New Study Identifies 5 Preventive Health Services That Will Save 100,000 Lives

Increasing the use of just five preventive services would save more than 100,000 lives every year in the U.S., according to a new study released by Partnership for Prevention.

U.S. Preventive Medicine, a company working to organize and advance a culture of prevention throughout America, hopes the study’s findings will urge more Americans to become more proactive with their healthcare by taking advantage of preventive health services that are available to them.

The Partnership for Prevention, a membership organization of businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies advancing policies and practices to prevent disease and improve the health of all Americans, found that most adults are not taking advantage of cost-effective preventive services that could easily help many Americans to live longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives.

 “Preventive medicine is not a new concept, but it is slowly transforming the way people think about healthcare. However, as these findings demonstrate, we are still a long way from educating most adults about the importance of prevention,” said Christopher T. Fey, Chairman and CEO of U.S. Preventive Medicine. “Our goal is to motivate millions of Americans to help turn the nation’s healthcare system from one that largely focuses on caring for the sick, to one that encourages people to take early steps to avert illness and enjoy more good years.”

Currently the United States spends $2.2 trillion on healthcare annually, yet only four percent is devoted to preventive services, such as health risk appraisals, simple blood tests, and smoking cessation programs.  Supported by strong medical evidence, a far greater emphasis on prevention programs, protocols and procedures that detect and treat health risks early will greatly reduce many life-threatening diseases. If consumers, employers and providers embrace more preventive measures, it will save lives, extend the period of healthy life, reduce healthcare costs and, improve the productivity and vitality of our nation.

Survey Findings on Five Preventive Services:

• 45,000 additional lives would be saved each year if we increased to 90 percent the portion of adults who take aspirin daily to prevent heart disease. Today, fewer than half of American adults take aspirin preventively.

• 42,000 additional lives would be saved each year if we increased to 90 percent the portion of smokers who are advised by a health professional to quit and are offered medication or other assistance. Today, only 28 percent of smokers receive such services.

• 14,000 additional lives would be saved each year if we increased to 90 percent the portion of adults age 50 and older who are up to date with any recommended screening for colorectal cancer. Today, fewer than 50 percent of adults are up to date with screening.

• 12,000 additional lives would be saved each year if we increased to 90 percent the portion of adults age 50 and older that are immunized against influenza annually. Today, 37 percent of adults have had an annual flu vaccination.

• 3,700 additional lives would be saved each year if we increased to 90 percent the portion of women age 40 and older that have been screened for breast cancer in the past 2 years. Today, 67 percent of women have been screened in the past 2 years.

"This study demonstrates that it is critical for Americans to take full control of their health and be proactive about it," said Dr. Boyd Lyles, Chief Medical Officer, U.S. Preventive Medicine. "By taking preventive action at the recommended time, patients can stay ahead of the curve and become more knowledgeable about health concerns, creating a greater opportunity to identify a potentially serious condition before it becomes life threatening, and save more lives."

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