retrieved March 10, 2013 from http://www.dolcera.com/wiki/images/Osteoporosis_factsheet.pdf
Murray, Bob and Fortinberry, Alicia.
(2005, January 15). Depression Facts and Stats. Uplift Program. Retrieved March 12, 2013 from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1mdd_adult.shtml
National Institute of Mental Health.
(2008). Major Depressive Disorder Among Adults. Retrieved March 14, 2013 from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1mdd_adult.shtml
NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone
Diseases National Resource Center. (2011, January). What is Osteoporosis: Fast Facts: An Easy-to-Read series of
Publications for the Public. Retrieved March 14, 2013 from http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/osteoporosis_ff.asp
Zamora, Dulce. (2013). Women’s Top 5
Health Concerns. WebMD Women’s Health. Retrieved
March 14, 2013 from http://women.webmd.com/features/5-top-female-health-concern
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