Abstract
Men experience chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and chronic obstructive diseases at alarming rates. Geneau et al. (2010) propose that chronic disease is not only a national health issue but also an international health issue that creates a global health burden. Chronic disease is now the leading cause of death and disability worldwide and will account for more than three fourths of all deaths in 2030. Additionally, more than 80% of the worldwide mortality occurs in low-income and middle-income countries (Geneau et al., 2010). Chronic diseases are directly linked to individual-, family-, and community-level outcomes.
One of the primary means to alleviate the morbidity and mortality associated with chronic disease is to mobilize the resources necessary to strengthen prevention. Geneau et al. (2010) propose a political process model as a framework to affect chronic disease burdens. The model consists of three processes to strengthen prevention efforts: reframing the debate, identification and creation of political opportunities, and mobilization of resources (Geneau et al., 2010). The debate can be reframed regarding the potential associated factors that cause chronic diseases by linking chronic diseases to the determinants of health. Jeanfreau, Porche, and Lee (2010) cite the determinants of health as physical–biological, behavioral, environmental, and economic–political. Physical–biological determinants of health consist of the genetic, family history, and physical and mental/psychological characteristics. Behavioral determinants of health are the habits, practices, and activities that define an individual’s responses or reactions to things in the environment. Environmental determinants consist of the physical and social environment. The economic–political determinant of health consists of the financial, political, and policy decisions that affect men’s health. Promoting a stronger prevention agenda aligned with chronic diseases links directly to our Nation’s Healthy People 2020 objectives.
This natural link of determinants of health as causative factors associated with chronic disease provides an excellent platform to politically propose health policy focusing on the ultimate impact of chronic disease but using primary prevention efforts as the strategy. The political process would need to engage policy makers to the extent that primary prevention health policies that affect chronic disease morbidity and mortality have adequate resource allocation.
This editorial does not necessary present a new link of chronic disease to the need for prevention efforts; however, this editorial uses Geneau et al.’s (2010) political process model linked to the nation’s determinants of health to promote primary prevention and chronic disease prevention and management as a critical health policy issue that must be placed on our nation’s policy agenda. Rethink chronic diseases as opportunities for prevention!