How can public health help prevent cancer? Episode 13 of "That's Public Health"
Summary
TLDRDeboki Chakravarti, a science educator, discusses the role of public health in cancer prevention and treatment. The U.S. has spent over $100 billion on cancer research since 1971, yet cancer remains a leading cause of death. Public health focuses on primary prevention, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation, and secondary prevention through early screenings. Despite these efforts, underserved populations face barriers to access. The video advocates for shifting more resources to prevention, emphasizing that stopping cancer before it starts is the most effective way to reduce deaths.
Takeaways
- đ§âđ« The United States declared the 'war on cancer' in 1971, investing over $100 billion in research, but significant progress in finding cures has been limited.
- đ” Despite the investment, cancer remains a leading cause of death in the U.S., with high death rates for breast, skin, and other cancers.
- đĄïž Primary prevention, which includes efforts like vaccination and environmental changes, is key in reducing cancer risk before it develops.
- đ HPV vaccination can reduce cervical cancer cases by nearly 90%, making it an essential public health intervention.
- đ Tobacco use contributes to 30% of cancer deaths, and tobacco control policies like smoking bans have significantly reduced lung cancer deaths.
- đ Secondary prevention focuses on early detection of cancer through screenings, which can improve treatment outcomes and save lives.
- đ„ Barriers like lack of insurance disproportionately affect people of color, making it harder for them to access early cancer screenings and increasing late-stage cancer diagnoses.
- đ Tertiary prevention involves treating cancer with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy to prevent further damage and improve patient outcomes.
- đž In 2020, the U.S. spent over $200 billion on cancer treatment, which is double the amount spent on primary prevention for all diseases.
- đ Public health experts advocate for shifting more government spending towards primary and secondary prevention to reduce cancer rates and improve early detection for underserved populations.
Q & A
What was the 'war on cancer' launched in 1971?
-The 'war on cancer' refers to an initiative launched by the United States in 1971 to find cures for common cancers. Despite spending over $100 billion on research, progress has been limited, and cancer remains a leading cause of death.
Why is primary prevention important in the fight against cancer?
-Primary prevention is important because it focuses on stopping cancer before it occurs, such as through vaccinations and environmental changes. Preventive measures can drastically reduce the incidence of cancer, as seen with the HPV vaccine reducing cervical cancer cases by nearly 90%.
How does smoking contribute to cancer rates, and what public health interventions have been made to address this?
-Smoking causes around 30% of all cancer deaths and contributes to heart disease. Public health interventions include tobacco control policies, such as workplace smoking bans, which have prevented almost 800,000 deaths from lung cancer between 1975 and 2000.
What are some examples of primary prevention methods for cancer?
-Examples of primary prevention include vaccinations, like the HPV vaccine for cervical cancer, and environmental modifications, such as smoking bans to reduce secondhand smoke exposure, which also helps reduce cancer risk.
What is secondary prevention, and why is it crucial in cancer treatment?
-Secondary prevention involves early detection of cancer, which can make treatment more effective. Routine screenings, like mammograms and skin checks, help catch cancers at early stages, improving survival rates and reducing cancer-related deaths.
What are some barriers to early cancer screening, especially for underserved populations?
-Barriers to early cancer screening include lack of health insurance, high costs, and limited access to affordable healthcare. People of color and those with lower incomes are disproportionately affected, leading to later-stage cancer diagnoses and higher death rates.
How does Medicaid help reduce cancer death rates?
-Medicaid provides free or low-cost health insurance, helping more people access cancer screenings and early diagnosis. Expanding Medicaid eligibility can prevent unnecessary cancer deaths by enabling underserved populations to get timely screenings.
What is tertiary prevention, and how does it relate to cancer care?
-Tertiary prevention focuses on treating diseases that have already developed, aiming to prevent further damage or death. In cancer care, it includes treatments like surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy to remove or control the disease.
Why does the U.S. spend more on tertiary prevention than on primary prevention?
-In 2020, the U.S. spent over $200 billion on cancer treatment, compared to much less on primary prevention. This focus on treatment rather than prevention contributes to higher cancer death rates, especially among underserved populations.
What shift in public health spending do experts advocate for to reduce cancer rates?
-Public health experts support shifting government spending towards primary and secondary prevention to focus on preventing diseases or diagnosing them early. This would help lower cancer rates and improve health outcomes for all populations.
Outlines
đ Introduction to Cancer and Public Health
Deboki Chakravarti introduces the topic of cancer and its connection to public health. She provides a brief history, mentioning the 'war on cancer' initiated in 1971 by the U.S., which aimed to find cures for common cancers. Despite significant financial investment in research, limited progress has been made in reducing cancer deaths, and cancer remains a leading cause of death in the U.S. The focus now shifts to public health interventions as the best defense.
