Heart disease and other illnesses that affect the heart and circulatory system together go under the umbrella term of cardiovascular disease. These conditions include congenital cardiac defects, hypertensive heart disease, stroke, and coronary artery disease. This article will compare and contrast the data, perform a quick study of lung cancer in the state of Michigan, and compare and contrast the statistics for Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), the health condition to be examined. One of the leading causes of mortality in the United States and the rest of the globe, lung cancer is the second most frequent cancer in both men and women. Despite being significantly below the national average in Michigan, lung cancer remains a severe public health problem.
According to the most current information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, lung cancer claimed 7,821 lives in Michigan in 2018. This drops from the 8,082 and 8,393 fatalities recorded in 2017 and 2016. In Michigan, there were 28.5 lung cancer deaths per 100,000 persons in 2018. Since 2014, when Michigan’s lung cancer mortality rate was 32.7 deaths per 100,000 persons, the rate has been progressively falling (Fuchs & Whelton, 2020). The top cause of death in Michigan in 2019 was cardiovascular disease (CVD), which accounted for 35.7% of all fatalities, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. According to the statistics, there is a considerable difference in the rates of CVD mortality across various racial and ethnic groups, with African Americans having the highest rate (262.7 per 100,000 people) compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Additionally, compared to the national average, Michigan had a greater prevalence of risk factors, including smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Regarding local information, I visited the website of Wayne Area’s health department in Michigan and saw that CVD continues to be a significant public health issue in the county, with an increase in the number of hospitalizations and fatalities attributable to the condition. The mortality rate from lung cancer in Michigan varies significantly by county. Leelanau County has the lowest mortality rate from lung cancer, with just 4.7 deaths per 100,000 residents in 2018. (Fuchs & Whelton, 2020). In 2018, Wayne County had the highest rate of 45.4 lung cancer deaths per 100,000 persons. By putting into place several programs and initiatives to encourage healthy lifestyle choices and improve access to treatment for at-risk groups, the county health department is actively aiming to lessen the burden of CVD.
The most significant cause of cancer mortality in the US is lung cancer, a severe public health issue. The frequency of lung cancer varies significantly between Michigan and California, two of the biggest states in the US. Compared to California, Michigan has a greater risk of lung cancer. With 81.2 instances per 100,000 people, Michigan had the third-highest incidence of lung cancer in 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Lung cancer incidence was substantially lower in California in 2018, with just 58.4 incidences per 100,000 people. The more excellent smoking rates in Michigan compared to California are primarily responsible for this rate differential. Even though Michigan’s smoking rate has declined recently, it is still higher than the 15% national average. With a smoking prevalence of only 13.4%, California has one of the lowest rates in the nation.
Other variables, including age and gender, contribute to the disparity in lung cancer rates between Michigan and California. While individuals aged 55 to 64 had the most significant risk of lung cancer in California (81.8 cases per 100,000 people), those 65 and older have the highest rate in Michigan (134.3 cases per 100,000 people). In Michigan, men are more likely than women to get lung cancer (89.2 cases per 100,000 population compared to 74.7 cases per 100,000 population). In California, lung cancer rates are comparable for both sexes (59.6 cases per 100,000 population for males and 57.2 cases per 100,000 for females). The disparities in smoking rates between California and Michigan are primarily responsible for the variance in lung cancer rates between the two states. Although smoking rates have declined in both states, Michigan still maintains more excellent smoking rates than California. The disparity in lung cancer rates between the two states is also influenced by age and gender inequalities.
I decided to contrast lung cancer rates in the US and Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, CVD accounted for 39.7% of all deaths in Australia in 2019 and was the most common cause of death. According to the statistics, Australia has a lower prevalence of risk factors than the United States and Michigan, including high blood pressure and smoking. Over 85% of lung cancer cases in the US are attributed to smoking as the primary cause. Other risk factors in the US include genetics, a family history of cancer, and exposure to carcinogens such as asbestos, radon, and air pollution. Lung cancer has a poor survival rate in the United States, with an estimated 5-year survival rate of approximately 17.8%. (Zaman, et al. 2020). Smoking is likewise the leading cause of lung cancer in Australia; however, the prevalence of lung cancer linked to smoking is significantly lower than in the US. Other risk factors in Australia include genetics, a family history of cancer, exposure to asbestos, air pollution, and radiation. Australia has a substantially greater 5-year lung cancer survival rate than the US, with an estimated 58.1%. (Triplette, et al. 2019). In order to lessen the burden of CVD, the Australian government has put in place several initiatives and regulations, such as encouraging healthy lifestyles, expanding access to preventative treatments, and limiting the availability of unhealthy foods and beverages.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 17 million fatalities are attributed to CVD each year, making it one of the significant causes of mortality globally. Smoking, which causes between 80–90% of instances of lung cancer, is one of the significant risk factors, according to the WHO. Other possible risk factors are exposure to toxic chemicals, air pollution, secondhand smoke, and radon gas (Benschop et al., 2019). Promoting healthy lifestyles, expanding access to preventative and treatment services, and limiting exposure to risk factors, including cigarettes, poor diets, and physical inactivity, are just a few of the recommendations made by the WHO to lessen the burden of CVD (Zaman et al., 2020). They clarify that the kind and stage of the illness affect lung cancer therapy. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy are often used therapies. To get the best outcomes, several therapies could sometimes be combined.
In conclusion, CVD death rates range significantly across various racial and ethnic groups, making it a severe public health problem in Michigan and worldwide. While risk factors like smoking and high blood pressure are prevalent in several states and nations, Michigan has the highest prevalence rates. Various programs and efforts have been put in place by governments at the national and worldwide levels to lessen the burden of CVD, but much more needs to be done to address this escalating health issue.
References
Benschop, L., Duvekot, J. J., & van Lennep, J. E. R. (2019). Future risk of cardiovascular disease risk factors and events in women after a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. Heart, 105(16), 1273-1278.
Fuchs, F. D., & Whelton, P. K. (2020). High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Hypertension, 75(2), 285–292.
Triplette, M., Crothers, K., Mahale, P., Yanik, E. L., Valapour, M., Lynch, C. F., … & Engels, E. A. (2019). Risk of lung cancer in lung transplant recipients in the United States. American Journal of Transplantation, 19(5), 1478–1490.
Zaman, S., MacIsaac, A. I., Jennings, G. L., Schlaich, M. P., Inglis, S. C., Arnold, R., … & Bhindi, R. (2020). Cardiovascular disease and COVID‐19: Australian and New Zealand consensus statement. Medical Journal of Australia, 213(4), 182–187.
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