¶ … 20TH century the average life-expectancy of an average American has augmented. Furthermore, the major causes of death have also changed over time. Majority of the Americans used to die very young; very few used to live beyond 65 years of age. However, trends have changed drastically and a lot more people are able to live beyond 65 years of age (Nadine R. Sahyoun, Harold Lentzner, Donna Hoyert, Kristen N. Robinson, 2001). The following graph illustrates the point being made.
Percentage of newborns living to age 65
It is worth noting that the leading cause of death amongst the elderly people 65 years of age and above is "heart disease" (35%) and "cancer" (22%). This trend has been evident since the preceding 2 decades and had taken almost one million lives of elderly Americans in the year 1997 alone. The third leading cause of death is "stroke." However, "chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases" and "allied conditions" (COPD) is the third leading cause of death for elderly white (both male and female) Americans, while this ailment ranks 4TH and 5TH amid other race-sex- age groups. Table 2 provides a comprehensive description on the topic of leading causes of death for people 65 years of age or above (Nadine R. Sahyoun, Harold Lentzner, Donna Hoyert, Kristen N. Robinson, 2001).
In 2004, cancer has become the 2ND leading cause of death amongst people 65 years of age and above. The overall costs for cancer treatments and preventions have also increased relatively. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2005) reveal, "Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. In 2004, about 1.4 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed, and more than 563,700 Americans -- about 1,500 people a day -- will die of the disease. The financial cost of cancer is also significant. According to the National Institutes of Health, in 2003, the overall cost for cancer in the United States was $189.5 billion: $64.2 billion for direct medical expenses, $16.3 billion for lost worker productivity due to illness, and $109 billion for lost worker productivity due to premature death (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2005)."
Table 2: Leading Causes of Death for persons 65 years of age and older
This purpose of this study is to assess the prevention and treatment programs available to the elderly people of America because in light of the aforementioned facts, it is imperative that high-quality cancer treatment and prevention programs are not only brought into light but also implemented, both by the private sector, as well as the government.
Review of Related Literature
While many programs have been initiated to minimize the spread of cancer, it is a discouraging fact that not many programs have been successful. For instance, in 1985, "The National Cancer Institute" (NCI) launched a number of carefully measured goals to decrease the number of deaths being caused due to cancer by the year 2000. The program failed miserably as it aimed to control cancer only through the viability of declines in cancer related deaths, rather than particulars on the methods and procedures that will lead to this decline (Lawrence Bergner, Katherine M. Marconi, Helen I. Meissner, 1992). Many other programs have been introduced since then, but they too have failed to achieve concrete results. The purpose of this study is neither to highlight those programs nor to give reasons for their failure, rather the purpose of this study is to reveal the best possible program currently being implemented in America, either by the government or by the private sector or both.
One such model that has been effective in controlling the spread of cancer is "Comprehensive Cancer Control." This is because the program has channelized its energies through collaborations between a number of potent institutions, both in the public sector and the private sector. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2005) illustrates, "Comprehensive cancer control (CCC) is an emerging model that integrates and coordinates a range of activities to maximize the impact of limited resources and achieve desired cancer prevention and control outcomes. A key component to the success of this approach is establishing partnerships between public and private sector stakeholders whose common mission is to reduce the burden of cancer (Centers for Disease Control...
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