Support of Healthy Aging through Health Promotion and Prevention of Disease and Injury

学科分类：医学（综合）

中国|英语

来源: American Public Health Association

【 摘 要 】

Recognizing that the United States is experiencing a demographic revolution with the aging of the American population¹ and that population aging is a national and international phenomenon occurring in many nations around the world^2-3;

Recognizing that public health policies and programs have contributed to extending the average life expectancy from 47 years in 1900 to 78 years in 2000⁴; the number of older adults, 65 years, and older will more than double to over 70 million in 2030^4-5; and that aging is a societal issue impacting families across generations and individuals across the lifespan;

Recognizing that over 60 percent of adults age 65 years and older have at least one chronic health condition, leading to significant health and financial burden to individuals, their families, and the health care system⁵; almost a third of total U.S. health expenditures are spent on older adults⁶; and the rising number of older adults will place increasing demands on the public health system and on medical and social services⁵;

Recognizing that changes in the aging demographic are at the heart of the controversy about whether Medicare and the Social Security Program will remain solvent due to the increased demands for health and medical care as well as social services⁵; and,

Acknowledging that health disparities among older persons are a concern, and are also associated with race and ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, access to health care, and other factors^5-6;

Acknowledging that proven prevention strategies that optimize the health and independence of the elderly are available but underutilized⁷; developing an integrated system of health promotion and disease and injury prevention could prevent or delay as much as two-thirds of all chronic diseases⁸; and an important proportion in injuries⁹; and that additional effective health promotion strategies need to be identified through research and demonstration projects;

Noting that the aging population is a growing priority of the American Public Health Association and an APHA Executive Committee Task Force on Aging has been established to: a) raise awareness and promote education about aging within the APHA; b) recommend ways to improve the public health infrastructure in the context of aging; and, c) develop and advocate public policies that will improve health and well being of the aging population;

Therefore, APHA urges the Congress and President to authorize and appropriate the resources necessary for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to work with the Administration on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and state agencies on aging, local area agencies on aging, and other federal, state and local agencies to:

1. Provide science-based health information and educational resources to public health professionals, health care providers, policymakers, aging experts and consumers regarding health status and risk factors, health promotion and the prevention and control of chronic diseases and injuries among older persons. 
2. Identify and disseminate community-based best practice health promotion interventions for older Americans as well as information regarding culturally appropriate interventions for racial, ethnic and other sub-groups of the aging population, including persons with physical, sensory, and cognitive disabilities.
3. Initiate and support or conduct research and demonstration projects to determine the viability and effectiveness of various health promotion intervention approaches for older populations including culturally appropriate strategies for diverse racial, ethnic and other sub-groups.
4. Integrate public health intervention expertise within the aging services network nationally and facilitate the coordination of efforts to achieve more effective program development and implementation as well as achieve programmatic efficiencies.
5. Provide financial resources to public health and appropriate aging and other organizations to assess community needs and develop strategic plans, and to strengthen and expand the availability of health promotion and disease and injury prevention programs focused on older persons.
6. Assess and monitor changes and trends in the health status of older Americans.
7. Integrate public health strategies that encourage and build elder-friendly communities.

---

References

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging, A Diverse Aging Population: Working Towards a Healthier, Longer Life, May 2000. http://www.aoa.gov/May2000/FactSheets/Diverse.htm
2. United Nations World Assembly on Ageing, Madrid, Spain, Active Ageing, A Policy Framework, April 2002, pages 1-60. http://www.who.int/hpr/ageing/ActiveAgeingPolicyFrame.pdf 
3. World Heath Organization, Population Aging——A Public Health Challenge, fact sheet 135, September 1998. http://www.who.int/inf-fs/en/fact135.html.
4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging, The Growth of America’s Older Population, May 2000. http://www.aoa.gov/May2000/FactSheets/Growth.htm.
5. Older Americans 2000: Key Indicators of Well-Being, Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Related Statistics, xii-xiv, 22, 24, 28, 56, and 57.
6. Pastor, PN, Makuk DM, Reuben C, Xia H. Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans. Health, US, 2002 Hyattsville, MD; National Center for Health Statistics. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hus/hints.htm.
7. United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health, United States, 1999. pp. 68-69. 
8. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging, Health Promotion Programs for Older Americans, 1998. http://www.aoa.gov/factsheets/health.html.
9. Bonnie Richard J, Fulco Carolyn E, Liverman Catharyn T, eds. Committee on Injury Prevention and Control, Institute of Medicine, "Reducing the Burden of Injury: Advancing Prevention and Treatment, Washington, DC: National Academy Press, p 82-114.

Back to Top

【 授权许可】

Free