It is both good and bad that I am seeing “prevention” being talked about all over mainstream media. The recently released U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations on mammograms (to delay having the screen until women are 50, rather than beginning evaluations at 40 and no longer urging women to perform monthly breast self-exams at home) is creating an uproar of medical and non-medical constituents fighting for the progress that breast cancer has made for prevention. As a Health Educator by trade, I see this as a chance to simply save money and not improve and advocate for women’s health.
The most recent edition of APHA’s The Nation’s Health also highlights an article about the value of prevention and questioning if community based prevention programs offer a high enough return on investment. Rob Gould, PhD, President of Partnership for Prevention stated, “We should no be apologizing for helping people live longer and healthier lives, especially when we can deliver that life at the right cost.”
I stand with those that are outraged. We can’t continue to move three steps forward, just to take two steps back. All I am saying, is give prevention a chance.
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