Chiropractor in Doylestown Recognizes National Public Health Week 2013

Doylestown, PA, April 05, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Every year in the United States, including Doylestown and the surrounding Central Bucks communities, statistics show that seven out of 10 deaths are due to preventable chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease (2). In fact, chronic diseases account for a whopping 75 percent of national health care spending, yet only 3 percent of our health care dollars go toward prevention (3).

But there are steps we can take to help turn these statistics around.

Dr. Jeff McQuaite, a Doylestown chiropractor, is ready to provide key support to patients who are trying to create healthy working environments. This comes as communities across the country this week observe National Public Health Week (NPHW), which promotes creating a healthy workplace on Wednesday, April 3.

The theme of NPHW 2013—“Public Health is ROI: Save Lives, Save Money"—promotes the value of prevention and the importance of well-supported public health systems in preventing disease, saving lives and curbing health care spending. For more than 100 years, the chiropractic profession has promoted prevention as a key component of health and wellness, and a growing body of research shows that chiropractic services reduce health care spending. Research shows that investing just $10 per person each year in proven, community-based public health efforts can save the nation more than $16 billion within five years. That’s a $5.60 return for every $1 invested(4).

“We all have a role to play in making our communities healthier places and Azzatori Chiropractic-Doylestown is excited to help lead the way. Many small preventive steps can add up to make a big difference in transforming a health care system focused on treatment to one that equally values prevention.”

“Our nation and community simply cannot sustain the current trajectory of health care spending and chronic disease rates,” said Dr. Jeff McQuaite “Fortunately, we know that investing in prevention and public health can make an enormous difference.”

Dr. Jeff emphasized that supporting public health approaches to better health does reap life-saving returns.

For example, research shows that each 10 percent increase in local public health spending contributes to a nearly 7 percent decrease in infant deaths, a 3.2 percent decrease in cardiovascular deaths and a 1.4 percent decrease in diabetes-related deaths(5). Public health and prevention are critical pieces in creating a healthier nation.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2011 musculoskeletal disorders made up 33 percent of all work-related injury and illness cases. When considering the impact of proper ergonomics on workplace safety, this Doylestown chiropractor and the ACA stresses three basic principles:

1. When lifting, the largest muscles in the area should perform the task. The larger the muscle or muscle group used for lifting, the lower the stress on smaller, more vulnerable muscles.

2. During any work activities, people should be able to comfortably assume a number of different postures and not remain in one position for an extended time. Muscles will fatigue and be more prone to injury when assuming a particular posture, especially a poor one (e.g., partially bent forward at the waist).

3. When performing tasks, it is important to keep the joints either in their neutral posture or approximately halfway into the range of motion. Working with your joints at the extremes of their ranges of motion for prolonged periods places abnormal stresses on them and can cause repetitive stress injuries.

“Our bodies are not designed to maintain the same posture for long periods of time or to repeat the same motions endlessly,” said ACA President Keith Overland, DC. “Stretches and exercises can help prevent pain and injury. There are also natural, cost-effective approaches to treating pain, such as chiropractic services, that can help patients avoid unnecessary drugs or surgery.”

This information is part of the American Public Health Association’s annual celebration of the role of public health and prevention in our communities. Since 1995, communities nationwide have celebrated NPHW each April to draw attention to the need to help protect and improve the nation’s health.

“National Public Health Week helps educate and engage Americans in the movement to create a healthier America for ourselves and the generations to come. The hundreds of events that take place this week help showcase the value of supporting prevention and the role that public health agencies, organizations and practitioners play in making prevention possible,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E), executive director of the American Public Health Association.

“We all have a role to play in making America the healthiest nation in one generation. And it starts with each of us taking the simple preventive steps that lead to better health.”

For more information about National Public Health Week, visit www.nphw.org. To learn more about public health efforts in your community, visit www.mcquaitechiropractic.com

2 Kung HC, Hoyert DL, Xu JQ, Murphy SL. Deaths: final data for 2005. National Vital Statistics Reports 2008;56(10). Available from: www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_10.pdf
3 APHA. The Prevention and Public Health Fund: A critical investment in our nation’s physical and fiscal health. June 2012. Available at: www.apha.org/advocacy/reports/reports
4 Levi, J. et al, Prevention for a Healthier America: Investments in Disease Prevention Yield Significant Savings, Stronger Communities. Trust for America’s Health. Feb. 2009.
5 APHA Infographic available at: Action.apha.org/site/PageNavigator/Infographic_Page_2012_10_04_Round_2.html.