Half of Americans Are Sick
Emory University researchers examined public health records and found that more than half of Americans have at least one chronic disease, mental illness or problem with drugs or alcohol. This includes such things as asthma, cirrhosis, diabetes, heart disease, hepatitis, high blood pressure, HIV/AIDS, lung cancer, pancreatitis and stroke. The results break down as:
- Nearly 40 percent had at least one chronic medical condition
- About 18 percent had been diagnosed with a mental illness
- About 9 percent abused drugs or alcohol
That is a lot of sick people. Every other person you see today has a chronic illness of some sort. How many of these are self inflicted, however? The inconvenient truth about healthcare is that without personal responsibility there is no way ANY type of healthcare system will be affordable. This website may bitch about the bureaucratic nonsense and the idiots in charge but that not mean we should ignore the fact that people NEED to take care of themselves so others don’t have to.
The dark reality of medicine is that it increasingly serves not to heal illness, but to potentiate and excuse weakness and self-harm. Physicians accepting blame – being forced to in order to make a living – for their patients’ behaviors perverts everything we were supposed to be about.
Mike Royko (columnist for Chicago Daily Times) wrote the best comment about this problem. I should have saved, framed and displayed in my waiting room. This was before the cynically named Affordable Care Act. It is even more true now. He pointed a finger at the lazy, self indulgent Americans demanding free healthcare with the convenience of a fast food drive through. He wrote this as he was dying. Pretty prophetic for 30 years ago!
Will try to find a link to this.