by Michelle Wilkinson

Created on: April 15, 2009

It is important for individuals to learn to take responsibility for their own health, rather than simply going to their doctor every time they get a case of the sniffles and want a pharmaceutical remedy. Doctors can sometimes feel pressurised into prescribing drugs because it is expected of them, but drugs are not always the solution. If people lead generally unhealthy lives, failing to exercise enough and following a poor diet, as well as engaging in risky activities such as unprotected sex, illegal drug-taking, smoking, and drinking too much alcohol, there is a good chance they only have themselves to blame if they fall ill.

Obviously there are individuals with a genetic predisposition towards certain conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, but the lifestyle choices that people make can increase or reduce the chances of developing such illnesses. For instance, if a person has a close relative with diabetes, it makes sense for them to ensure that they remain at a healthy weight, follow a balanced diet and get enough exercise. By reducing the risk factors they are increasing the chances that they will not succumb to the disease.

However, there are no guarantees that following a healthy lifestyle will help people avoid becoming ill, but if they have been following a healthy lifestyle for quite some time there is a good chance their immune system will be strong. Even when people do become ill, the healthier they are the faster their body will be able to recover. It therefore makes sense for prevention to be integrated into the healthcare system, so that people will not have to be as reliant upon seeking a cure after they have already fallen ill.

In the United Kingdom, the NHS provides healthcare free at the point of use for British residents, so people are able to access their doctor without having to pay a fee. This may encourage people to seek out treatment before the problem gets too bad to deal with, but it is also open to abuse when people do not even bother to turn up for appointments. Besides, the people who do turn up to see their doctor are often the worried well', who actually have nothing wrong with them, whilst others do not see their doctor until it is too late, which is particularly true of those who are poor.

It therefore makes sense to use some of the NHS resources on getting people to think about improving their lifestyles, rather than directing all its resources at drugs and treatment. There have been a few notable campaigns which have tried to get people to think about what they can do to improve their overall health, such as the Change4Life' campaign which seeks to address the growing problem of childhood obesity. There have also been campaigns to encourage people to stop smoking and to think about how much alcohol they are drinking, as well as safe sex campaigns.

The healthcare system is there to reduce the chances of people falling ill, and to help them get better when they do, but there are things which people can do themselves to preserve their health. They should not simply rely on their doctor to help them stay healthy all the time.

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