Stacy Rivera

Intro to Public Health Admin

09/17/2020

Question 1: Impact of Public Health Contribution on Population Health

Cancer prevention

Cancer is a horrific disease that has ravaged many lives in the United States. In recent

years the U.S. has shifted their attention to the impact cancer has on public health and began to

work towards cancer prevention rather than cancer treatment alone. The immense costs of

treating cancer have a huge impact on the national budget and as the population continues to

“gray” along with the aging senior citizens who are living longer healthcare costs are already on

the rise. However, research in the last decades has shed light on links to factors that could cause

cancer leading to public awareness of certain products. For example, tobacco use has been linked

to diseases such as cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, “Tobacco use is linked to

at least 15 cancer types, and eliminating smoking in the United States would eliminate almost

one-third of the nation’s cancer deaths” (NCI, 2020). Efforts to control tobacco use included an

increase in the price of tobacco products as well as televised advertising geared towards

educating the public about the negative effects of tobacco use. The efforts of the public health

community proved to be successful as “cigarette smoking in U.S. adults ... reached an all-time

low of 13.7% in 2018” (CDC, 2019). Public health research on cancer has also led to the

discovery of hereditary factors that could assist in identifying populations with increased risk of

cancer. The data collected has allowed researchers to document trends of various cancers that

aid in the understanding and prevention of cancer. The public health community recognizes

health disparities which prevent early cancer detection such as lack of access to cancer screening
and higher levels of tobacco use in certain populations both of which can be reduced via public

health resources. The continued evolvement of technology, biotechnology, and medicine along

with public health resources has set up the U.S. to succeed in decreasing cancer related deaths.

References

Cigarette Smoking Among U.S. Adults Hits All-Time Low. (2019, November 14).

Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/p1114-smoking-low.html

Research Areas: Cancer and Public Health. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.cancer.gov/research/areas/public-health

Question 2: Public Health Concern for people of Appalachia

The Appalachian Mountains consist of about twelve states including West Virginia,

Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, etc. This region has high rates of poverty, obesity, suicide,

and overall higher mortality rates. Another major issue that plagues this region is substance

abuse, specifically opiate abuse, which has led to an increase in drug related deaths. According to

Moody et al. (2018), “West Virginia has the highest rate of drug overdoses in the country”

(Moody et al., 2018) and drug related deaths continue to be on the rise as the epidemic worsens.

Addiction is a powerful disease that many wish to overcome, however, numerous times even

individuals with ample resources are not able to overcome it so where does this leave the people

of Appalachia? Since many people in Appalachia are living in poverty and don’t have health

insurance many citizens don’t have access to the treatment they need due to the high costs which

makes it less expensive for them to buy drugs than to receive help. This issue requires immediate

government and public health resources to make treatment more affordable and accessible to

those who need it. One solution would be to redirect both state and federal funds to a program
that provides individuals with grants to pay for treatment. These grants would be offered on a

one-time basis at no cost to first time offenders and reduced cost to second time offenders who

have been arrested on drug related charges. The program would also be available on a one time

basis for those who apply even without an arrest. Additionally, the public health community

could partner with treatment centers in the area to offer treatment pro bono to offset government

spending and support the longevity of the program. This issue requires the resources of the

government and community alike to make an impact on this epidemic. Sobriety is a challenge for

many but by providing substance users treatment at low to no cost they are being given a chance

to overcome their addiction and set themselves up for a better life.

References

Moody, L., Satterwhite, E., & Bickel, W. K. (2017). Substance Use in Rural Central Appalachia:

Current Status and Treatment Considerations. Rural mental health, 41(2), 123–135.

https://doi.org/10.1037/rmh0000064