Main description:

Critical Government Documents on Health Care reviews of many of the major health issues facing us today. The book does not argue any one viewpoint. Instead, it is an attempt to gather together information from as many sources as possible and presents arguments for and against the issues covered so that you the reader can come to your own conclusions.

Areas covered include killer diseases such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory diseases, and obesity. It discusses the arguments for and against immunization and looks at issues which impact your health such as the environment and pollution. There is a detailed section on Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia and the problems it poses for healthcare providers and caregivers, and this is coupled with all the other issues that arise from a growing aging population.

Finally, the book discusses external threats such as pandemics, Ebola, and other diseases that can rapidly spread from continent to continent and what is and should be done to contain them.

About the Series:
The Critical Documents Series looks at critical issues of our times. It provides non-partisan information with no spin about critical players, events, and information from and about Washington from as many sources as possible - from scientific journals and government reports to political manifestos and lobby group publications. It presents arguments for and against the issues covered so that you the reader can come to your own conclusions.

Contents:

Contents

INTRODUCTION

THE NATION'S HEALTH
Access to Health Services
Adolescent Health
Emerging Issues in Adolescent Health
Arthritis, Osteoporosis, and Chronic Back Conditions
Blood Disorders and Blood Safety
Cancer
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
Dementias, Including Alzheimer's disease
Diabetes
Disability and Health
Early and Middle Childhood
Educational and Community-Based Programs
Environmental Health
Family Planning
Food Safety
Genomics
Global Health
Health Communication and Health Information Technology
Health-Related Quality of Life & Well-Being
Self-Rated Physical and Mental Health
Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI)
Hearing and Other Sensory or Communication Disorders
Heart Disease and Stroke
HIV
Immunization and Infectious Diseases
Injury and Violence Prevention
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Health
Maternal, Infant, and Child Health
Medical Product Safety
Mental Health and Mental Disorders
Nutrition and Weight Status
Occupational Safety and Health
Older Adults
Oral Health
Physical Activity
Preparedness
Public Health Infrastructure
Why Is Public Health Infrastructure Important?
Respiratory Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
Sleep Health
Social Determinants of Health
Substance Abuse
Tobacco Use
Vision

HEART DISEASE, HEART FAILURE, AND STROKE
Heart Disease
America's Heart Disease Burden
Deaths Vary by Ethnicity
Men and Heart Disease
Women and Heart Disease
Symptoms
Early Action is Key
Protect Your Heart
Heart Failure
Causes of Heart Failure
Common Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Diagnostic Tests
Treatments
Prevention
Living with Heart Failure
Stroke

CANCER
What causes cancer?
When Cancer Spreads
Types of Cancer
Carcinoma
Sarcoma
Leukemia
Lymphoma
Multiple Myeloma
Melanoma
Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors
Other Types of Tumors
Treatments
Chemotherapy
Radiation
Systemic radiation therapy
Targeted Cancer Therapies
Cancer in Children and Adolescents
Possible Causes of Cancer in Children
Treatment
After Treatment
Caring for the Caregiver

DIABETES
What is Diabetes?
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes
Gestational diabetes
What is prediabetes?
What Can I Do About Prediabetes?
Complications
Hypoglycemia and Hyperglycemic Crisis
High Blood Pressure
High Blood LDL Cholesterol
Heart Disease and Stroke
Blindness and Eye Problems
Kidney Disease
Amputations
Other Conditions and Complications
Why do you need to take care of your diabetes?
Your Health Care Team

KIDNEY DISEASE
What the kidneys do
Kidney Disease
Kidney Failure
When Your Kidneys Fail
Treatment Choices
Hemodialysis
Peritoneal Dialysis
Kidney Transplantation
Refusing or Withdrawing from Treatment
Kidney disease and children
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Diet and Nutrition
Points to Remember
Hope through Research

OBESITY
Defining Overweight and Obesity
Health Risks Associated with Overweight and Obesity
Causes of Obesity
Health Consequences
Economic Consequences
Obesity in Children
Significant Health Problems
Factors of Childhood Obesity
Genetics
Advertising and Marketing
Healthy Eating for a Healthy Weight
Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight

RESPIRATORY DISEASES
Prevention and Treatment
Asthma
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Obstructive Sleep Apnea

AN AGING POPULATION
A Profile
Future Growth
Characteristics of the Aging Population
Health and Health Care
Health Insurance Coverage
Medicare
Future Trends in Medicare Spending
How Is Medicare Financed?
Solvency of the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund
Future Outlook

ALZHEIMER' S AND DEMENTIA
Other Dementias
Alzheimers' Disease
The Global Costs
Risk Factors
Women and Alzheimer's
Symptoms
Diagnosing Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's Stages and Changes
Treatment
Behavioral Changes
Contents ix
Clinical Trials
Impact on Caregivers

CHRONIC AND DISABLING DISEASE
Sickle cell disease
Arthritic Disorders
Prevention
Chronic Back Conditions
Causes
Risks
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Osteoporosis
Risk Factors
Prevention
Treatment
Research
Muscular Disorders
Skin Diseases
Multifaceted approaches to preventing disability

VACCINATION AND IMMUNIZATION
Vaccines for Children
Vaccines and Autism
Effectiveness
Prevention and Protection
Infants, Children, & Teens (birth to age 18)
College & Young Adults (age 19 to 24)
Adults (age 19 and older)
Seniors (age 65 and older)
Pregnant
Vaccinations for overseas Travel

COMMUNICABLE ILLNESS
Ebola
Influenza
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)