Compression of Morbidity, Essay Example

Realizing how long one has to live on Earth may greatly affect a person’s daily choices.  One of the most significant sociological theories is the Compression of Morbidity Thesis, coined by James Fries in 1980.  Overall, it affects how individuals choose to live their lives – the sorts of things they expose themselves to and how well they take care of their bodies.

According to the Compression of Morbidity Thesis, each human life is finite and limited; after all, people do not live forever.  Furthermore, the theory suggests that with the advancements of technology and sciences along with the improvements in healthcare and prevention, individuals should live longer and healthier lives…especially in their later years.  The theory is greatly supported with evidence of an increasing life span.  The average lifespan has increased an exponential 30 years over the past century!  In 1900 individuals typically lived to be about 49 years of age, whereas today the average lifetime lasts around 79 years.

As a form of prevention, individuals may choose healthy lifestyles.  Health lifestyles are patterns of behavior based on the choices and options available.  Individuals may choose to smoke (or not), take drugs (or not), drink alcohol (or not), exercise (or not), and eat a healthy diet (or not)– all choices which strongly influence an individual’s health and quality of life.Understanding prevention, healthy alternatives, and the consequences of unhealthy lifestyle choices, could massively affect how people choose to live their lives.

For example, when individuals understand that smoking is a contributor of heart attack, cancer, COPD, and stroke they might make difference choices.Knowing that excessive drinking can contribute to cirrhosis of the liver, cancers, and hypertension, individuals might chose to drink less.  Realizing that harmful and destructive decisions today could degrade the remaining years of their lives, might force people to make better decisions right now.  Furthermore, realizing that exercise and a healthy diet can combat many cancers and illnesses while promoting youthfulness and longevity, individuals might chose a healthier lifestyle.

The choices we make in addition to advancements in medicine determine how long we spend on Earth and how great that time will be.  That is why I choose to make wise decisions about my life and my body every day.  I refrain from smoking and drinking altogether, while maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle, exercise plan, and diet.  I want to make my years count.  I would like to live a healthy and happy 120 years!According to the Compression of Morbidity Thesis, the choices I make will determine how long I live and the quality of life I will experience during those years.

The Compression of Morbidity Thesis has been the most significant theory I have learned about in this course.  The theory involves the positive affects ofadvancements in medicine and healthy choices in the longevity and quality of life a person might experience.  I choose to make healthy decisions today in hopes for a healthy and happy life tomorrow and the next 100 years!