Making 2022 a Healthier Year: the Value of Preventive Health Care

As 2022 rolled in, millions of individuals across the country made New Year’s resolutions to exercise more, lose weight, and/or improve their overall health. Unfortunately, for many individuals, those goals do not last long due to various reasons including lack of motivation, busy work/school schedules, not having enough time, or not seeing results quickly enough.

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) disclosed that 16 states now have obesity rates of 35% or higher. This data confirms findings from several other published studies during the pandemic which reveal many Americans have gained a significant amount of weight since the start of the pandemic.¹

The publication indicates the increase in rates of overweight/obesity may be due to sedentary behavior because of stay-at-home restrictions, increased stress/anxiety, and challenges due to loss of job and income, which may have made it more difficult to purchase healthy food options.¹

Another study revealed that among pediatric patients, especially those between the ages of 5 and 11 years, the rates of weight gain, overweight, or obesity augmented from 36.2% to 45.7% during the pandemic.²

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has also increased stress and anxiety levels in varying degrees, which has in turn affected the health of many individuals. For example, due to fear of contracting the virus, some individuals have postponed routine health care including preventive screening and labs. In some cases, health care facilities have suspended elective screening procedures and surgeries.

While there have been tremendous strides in medical advancements for the treatment of many diseases, many individuals underestimate the impact of preventive care, which focuses on preventing or detecting problems before they cause major health issues. Some individuals do not seek medical care until an issue arises. Unfortunately, many individuals are unable to afford health care and do not have access to preventive care approaches such as regular checkups, screening tests, and vaccinations.

A recent publication indicated that fewer than 50% of adults aged 65 years and older are up to date with essential preventive care services, despite regular checkups and coverage by almost all insurance plans. Fewer than 30% of adults 50-64 years of age are up to date with core clinical preventive services.³

According to the CDC, 6 in 10 of US adults struggle with a chronic disease such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, chronic lung disease, renal disease, etc, while 4 in 10 have at least 2 chronic diseases.³ Additionally, chronic disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States, and issues such as obesity and other chronic diseases continue to escalate.⁴

According to the Healthy People 2030 program, obtaining preventive care diminishes the risk of disease, disabilities, and rates of mortality. Despite this knowledge, millions of individuals in the United States don’t adhere to the recommended preventive health care services.⁵

Experts from this program also note barriers to preventive care that include cost, not having a primary care provider, living too far from providers, and lack of awareness about recommended preventive services.^6,7 In a 2019 publication by the CDC, health experts indicated that underutilization of preventive services is principally the result of an implementation gap rather than an information gap; in other words, some providers do not emphasize preventive care services although they know that preventive services can diminish the incidence and burden of chronic diseases.⁸

It is important for health care providers to seize every opportunity to encourage their patients to take a proactive role in their health. Through patient education initiatives, patients can make informed decisions about their health. Health care providers can encourage patients and remind them that every little step towards healthy living can produce positive health results. For example, patients can be reminded that even a modest weight loss of 5%-10% of total body weight can improve blood pressure, lipid profile, and blood glucose.⁹

Research has clearly established the “one-size fits all” or “cookie cutter” approach to treating patients is outdated, and a more tailored and individualized approach, including shared decision making between the health care provider and the patient, often results in improved patient adherence and outcomes.

The preventive care approach to health care—including the use of pharmacological agents when warranted, recommending lifestyle measures such as dietary changes and weight loss if needed, cessation of smoking, exercise when appropriate, and routine checkups and preventive screenings—can have a positive impact in reducing and/or preventing some diseases.

References:

1. Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reviewed September 27, 2021. Accessed January 11, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html
2. Woolford SJ, Sidell M, Li X, et al. Changes in body mass index among children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA. 2021;326(14):1434–1436. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.15036
3. Preventive services: An underutilized resource. Managed Healthcare Executive. Published November 1, 2015. Accessed January 11, 2022. https://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/preventive-services-underutilized-resource
4. Chronic Disease in America. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reviewed January 12, 2021. Accessed January 11, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/infographic/chronic-diseases.htm
5. Borksy A, Zhan C, Miller T, Ngo-Metzger Q, Bierman AS, Meyers D. Few Americans receive all high-priority, appropriate clinical preventive services. Health Aff. 2018;37(6). doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2017.1248
6. Allen EM, Call KT, Beebe TJ, McAlpine DD, Johnson, PJ. Barriers to care and healthcare utilization among the publicly insured. Med Care. 2017;55(3):207-214. doi:10.1097/MLR.0000000000000644
7. Syed ST, Gerber BS, Sharp LK. Traveling towards disease: transportation barriers to health care access. J Community Health. 2014;38(5):976-993. doi:10.1007/s10900-013-9681-1
8. Levine S, Malone E, Lekiachvili A, Briss P. Health care industry insights: why the use of preventive services is still low. Prev Chronic Dis. 2019;16:180625. doi:10.5888/pcd16.180625
9. Blackburn G. Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; 1998. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/ob_gdlns.pdf