Appalachian Culture and Health Awareness Essay

According to Kruger et al. (2012), the Appalachian region, consisting of 13 states along the east coast border, is a high risk area for cardiac, pulmonary, and cancer conditions related to smoking and coal mining. This rural population has ultimately higher rates of heart disease, stroke, COPD, asthma, lung cancer, and diabetes. Substantially higher rates of smoking, as well as the relevance of coal mining, are two major contributors to the increased risk of morbidity and mortality amongst this large population (Kruger et al., 2012). Insufficient education, poor behavior choices, and lack of adequate health care are major contributors to the overall unhealthy lifestyles of these individuals. Unfortunately, this begins at a young age. According to Short, Oza-Frank, and Conrey (2012), there are major differences regarding preconception health awareness amongst Appalachian women as compared to non-Appalachian women. Appalachian women have higher rates of smoking, diabetes, and obesity than do non-Appalachian women. These women have poorer rates of prenatal care and higher rates of birthing and congenital complications, such as pulmonary hypertension, insufficient lung development, and cardiac abnormalities. Often due to lack of insurance, these mothers often lack appropriate health care and health awareness, thus increasing their child’s risk of further cardiac and pulmonary conditions down the road. Unfortunately, these babies grow up in an environment that, as a population, has inadequate health care, low income, and poor health. This detrimental sequence of events is what has maintained the subpar health status of the Appalachian population (Short et al., 2012). As these children grow into their teens, poor behavioral choices further substantiate detrimental risk factors. A study by Pettigrew, Miller-Day, Krieger, and Hecht (2012), conducted research study of primary and secondary health prevention in Appalachian adolescents. According to this study, this population has higher rates of smoking, drinking, and drug use as compared to non-Appalachian adolescents. These risky behaviors are so prevalent because of lifestyles these children have grown to know; these behaviors are considered normal in many homes. As do their parents, many of these children lack insurance and health care (Pettigrew et al., 2012). Obesity and diabetes is also substantially high in the Appalachian population as compared to the rest of the nation as shown in a study by Wenrich, Brown, Wilson, and Lengerich (2012). The authors pinpoint Appalachia as a low-income group of individuals who receive poor nutrition, thus further contributing to the preexisting risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Poor health, along with behavioral risk factors, have ultimately led to detrimental health status. Yes, we love the STEELers, but steel mills and coal mining has only contributed to these health risks. The Appalachian culture is at risk for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, these risk factors will not decline quickly. Primary prevention and health awareness programs would make a huge impact on this population. Low income is a struggle that will not be overcome easily. However, primary prevention and health awareness are often available at low cost and are highly efficient measures of decreasing risk factors by focusing on healthy lifestyles. Smoking cessation would obviously be of major importance, but compliance would be of great struggle (Kruger et al., 2012). References Kruger, T., Howell, B., Haney, A., Davis, R., Fields, N., & Schoenberg, N. (2012). Perceptions of smoking cessation programs in rural Appalachia. American Journal of Health Behavior, 36(3), 373-84. Pettigrew, J., Miller-Day, M., Krieger, J., & Hecht, M. (2012). The rural content of illicit substance offers: a study of Appalachian rural adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 27(4), 523-50. Short, V., Oza-Frank, R., & Conrey, E. (2012). Preconception Health Indicators: A comparison between non-Appalachian and Appalachian women. Maternal & Child Health Journal, 16(1), 238-49. Wenrich, T., Brown, J., Wilson, R., & Lengerich, E. (2012). Impact of a community-based intervention on serving and intake of vegetables among low-income, rural Appalachian families. Journal of Nutrition Education & Behavior, 44(1), 36-45.