It is no surprise that the most prevalent diseases in the country are some of the biggest health concerns in the United States. However, in an age with a lot of uncertainty about the future of the health care industry, there are a number of other health-related concerns weighing on people's minds right now.
Access and cost. From 2002 to 2012, in response to a Gallup poll, Americans listed health care access as one of their top two concerns. Now that the Obama-care mandate is in effect, it is likely that this figure will only continue to increase. The second concern that Americans have been ranking at the top of the Gallup poll is the high cost of health care. Again, it is unlikely that this figure is going to drop any time soon.
Obesity. As obesity is one of the most serious health issues in the United States, it is not hard to understand why it is such a big concern right now. In the past two and a half decades, adult obesity rates have doubled while youth rates are threefold. As obesity comes with a host of severe health consequences, there are over 30 serious diseases that have also experienced increased rates during this time period.
Diseases. Cancer, heart disease, and diabetes consistently rank high on the list of top health care concerns when it comes to diseases. In 2013, there were an estimated 580,000 deaths that were a direct result of cancer, and 1,660,000 new cases of cancer. Currently, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with coronary heart disease alone resulting in more than 385,000 deaths and costing nearly $109 billion annually. Over 25 million Americans battle diabetes, which leads to a wealth of additional health issues.
