Public health depends on a number of criteria, for instance, the level of funding, the involvement of professional staff, accessibility, and many other aspects. Based on the results presented on the official HealthyPeople.gov website, one can highlight individual areas with significant progress, as well as those where performance has declined over the years (“Midcourse review,” 2022). The changes that have taken place can be explained by a shift in focus toward those problems that deserve particular attention due to their severity. However, such a shift inevitably entails a deterioration in performance in other areas that receive less attention.
Based on these findings, the healthcare system has now improved those items that are discussed most frequently, such as cancer treatment, tobacco use, or access to medical services. However, many narrow topics, such as addressing mental health issues, have remained unresolved, as evidenced by deteriorating performance. Public health resources are focused on general services, such as immunization and injury prevention. In other words, common issues are addressed most often, which helps solve the problems of a wide range of citizens. At the same time, the lack of progress in working on such issues as diabetes care or family planning suggests that many patients cannot count on full attention from the state due to insufficient funding. Particularly surprising is the fact that the issue of substance abuse (drinking alcohol) has remained at the same level. To provide assistance to the population, a wide range of health problems should be addressed while taking into account the actual severity of the issues and the principles of financing. This will help improve individual citizens’ health indicators and the healthcare system as a whole.
Reference
Midcourse review. (2022). HealthyPeople.gov. Web.