Article Abstract:
The Centers for Disease Control claim that 58 million people in the United States have high blood pressure (HBP), increasing their risk of stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure. Nine of the 1990 Health Objectives for the Nation targeted HBP, and seven have been met, at least in part. First, at least 50 percent of adults are able to state the major risk factors for heart disease. Second, at least 90 percent of adults are able to say whether their blood pressure is high, normal, or low. Third, there are effective public programs to identify and follow-up on those with HBP in all geopolitical areas of this country. Fourth, at least 50 percent of processed foods in grocery stores list salt and calorie content. Fifth, categories for HBP control have been defined (i.e., unaware; aware, not under treatment; aware, under care, not controlled; aware, under care, controlled; aware, monitored without therapy). Sixth, regional data sets are being developed to determine the incidence of HBP, coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, and strokes. However, the second part of this goal, ongoing surveillance of heart disease, has not been met. Seventh, control of HBP for at least 60 percent of those affected has probably been met at the older standard (160/95 mm Hg prior to 1984), but not at the newer standard of 140/90 mm Hg. There has been progress, but because nonpharmacological measures are not included, the actual success has probably been underestimated. Eighth, the goal of reducing overweight (above 120 percent of ''desired'' weight) in the population to 10 percent of men and 17 percent of women will not been met. Ninth, it cannot be determined whether average daily salt intake for adults has been reduced, because of the difficulty of measurement. The National High Blood Pressure Education Program (NHBPEP) is responsible for improvements in blood pressure control that have helped to decrease the incidence of stroke and heart disease; however, efforts and resources are needed to treat the 30 million people not in treatment, especially blacks, who are disproportionately affected by this condition. Nonpharmacologic strategies must be emphasized as well. The successful education program for HBP could be applied to other risk factors and diseases. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
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Article Abstract:
The 1990 health promotion objectives for the nation, published in 1980, included goals for the reduction of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The five top priority goals for STD control are listed and the nation's progress towards meeting them is evaluated. The first goal, to reduce the rate of syphilis, will probably not be met because while syphilis declined from 1982 to 1986, it increased to the highest rate in 40 years by 1988. Two other objectives, for reducing gonorrhea and gonococcal pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), will most likely be met. A goal was set that 95 percent of the health professionals seeing patients with suspected cases of STD should be able to diagnose and treat all known STDs. The nation is not likely to come close to meeting this objective since half of the medical schools presented no course work on STDs and only 10 percent of primary-care providers asked patients about their sexual behaviors. Another educational objective, that all junior and senior high school students receive accurate, timely information on STDs, will probably not be met. After the objectives were written in 1980, a new STD, AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), caused a major impact on the nation's health. The variety of STDs has also grown; genital chlamydia, now the most common bacterial STD, has been recognized as difficult to treat and likely to cause infertility in women. Homosexual men have shown increasing efforts to prevent STD transmission, but teenagers appear to be less cautious than in previous years because they are having sexual intercourse at a younger age. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
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Article Abstract:
Increasing the cost of alcoholic drinks and the minimum age for legally buying alcohol might reduce the rate of sexually transmitted diseases among young people. Alcohol might make teenagers engage in more risky sexual behavior. Researches compared gonorrhea rates in the 50 states and District of Columbia with the states' policies on alcohol taxation and legal drinking age. Increases in alcohol taxes and the legal drinking age were associated with lower rates of gonorrhea among teenagers.
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