I am middle-aged, yet I take no medications, and on a recent health screening I scored 98.8 points on a 100 point scale. Why, then, am I so afraid of becoming sick?
Maybe I am part of a group known as the “worried well.†These people, although they eat right, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep, become upset every time they hear about a new illness or public health concern. They think that they, too, will automatically become sick, even though they may be hundreds or even a thousand miles away from the hazardous area (such as with the recent radiation scare in Japan).
Or, maybe the media have made me afraid. Many times it portrays health news in such a negative way that Americans begin to fear things we shouldn’t. A look at recent news stories show a diversity of topics, from the effect of mold on children’s allergies to the fact that formaldehyde has been added to the list of chemicals known to cause cancer. The media make it seem like a new health scare looms around every corner.
Or maybe I am afraid of becoming ill because cancer runs in my family. I have lost two aunts to the disease, my grandmother died of cancer, and my mother is currently battling it for the fourth time. It’s truly scary when parents, aunts, uncles, cousins have all fought the “big C,†with some victorious and others not so fortunate.
In truth, I think I am scared of illness because of all these reasons. Being a health educator, I know a lot about health issues, and sometimes I worry when I shouldn’t. For example, I don’t live where tapeworms are a problem, yet I still fear them! I also follow health news, maybe a bit too closely, because of my job.  Finally, whenever I go for my annual exam, I wonder if this is the year I will inherit the family cancer curse.
But I should remember, and many Americans need to remember as well, that although our health care system may not be perfect, it is still good. Most have access to state of the art care, and our government backs public health initiatives. I also need to remember we live in a time when illness has plummeted because of prevention. Consider the following by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
Ten Great Public Health Achievements — United States, 1900-1999
- Vaccination
- Motor-vehicle safety
- Safer workplaces
- Control of infectious diseases
- Decline in deaths from coronary heart disease and stroke
- Safer and healthier foods
- Healthier mothers and babies
- Family planning
- Fluoridation of drinking water
- Recognition of tobacco use as a health hazard
What I need to do is take a deep breath, and realize that health information, the same as any information, must be used wisely. I need to concentrate on my health screening score, which proves…I must be doing something right!
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