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| A shocking new study released this week revealed that 95% of the world’s population suffers from health problems, and one in three people suffer from multiple ailments simultaneously. That means 2.3 billion individuals struggled to cope with five or more illnesses at once in 2013, a dramatic increase over previous years. According to the “Global Burden of Disease Study,” the most common health problems worldwide include lower back and neck pain, depression, and drug and alcohol abuse disorders.
That study’s release coincides with a local report issued this week about the unique health problems facing Detroit’s low-income residents. A University of Michigan study found that the stress of coping with extreme poverty accelerates the onset of age-related illnesses, and can dramatically lower life expectancy in the city. “Currently, residents of Detroit are struggling — whether they are white, black, or of Mexican descent — in ways that measurably impact their health negatively,” said Arline Geronimus, a University of Michigan professor. Last week, state lawmakers invited residents from the Detroit area to discuss concerns over toxic, possibly even cancerous, drinking water. In Flint, citizens draw their water from the Flint River, which has been poisoned by decades of pollution from auto factories. According to reports, politicians knew about the dangerous water for more than 10 months. Now, residents are demanding the state restore access to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department’s safer water sources. According to the studies, lower back and neck pain is one of the most common health problems, both in Detroit and internationally. More than 80% of the global population will suffer from back or neck pain in their lifetime, while in the U.S. back and neck pain is the leading cause of disability in Americans under the age of 45. Every year, Americans spend $50 billion to treat the condition. “The fact that mortality is declining faster than non-fatal disease and injury prevalence is further evidence of the importance of paying attention to the rising health loss from these leading causes of disability, and not simply focusing on reducing mortality,” said GBD lead author Theo Voss, a professor at the University of Washington. The Global Burden of Disease Study analyzed world health problems in 2013 and was sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. |
Tag: Mortality rate
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Detroit Residents Face Increased Health Problems
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Detroit’s Infant Mortality Rate Rivals Third World Countries’
The world is a scary and dangerous place for babies. Their immune systems are still developing, so things like fragrances, and dyes, can cause them to develop skin irritation, or rashes. Even using baby products too early can trigger allergic reactions. Parents who wash their babies too often may incidentally remove their children’s skin oils, leaving their skin vulnerable to develop problems like eczema.
However, this is nothing compared to what parents in Detroit have to worry about. Though infant mortality rates fell all across the U.S. for decades, Detroit saw a greater proportion of babies die before they turned one in 2012 than in any other American city. Detroit’s infant mortality rate was even higher than China’s, Mexico’s, or Thailand’s.
The infant mortality rate of the bankrupt city — where three out of five children live in poverty — is 15 per 1,000 live births, which is two and half times the nation’s as a whole. So it’s no surprise that prematurity is the leading killer of babies in Detroit, and is one of the major components of infant mortality — a catch-all term that’s comprised of all conditions that kill children before their first birthday.
According to former state senator Gilda Jacobs who heads the Michigan League for Public Policy, Detroit’s crisis transcends the personal. The shocking infant mortality rates are the result of a more holistic problem.
“If you have families that are suffering, who aren’t going to work, who aren’t being trained for jobs, they’re never going to be taxpayers,” said Jacobs. “You need a holistic approach to improving a city. You need jobs, you need good infrastructure, you need transportation, you need good schools — and you need healthy human capital.”
Despite the complicated intricacies of the problem, the city is taking proactive states towards curbing infant mortality rates. In May, a campaign called Make Your Date began, which is designed to prevent premature births.
“We want every kid to get off to a healthy start,” said Mayor Mike Duggan, who previously ran the Detroit Medical Center prior to taking office. “There are lots of things we’ve got to fix, but this is one that’s important to me.”