Introduction
Epidemiology is the scientific study of public health aimed at preventing diseases. It is an important branch of the public health sector as it helps to formulate the policies used to control certain diseases. Today, epidemiology is critical since there have been drastic changes in patterns and types of diseases. The Chinese Americans as the minority group is also characterized by certain health problems and deseases.
Diseases contributing to high morbidity among the Chinese
The results of the research show that the risk of cancer is much high for the male Chinese Americans than for the general population. The scholars argue that the Chinese Americans as well as other represantatives of the Asian nations living in the United States are prone to cancer due to the mix of the internal and external factors. It is said that the Chinese males are predisposed to cancer under the conditions of the American environment. The cancer among the Chinese Americans is the result of the impact of the external factors on the genetics.
The Priority Diseases
Diseases mostly affecting the Chinese Americans are diabetes and cancer. They are considered to be the major factors influencing the number of total deaths in the ethnic group. The diabetes is mostly of a non-insulin-dependent type (Aubert 664). Here, a large part of the country’s population is affected by chronic diseases. The lung cancer is widely spread among the Chinese Americans. Therefore, the diabetes and cancer can be said to be the priority diseases in the Chinese Americans epidemiology. The results of the research should be taken into consideration by the government in order to provide the necessary help to the immigrants and to ensure the equal access to healthcare.
Social Behavioral Influences
Overweight
Poor dieting among the population has increased the number of people who are overweight. For instance, obesity is common among children above the age of seven, and this is mainly due to the poor dieting (Campbe and Campbell 17). This has contributed to an increase in the number of deaths due to the chronic diseases.
Urbanization
The high use of tobacco and unhealthy nutrition, which in turn cause cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases, are widely spread among the Chinese Americans (Poppy and Philippe 15). In addition, physical inactivity among most people living in urban areas has led to obesity and hypertension. At the same time, smoking is a major cause of lung cancer. It is reported that the high percentage of those, who have the addiction to tobacco, are men and women staying in urban areas.
Solutions
The epidemiology of the Chinese Americans shows that this minority group is characterized by the high predisposition to the serious deseases including cancer and diabetes. The obesity is also a priority desease in this ethnic group. Therefore, there is a need to encourage people to eat a balanced diet. The government should educate people on healthy dieting (Chung, Eimer and Heller 147). Also, physical activity should be encouraged, especially among those living in urban areas (Wang, Wang and Wu 38). Nevertheless, the importance of physical activity should be emphasized to prevent some chronic diseases. Lastly, relevant policies should be formulated to control tobacco intake to avoid the associated risk.
Conclusion
In order to sum up all above mentioned, it should be said that the epidemiology of the Chinese Americans minority group shows that it is characterized by the high risk of cancer and diabetes among its represantatives. The obesity and smoking contribute to this tendency. It is important to encourage people leading the healthy way of life in order to prevent these deseases.
Works Cited
Aubert, Ronald. Diabetes in America. Drby, PA: DIANE Publishing, 1995. Print.
Campbe, Colinll and Thomas Campbell. The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health. Oxford: BenBella Books, 2013. Print.
Chung, Wah, David Elimer and Carolyn Heller. China. Hong Kong: Lonely Planet, 2009. Print.
Poppy, Blue and Sinnoue Philippe. The Treatment of Modern Western Medical Diseases with Chinese Medicine: A Textbook & Clinical Manual. Beijing: Blue Poppy Enterprises, 2001. Print.
Wang, Longle, Yu Wang, Shuigao Jin, Zunyou Wu, Daniel Chin, Jeffrey Koplan, and Mary Elizabeth Wilson. “Emergence and Control of Infectious Diseases in China.” Health system reform in China 2 (2008): 1-8. Print.