Healthy People 2020 Impact Paper (Essay Sample)

Healthy People 2020 Impact Paper Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Course Number and Name Instructor’s Name Due Date Healthy People 2020 Impact Paper Hypertension High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of death around the globe. Hypertension occurs when blood pressure against the arterial walls goes above 130/80 mmHg. Normal systolic/ diastolic blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg (Facts about hypertension, 2021). High blood increases the risk of stroke and heart attack, which are the leading causes of death in the United States (Dorans et al., 2018). A notable aspect making hypertension a critical disease is its no notable symptoms. Unless an individual gets their blood pressure measured, it is difficult to identify if a person has hypertension. Therefore, in most cases, healthcare providers deal with the ripple effects of the illness, making its prevention and mitigation a daunting task. Another notable aspect related to this illness is its causes. Lifestyle choices such as diet, physical exercise, and drug abuse increase the risk of high blood pressure (Facts about hypertension, 2021). Furthermore, the disease is synonymous with individuals above 65, meaning that age plays a role in its occurrence. Chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and kidney diseases also lead to hypertension. The root causes of high blood pressure put a significant population at risk, making the disorder a significant contributor to the national and global disease burden.  Hypertension is a critical healthcare issue, affecting over half of the global population. Epidemiological and demographic data on mortality, morbidity, and risk is vital in understanding the disease prevalence and at-risk population. This report will use descriptive epidemiology to review hypertension frequency among White non-Hispanics above 65 years living in Miami, Florida. It will analyze existing information on the illness, identifying facts and figures that describe its occurrence and population risks. The paper also highlights Healthy People 2020’s goal, overview, and objective for hypertension. Furthermore, it analyzes the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) to obtain information on high blood pressure in the US. It will also review population-level prevention and health promotion to provide insights into the adopted strategies for reducing hypertension prevalence in Miami, Florida.  Overview of the Problem in Miami, Florida, and the United States Hypertension is the largest contributor to cardiovascular illnesses. Left untreated causes heart failure and stroke and increases the risk of kidney disease. Therefore, the disorder leads to poor quality of life, affecting Americans’ well-being adversely. According to 2019 statistics, high blood pressure caused more than half a million deaths in the United States. It is one of the most prevalent health conditions in the US, affecting over 68 million people (Facts about hypertension, 2021). According to the CDC, one in every four Americans has high blood pressure, and 20% of the victims are unaware that they have the disorder (Facts about hypertension, 2021). The disease costs the country about 131 billion dollars annually. Data collected between 2017 and 2020 shows that 48.1% of Americans above 18 years had hypertension (Facts about hypertension, 2021). The survey also indicated that 33.6 million physician visits during this period entailed hypertension diagnosis. Furthermore, there were 1.1 million emergency department visits with high blood pressure as the primary disorder (Facts about hypertension, 2021). On average, there are 41,907 deaths related to hypertension in the US. This translates to 12.7 deaths per 100,000 people in the country (Facts about hypertension, 2021). Several risk factors are associated with hypertension prevalence (Facts about hypertension, 2021). Age, race, family history, and psychological disorders contribute to the disease. Additionally, drugs such as alcohol and tobacco cause high blood pressure (Fang et al., 2018). There are also chronic conditions such as obesity, sleep apnea, diabetes, and kidney diseases. In the US, men (50%) have more high blood pressure than women (44%) (Facts about hypertension, 2021). In addition, high blood pressure is more common among non-Hispanic black adults (56%) compared to Hispanics (39%) and non-Hispanic Asians (46%) (Facts about hypertension, 2021). In addition, the disease is more common in some states, including Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky. Hypertension affects more than 32% of the population in these regions (Facts about hypertension, 2021). Florida is considered an average state when it comes to hypertension prevalence since the disease affects 28.9% of the residents in this region.  Descriptive Epidemiological and Demographic Data on Mortality/Morbidity and Risk Descriptive epidemiology helps identify disease patterns by analyzing their determinants and distribution. It entails analyzing the characteristics of an individual, time, and place to describe disease variations. In Miami, Florida, hypertension prevalence is 28.9% (High blood pressure prevalence, n.d.). Regarded as the silent killer due to lack of visible symptoms, high blood pressure is one of the leading causes of death in this region. The disease is more prevalent among individuals above 65 years (59.9%). People below 44 have the lowest risk (8%), while the prevalence for individuals between 44 and 65 is 34.8% (High blood pressure prevalence, n.d.). Regarding gender, there is a balance in the occurrence of hypertension among Miami residents. Female and male victims are 28.9%, meaning that the illness affects individuals irrespective of their sex. Data on race and ethnicity indicate that white non-Hispanics are the most at-risk population group when it comes to high blood pressure prevalence in Miami. This ethnicity accounts for 36.8% of hypertension cases in Miami (High blood pressure prevalence, n.d.). African Americans come second at 32.2%, while Hispanics trail at 27.1%.   These figures indicate that the population at the highest risk for hypertension in Miami, Florida, is White non-Hispanics above 65 years. This people group has several notable characteristics based on Happy People 2020 criteria. Their age and ethnicity indicate they have access to healthcare and know the need to adhere to treatment. However, hypertension has no symptoms, which puts them at risk of contracting high blood pressure and remaining unaware of its adverse implications on their quality of life (Carey et al., 2018). The at-risk population also has a good environment, given that most individuals above 65 are retired and live peacefully with their loved ones. They have a support system; enjoy a lifestyle of holidays, quiet time, and a balanced diet. Their economic situation is also advantageous since most use their pension and medical cover.  HP2020 Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) have guidelines to reduce hypertension prevalence in the US. Hp2020 aims to improve cardiovascular health and quality of life by preventing, detecting, and treating risk factors (Healthy people 2020, n.d.). Hypertension is...