FYI – FACTS AND STATISTICS ABOUT SOME OF THE 20 CONDITIONS:
LEAST STIGMATIZED:
ARTHRITIS:
– 70 million Americans have some form of arthritis which is inflammation of the joints
– There are over four different kinds with different causes which include, wear and tear on the
bones, autoimmune disorders, bacteria or virus.
– Arthritis is a chronic, incurable condition.
ASTHMA:
– 14 million Americans have asthma.
–A POTENTIALLY FATAL CONDITION: About 5,000 people die each year from asthma. That’s 14 people each day!
–More females die from asthma than males and more blacks than whites.
–Asthma has been increasing steadily (60%) in the past 20 years and doctors don’t know why.
– It is one of 3 diseases (along with tuberculosis and AIDS) with an increasing death rate in the US.
DIABETES:
– 17 million Americans have diabetes.
– It is a chronic condition for which there is no cure.
– A POTENTIALLY FATAL CONDITION: About 210,000 per year die from diabetes.
– 100,000 diabetics experience kidney failure and need dialysis
– 50% of diabetics have nerve damage in hands and feet. Diabetes is responsible for 60% of the
lower limb amputations in the US.
– Diabetes causes 12,000-24,000 new cases of blindness each year.
– People with diabetes have 2-4 times the risk for stroke and heart attack as other Americans.
HEART DISEASE:
– 62 million Americans have some form of heart disease
– NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH IN U.S. – over 500,000 deaths each year.
STROKE:
– 700,000 strokes reported each year....of these 500,000 are first attacks.
– NUMBER THREE CAUSE OF DEATH IN U.S. – 283,000 deaths each year
– Leading cause of serious long-term disability.
CANCER:
– NUMBER TWO CAUSE OF DEATH IN US – 553,091 deaths each year
ALCOHOLISM:
– 18 million Americans are alcoholic; 5-6 million Americans are drug addicts
– Substance Abuse causes more deaths and disabilities than any other cause.
– Alcohol is involved in 1/4 of all ER admissions, 1/3 of all suicides, and more than ½ of all homicide and incidences of domestic violence.
– Alcohol contributes to death by heart disease, cancer, and stroke.
– Alcohol is involved in ½ of all traffic fatalities.
–Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is currently the leading cause of mental retardation.
MOST STIGMATIZED:
MENTAL RETARDATION:
– 6.2-7.5 million Americans, slightly more males than females.
–From all racial, ethnic, educational, and economic groups
–85% can not be distinguished from normal children until they start school. Can achieve a 6th grade reading level.
PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS:
– Brain-based biological disorders that are treatable. Include, among other conditions:
– Schizophrenia – 2.2 million Americans – delusions, hallucinations, disorganized
thinking, low affect, most are NOT dangerous or violent.
– Bipolar Disorder (Manic/Depression)– 2.3 million Americans – extreme shifts in mood
– Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder – 4 million Americans – intrusive thoughts and
repetitive rituals.
– Major Depression – 9.9 million Americans, more women than men.
– Statement from the National Alliance for Mental Illness: “Stigma erodes confidence that mental disorders are real, treatable health conditions. We have allowed stigma and a now unwarranted sense of hopelessness to erect attitudinal, structural and financial barriers to effective treatment and recovery. It is time to take these barriers down.”
AIDS:
–In the U.S. 800,000–900,000 are HIV positive; 300,000 are living with AIDS
–Before 1996 the length of time from diagnosis with AIDS to death was 1.5 years; since ‘96 it’s been about 6 years from AIDS diagnosis to death.
– There are 40,000 new infections in the U.S. each year.
– Worldwide*: 37.1 million adults and 3 million children have AIDS.
– Worldwide* there are 5 million new infections each year with 3 million deaths
– Worldwide*: There are 14 million children who have been orphaned by AIDS
* Worldwide figures are from 2001.
DWARFISM:
– Definition: someone who’s adult high is 4'10" or shorter.
– 6,250,000,000 (that’s 6 billion) people of short statue world wide
– 80% of dwarfism is caused by a genetic condition known as achondroplasia
– While there are sometimes medical complications, this is NOT A FATAL CONDITION.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS:
– 400,000 Americans have MS; 2.5 people worldwide have it.
– It is a chronic, incurable autoimmune disorder with unpredictable symptoms.
– All people will MS do not end up in wheelchairs or experience paralysis.
– MS is NOT FATAL. Someone with MS can live a normal lifespan.
CEREBRAL PALSY:
– More than 500,000 people in the U.S. have some form of cerebral palsy.
– CP is NOT FATAL.
BLINDNESS:
– 10-11 million Americans are blind or have vision impairments
– Causes of blindness include Macular Degeneration (6.3 million), Glaucoma (3 million),
Diabetes (40% of people with diabetes), and Cataracts (50% of people between 65 and 74 and 70% of people over 75)
– Blindness is NOT FATAL.
BURNS/SCARS:
– Burns can be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd degree depending on how deep they are.
– Burns can be extremely painful. 3rd degree burns can be FATAL.
– The skin is the body's first defense against infection by microorganisms. Damage to the skin can predispose the burn victim to both infections at the site of the wound, as well as internally.