đĄïž The Role of Primary Prevention
Primary prevention is emphasized as one of the best ways to address cancer, aiming to stop the disease before it begins. Vaccinations, such as HPV vaccines, have significantly reduced cervical cancer cases by 90%. Primary prevention also involves environmental changes like reducing tobacco use, which is responsible for 30% of cancer deaths. Public health programs have helped people quit smoking, while smoking bans in workplaces reduced secondhand smoke exposure and encouraged smokers to quit.
đ Impact of Tobacco Control Policies
Tobacco control policies, like smoking bans implemented in the 1970s, have significantly impacted cancer prevention. By reducing secondhand smoke exposure, these policies helped prevent almost 800,000 lung cancer deaths between 1975 and 2000. Additionally, these measures encouraged recreational smokers to reduce their smoking, leading many to quit altogether, showcasing the long-term benefits of public health interventions in reducing cancer risks.
đ Secondary Prevention: Early Detection
When cancer prevention is not possible, secondary prevention, focusing on early detection, becomes critical. Routine screenings, such as mammograms and skin checks, can identify cancers before symptoms appear. However, access to these screenings is often limited by income and insurance disparities, particularly affecting people of color. Public health experts advocate for expanding Medicaid to increase access to affordable screenings, which could reduce deaths from advanced-stage cancers.
âïž Tertiary Prevention: Managing Cancer
Tertiary prevention focuses on treating cancer after diagnosis to prevent further damage, typically through surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. While this aspect of care is primarily in the hands of clinicians, it still falls under public healthâs broader mission. The U.S. spends most of its health budget on cancer treatment, with over $200 billion spent in 2020 alone. This focus on treatment rather than prevention highlights the need for a shift in spending towards early interventions.
đĄ Shifting Focus to Prevention
Public health workers argue for a reallocation of government resources towards primary and secondary prevention, as this approach could help reduce cancer deaths among underserved populations. By preventing disease or diagnosing it early, public health can make a significant impact on cancer outcomes. Shifting from treatment to early intervention, such as vaccination and screening, would help prevent severe health outcomes and stop people from getting sick in the first place.
đŹ Conclusion: The Role of Public Health in Cancer Prevention
The video concludes by summarizing the roles of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention in the fight against cancer. Deboki emphasizes the importance of early intervention to shift the focus from treatment to prevention, ultimately reducing cancer incidence and deaths. The video is part of a series by Complexly and the American Public Health Association, aiming to highlight the significant role of public health in disease prevention.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄWar on Cancer
đĄPrimary Prevention
đĄHPV Vaccination
đĄSmoking and Tobacco Control
đĄSecondary Prevention
đĄScreening Barriers
đĄTertiary Prevention
đĄCancer Treatment Spending
đĄPublic Health Interventions
đĄMedicaid Expansion
Highlights
In 1971, the United States launched the 'war on cancer,' spending over 100 billion dollars on research with limited progress in finding a cure.
Despite extensive research, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in the U.S.
Public health interventions are the best defense against cancer deaths until a surefire cure is discovered.
Primary prevention focuses on preventing cancer before it starts, such as through HPV vaccinations that reduce cervical cancer by nearly 90%.
Smoking causes about 30% of all cancer deaths, making smoking cessation programs a crucial public health intervention.
Secondhand smoke increases lung cancer risk by as much as 32%, leading to smoking bans in workplaces starting in the 1970s.
Tobacco control policies, including smoking bans, prevented almost 800,000 lung cancer deaths between 1975 and 2000.
Secondary prevention involves early cancer detection through screenings, which can identify cancers before symptoms appear.
Barriers to cancer screenings, like income and insurance access, disproportionately affect people of color, leading to later-stage cancer diagnoses and higher death rates.
Expanding Medicaid eligibility is advocated by public health experts to increase access to screenings for lower-income individuals.
Tertiary prevention focuses on treating cancer through surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, aiming to prevent further damage and death.
In 2020, over $200 billion was spent on cancer treatment in the U.S., more than double the amount spent on all primary prevention efforts.
The higher focus on treatment rather than early prevention contributes to increased cancer death rates in underserved populations.
Public health advocates for a shift in spending toward primary and secondary prevention to reduce cancer deaths.
Early interventions through tools like screening and vaccination can shift the focus from treating severe outcomes to preventing cancer in the first place.
