Knowledge is the Best Medicine

KNOWLEDGE IS THE BEST MEDICINE

Guest opinion submitted by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Americans have become more knowledgeable about the necessity of regular screenings for breast cancer, as well as the need for preventive measures such as healthy diet, smoking cessation, and exercise. Science is making great strides toward reducing breast cancer mortality rates through early and better treatment, and continual discoveries of lifestyle and genetic triggers which contribute to the development of the disease. Advances in treatment and prevention mean that 97 percent of women with localized breast cancer will survive five years or longer. While we must remain diligent in our effort to combat this deadly disease, which will claim the lives of close to 40,000 women this year, what might surprise some is that the number one cause of death in women is not breast cancer or any type of cancer, for that matter.

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in women-250,000 women every year. According to a May 2003, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) report, approximately one in two women develop CHD; one in three die from it. A disease more prevalent than any other ought to be the focus of exhaustive studies, but it is not. In the same HHS report, the researchers emphasized that broad conclusions about causes and treatments of CHD and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women could not be accurately assessed due to the small number of female participants in the studies themselves. In recent CHD and CVD research, women constituted only 20-30 percent of study participants. This is alarming, considering the high rate of occurrence of these diseases and the corresponding high mortality rate. It is important that women involve themselves in these studies whenever possible-for their sake and for the sake of others.

The HHS report was able to make these limited observations:

Elevated triglycerides pose a greater CVD threat to women than men;

Smoking increases the chance of CHD two fold;

Obesity increases the risk of CHD and CVD;

Death from CHD and CVD occurs in greater frequency at five-year age increases in women than in men.

As a policy-maker concerned about women's health, my focus is three fold: public health awareness, funding for research, and support for new technologies. The first line of defense is always a good offense. We have a responsibility to ourselves and our families to pursue a healthy lifestyle, including healthy eating habits, exercise, and regular health screenings. These actions reduce the chance of tragedy and heartache down the road, and save future family financial burdens and financial burdens on our nation's health care system. While these actions are essential, sometimes disease occurs despite our best efforts to prevent it. I support and promote funding for advanced technologies and research. Critical funding must be channeled to rural hospitals and treatment facilities to support acquisitions of state-of-the-art equipment. As some of you may know, I am a prostate cancer survivor, and I have first hand experience with the effects and grim prospects of that disease. As a result of that experience, I have a very personal and fervent belief in the importance of preventive healthcare.

Clearly, more research is needed on cause and prevention of very common and, too often, fatal diseases in women. When we take personal responsibility for our health and couple that with a commitment to prioritize medical research and health care funding, we all reap the benefits of a healthy society.