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Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Eighty Percent of Older Americans Live With a
Chronic Disease
Centers for Disease Control offers ways to reduce
risk for leading killers
May 2, 2007 - Eighty percent of America's senior
citizens, those aged 65 and older, live with at least one chronic
disease that could lead to premature death and disability, but these
adults can lower their risk by adopting healthier behaviors and getting
recommended screenings, according to a recent report by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Merck Company Foundation.
The report, The State of Aging and Health in
America 2007, presents the most current data available on 15 key health
indicators for older adults.
These indicators address health status
(physically unhealthy days, frequent mental distress, oral health and
disability); health behaviors (physical inactivity, nutrition, obesity
and smoking); preventive care and screening (flu vaccine, pneumonia
vaccine, mammography, colorectal cancer screening, up- to-date
preventive screening, and cholesterol); and injuries (hip fracture
hospitalizations) for older Americans.
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Senior Citizens See Continued Decline in Chronic
Disability Rates
Analysis found average annual rate of the
decline has accelerated
December 1, 2006 - Chronic disability among older
Americans has dropped dramatically, and the rate of decline has
accelerated during the past two decades, according to a new analysis of
data from the National Long-Term Care Survey (NLTCS). The study,
published in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, found that the prevalence of chronic disability among people
65 and older fell from 26.5 percent in 1982 to 19 percent in 2004/2005.
Read more...
Community Programs to Improve Health for Senior
Citizens Funded by HHS
Older Americans disproportionately affected by
chronic diseases and conditions
July 6, 2006 – Senior citizens in American are
disproportionately affected by chronic diseases and conditions and
Health and Human Services is contributing $15 million to fund a
collaboration with The Atlantic Philanthropies to improve the health and
quality of life for older Americans at the community level.
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The report also documents the progress made in
meeting the national Healthy People 2010 objectives for these
indicators. The "State-by-State Report Card" provides similar
information for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The
State of Aging and Health in America 2007 follows a similar report
released in 2004.
"This report presents a reason for optimism coupled
with a clear need for action," said Janet Collins, Ph.D., director of
CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion.
"Getting older in America does not mean having to live with
disease and disability. It is never too late to initiate healthy
behaviors. Public health has a critical role to play in providing older
Americans with support needed to ensure that their added years are
healthy years."
Nearly 95 percent of health care expenditures are
spent on treating chronic health conditions among older adults,
according to the report, which was issued at the 2007 Joint Conference
of the American Society on Aging and the National Council on Aging.
Two
demographic trends -- aging baby boomers and increasing racial and
ethnic diversity among older adults -- will add to the challenges of
addressing chronic diseases, the report concluded.
By 2030, the number of older Americans is estimated
to reach 71 million, or roughly 20 percent of the U.S. population. As
America's older adult population becomes more racially and ethnically
diverse, existing health disparities for racial and ethnic populations
whose health lags behind that of non-minority populations will likely
increase unless such disparities are more actively addressed. By 2030,
it is estimated that U.S. health care spending is projected to increase
by 25 percent due to the aging of the U.S. population.
The report provides bold "Calls to Action" on
critical issues for older adults, including oral health, environmental
changes to facilitate physical activity, and increasing the use of
potentially life-saving preventive services such as adult immunization
and screening to detect chronic diseases early, in their most treatable
stages. The report also includes a "Spotlight" on preventing falls, the
leading cause of injury-related deaths and most common cause of
non-fatal injuries among older adults. Emerging public health
opportunities such as promoting cognitive health and facilitating the
communication of preferences at the end of life are also addressed.
"The State of Aging and Health in America 2007
presents important information and key prevention strategies that can
help Americans of all ages promote healthier, active aging, and we are
pleased that The Merck Company Foundation sponsored this report," said
Richard Murray, M.D., vice president, External Scientific Affairs, U.S.
Human Health, Merck & Co., Inc. "Encouraging the adoption of healthy
lifestyles and engaging older adults as critical partners in improving
health will be essential to addressing the challenges of population
aging in the 21st century."
According to the report, the United States has met
national targets for four indicators measured by Healthy People 2010
objectives: current smoking, mammogram within the past two years,
colorectal cancer screening, and cholesterol checked within the past
five years.
However, there is much progress to be made on other
fronts, such as for flu and pneumonia vaccinations and reducing
hospitalizations for hip fractures, particularly among women. There is
considerable variation among the states for each indicator. While the
vast majority of states have met national targets for cholesterol
screening, current smoking, mammography, and colorectal cancer
screening, no states have met targets related to physical activity,
eating fruits and vegetables daily, and flu and pneumonia vaccines.
Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have met the target on
oral health. However, only three states -- Colorado, Hawaii, and New
Mexico -- have met the target for obesity, indicating there is much work
to be done in this area.
A searchable online version of the report,
supported and developed by CDC, is available at
http://www.cdc.gov/aging. An electronic version of the report in pdf
format is posted on CDC's (http://www.cdc.gov/aging)
and Merck & Co. Inc.'s (http://www.merck.com/cr)
Web sites.
About the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC)
As the sentinel for the health of people in the
United States and throughout the world, CDC strives to protect people's
health and safety, provide reliable health information, and improve
health through strong partnerships. CDC's mission is to promote the
health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury
and disability. CDC is one of the 13 major operating components of the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the principal agency
in the United States government for protecting the health and safety of
all Americans and for providing essential human services, especially for
those people who are least able to help themselves. For more
information, visit
http://www.cdc.gov/.
About The Merck Company Foundation
2007 marks the 50th anniversary of The Merck
Company Foundation, a US- based, private charitable foundation.
Established in 1957 by the global research-driven pharmaceutical company
Merck & Co., Inc., the Foundation is funded entirely by the Company and
is Merck's chief source of funding support to qualified non-profit,
charitable organizations. The mission of the Foundation is to support
organizations and innovative programs that: expand access to medicines,
vaccines and quality healthcare; build capacity in the biomedical and
health sciences; promote environments that encourage innovation,
economic growth and development in a fair and ethical context; and
support communities where Merck has a major presence. Since its
inception, The Merck Company Foundation has contributed more than US$480
million to support important initiatives that address societal needs and
are consistent with Merck's overall mission to enhance the health and
well-being of people around the world. For more information, visit
http://www.merckphilanthropy.com/.
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