Transcripts
Hi, Iâm Deboki Chakravarti, Iâm a science educator, and today weâre going to talk about Â
cancer and what public health does about it. In 1971, the United States launched an effort to find Â
cures for common cancers. We called this âthe war on cancer.â But after spending well over Â
100 billion dollars on research, weâve made only limited progress on finding a cure, and the number Â
of deaths from breast cancer, skin cancer and more is still high. Overall, cancer remains one of the Â
leading causes of death in the U.S. So until we have a surefire cure or a medical miracle, Â
our best line of defense against cancer deaths are public health interventions. Now, according Â
to public health experts, one of the best ways to address cancer is to prevent it in the first Â
place. Thatâs what we call primary prevention.  Primary prevention could mean vaccinations. Like, Â
cervical cancer is usually caused by a sexually transmitted infection called human papillomavirus, Â
or HPV. But HPV vaccination has been shown to cut down the number of people who get cervical cancer Â
by nearly 90%. Primary prevention can also mean modifying our environment to make it safer and Â
healthier. Take smoking, for example. We know that smoking tobacco causes about 30% of all cancer  Â
deaths and contributes to other common causes of death, like heart disease. Thatâs why public  Â
health experts have created programs to help people quit smoking. But non-smokers can still Â
be exposed to secondhand smoke, increasing their odds of developing lung cancer by as much as 32%.  Â
So starting in the 70s, many workplaces and businesses banned smoking on their premises, as  Â
a way to cut down on secondhand smoke exposure and keep everyone healthy. And as an added benefit, Â
recreational smokers who could no longer light up at work ended up smoking fewer cigarettes per day, Â
and many found it easier to quit entirely.  Researchers from the National Institutes of Health Â
estimated that between 1975 and 2000, tobacco control policies like smoking bans prevented Â
almost 800,000 deaths from lung cancer. Now, we canât always prevent cancer before it happens. Â
So the next best thing is to diagnose it early, aka secondary prevention. Identifying cancer Â
in the late stages can make the disease harder to treat, so timely detection can Â
mean the difference between life and an early death. This is where routine screenings like Â
full-body skin checks or mammograms come in. They can reveal tumors so tiny, Â
they havenât even caused symptoms yet. But there are barriers to getting screened, like income Â
and insurance. People of color are often less likely to have health insurance and affordable Â
access to screenings. So theyâre more likely to be diagnosed with skin cancer at a later stage, Â
and more likely to die from various advanced-stage cancers. Thatâs why public health experts advocate Â
for expanding the number of people eligible for  Medicaid, a government program that provides Â
free or low cost health insurance. So more people with lower incomes will be able to get screened, Â
preventing unnecessary deaths. Sometimes, though, a disease has already taken hold. At that point, Â
clinicians try to prevent the condition from causing further damage, like disability or death. Â
We call this tertiary prevention. And although tertiary prevention is more the work of doctors Â
than public health experts, itâs still a part of public health. For cancer, tertiary prevention can Â
include some combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, to try and remove the disease Â
from the body and prevent it from coming back.  Tertiary prevention is also where the U.S. spends Â
most of its health budget. In the year 2020 alone, the government, private insurance and patients Â
collectively spent over $200 billion on cancer treatment. To put that into perspective, the Â
federal government spent about half that amount on primary prevention â not just for cancer, but for Â
all diseases and public health problems. And this focus on treatment rather than early prevention Â
is part of what contributes to the higher rates of cancer deaths among underserved populations. Â
Because if you canât afford to get screened, you probably canât afford the best treatment Â
either. Thatâs why public health workers support a shift in government spending towards primary and  Â
secondary prevention, so everyone has a better shot of preventing diseases â or diagnosing  Â
them early. So primary, secondary and tertiary prevention are all important in the fight against Â
cancer. But when we lean on early intervention â through tools like screening and vaccination â we Â
shift the focus from preventing the worst health outcomes, to stopping people from getting sick in Â
the first place. And thatâs how public health can truly prevent cancer. Thanks for watching! This Â
video is part of a series created by Complexly and the American Public Health Association Â
to shed a little light on the important work that public health does. To learn more, visit APHA.org.
Voir Plus de Vidéos Connexes
Air Pollution: How It Affects Us, Prevention and Treatment.
Prevention Levels & Determinants of Health: Community Health - Fundamentals of Nursing | @LevelUpRN
Video Aula sobre o CĂąncer de PulmĂŁo
Laryngeal Cancer: Silent Struggles and Hopeful Treatments
Why Don't We All Have Cancer?
What kind of cancer does Kate have? Doctor says likely Stage 1
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)