Competent Self Care Is Critical Care For Generations X And Z

The United States, owners of what is considered by many Americans (and Congressional leaders alike) to be the “greatest health care system in the world”, spends 50 percent more on health care than any other country in the world. In 2006, US health care expenditure was over $7,000 per person. Expenditures have also tripled since 1990. Ouch.

So what does this money get us? How about an international ranking of just 15th in preventable death, 24th in life expectancy, and 28th in infant mortality. Money well spent?

More than 75% of US health care spending is on people with highly preventable chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic lower respiratory diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes. And to make matters worse, 7 of 10 deaths among Americans each year are from these same chronic conditions.

But it gets even worse. We have Generations X and Z on deck, ready to push the envelope of both chronic medical conditions and health economics. Fortunately, we have a solution – if only we choose to use it.

It is a topic that is in the news on a regular basis: the impending health care demands (and costs) of Generation X, otherwise known as the Baby Boomer generation. Members of this generation were born between 1946 and 1964 per the United States Census Bureau. That makes these people 57 to 65 years old in 2011.

Let’s look beyond just chronic medical conditions. As it stands right now, 57% of adults are overweight, with 1 in 3 having a body mass index of 30 - a level that is considered obese. Back pain, one of the most common problems afflicting Americans, accounts for more that $90 billion annually in health-care expenses. If we add in arthritis, the most common cause of disability, we would be including the 19 million Americans reporting activity limitations secondary to it, and the costs associated with it.

But while you are pondering these numbers, beware of Generation Z – those born between the years of 1991 to 2010. That makes these people 1 to 20 years old in 2011. Almost 1 in 5 youth between the ages of 6 and 19 is obese. This number has tripled since 1980. Another 15 percent are considered to be at risk of becoming overweight. Overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. This increases to 80 percent if one or more parents is overweight or obese. Those in Generation Z exhibit an overall decrease in physical activity, and display generally poor nutritional habits as well. If you don’t believe me, try viewing an episode of “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” sometime.

You now have a generation of children that are the first to have a life expectancy shorter than their parents. If this isn’t a problem now, it will be in about 20 years. Generation Z is primed and ready for chronic medical conditions to a level that we have yet to experience in this country. If Generation X and their health care costs due to chronic disease don’t take down the country’s economy, Generation Z surely will.

Unless we do something. Now.

The good news in the discussion on chronic medical conditions is that they are either preventable or readily addressed through self care strategies. Four health risk factors - lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption - are responsible for much of the illness, suffering, and early death related to chronic diseases. These health risk factors are all readily addressed via self care strategies.

Competent self care is the solution. Competent self care involves a client-centered approach that is both science- and evidence-based and utilizes the latest knowledge that has evolved out of the medical and sports science research.

It is imperative that health care becomes more about “health” than about “care”. Competent self care is critical care for Generations X and Z. The sooner we realize this, and put the mechanisms in place to address this effectively, the greater hope we have that Generation X and beyond may actually live longer and have fewer health care costs in the process.

But if we don’t, then we will continue to throw progressively greater amounts of money into a “system” that underachieves in the process.

References:

[1] The Power of Prevention: Chronic disease . . . the public health challenge of the 21st century. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2009.

Photo credits: Wikipedia