Health and Wellness, Outline Example

1. Demographics

The unifying theme across the United States, Asia, and Europe is an aging population with a younger generation that will have to support health care expenditures.

1. United States. The “Baby Boomers” the largest retiring cohort in US history is putting unprecedented strains on the workplace, medical system, and fiscal entitlements (US Census Bureau, 2010).

1. Asia. Many countries in Asia face an equally daunting challenge: population growth in China, Korea, and Japan has largely peaked meaning that societies must sort out the relationship between the retiring and working population (Ebserstadt, 2004).

1. Europe. Europe, and in particular Russia, faces a larger increase in the elderly and a much sharper decrease in the working age population (Lanzieri, 2011).

1. Health management in different countries

Although all countries face a stiff fiscal problem, the management of health problems will depend on the health care systems in place

1. United States. In the United States, Medicare and Medicaid will be the main health social insurance programs to take care of the aging population. Indeed, Medicare will be responsible for roughly 20% of the total population in 20 years time (AHA, 2010).

1. Asia. The problem of taking care of the elderly in Asia is manifold: a) Confucian cultures have traditionally conceptualized elderly care as a function for the children- not the state; b) state-run health insurance systems do not have a robust long-term care component; c) disease management programs have not started.

1. Europe. Of all the geographic regions tackling aging issues, Europe has the most complete and advanced medical system, which includes a move towards disease management. Indeed, 5 countries have recently introduced programs to integrate health management programs for the elderly population (EU, 2001).

References

AHA. (2010). Baby Boomers to Challenge and Change Tomorrow’s Health Care System

Eberstadt, N. (2004). Power and population in Asia. Policy Review, 2(1). (2001). The future of health care and care for the elderly: guaranteeing accessibility, quality and financial viability. Available at: http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/employment_and_social_policy/disability_and_old_age/c11310_en.htm

Lanzieri, G. (2011). The greying of the baby boomers. Eurostate Working Paper. Available at: epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY…SF…/KS-SF-11-023-EN.PDF

Phillips, D. R. & Chan, A.C. (2002). Ageing and long-term care: national policies in the Asia-Pacific. Institute of Southeast Studies

US Census Bureau. (2010). The next four decades the older population in the United States: 2010 to 2050. Available at: www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/p25-1138.pdf.