Question

There is strong evidence that personal behaviors and the environment are responsible for more than 70 percent of avoidable mortality and that health care is just one of several determinants of health. Aside from assuring more access to healthcare services,

what additional actions should/could the U.S. healthcare system use to combat the factors that contribute to avoidable mortality?

Should these actions be laws such as seat belt regulations or non-smoking ordinances? Or should these actions focus on Americans' personal responsibility such as providing incentives for health insurance premium reductions or tax rebates for proof of healthy lifestyles such as exercise and weight control?

Please consider your responses and rationale and the means through which you might enact your proposals.

Answer 1

The avoidable mortality is one of the best controllable factors in every health system, it can be in the form of behavioural modification, or in the policy changes like making the best possible treatment options for everyone.

The most important one among this will accounts for the non-communicable diseases. There are four main modifiable risk factors for the non-communicable diseases such as 1. Avoid use of tobacco, 2. Avoid use of alcohol 3. Regular exercises 4. Healthy diet. If these 4 factors are controlled the non-communicable can be prevented. This is considered as the one important factor for the avoidable mortality.

Another thing is the safe driving practices to avoid accidents, it mainly includes avoid alcohol use while driving, drive with permitted speed, avoid harsh driving, use of helmet and seatbelt while driving etc can be counted in the same. All these can be counted in the avoidable mortality.

Another area with these things is that health care should be available at best possible time, any delay in the availability by any means can also consider as an avoidable mortality. Here most of the risk factor will be financial problem and it should be considered, and action should be taken to handle the same.