Individual Responsibility

Physicians can do only so much. You as an individual have the primary responsibility for your own health care. In order to take charge of your own health, you must examine your life style. What are your habits? How often do you exercise? How much stress do you experience? How do you deal with stress? Do you use to­bacco, drink, or take drugs? Is your weight under control? Do you buckle your car safety belt? How do you get along with friends and family? What do you want to achieve in life? By examining the various elements in your life and by identifying your particular health risks, you can decide which ones need most attention.

The most important benefit of wellness is, of course, that you feel terrific. You feel capa­ble of achieving things that are important to you. Taking an active approach to wellness will also save you money. You reduce the likelihood of illness or accidents, so you are less likely to run up medical bills.

Medical care is very expensive in the United States. Americans spend billions of dollars in health care every year, and more than 90 percent of the money goes for treatment. A very small percentage is devoted to research, prevention, and health education. The percentages are changing, however. Concerned groups and in­dividuals have already brought about a number of reforms that will help focus this country's attention on disease prevention and health promotion.

In the meantime, the sad truth is that Amer­icans spend more money on alcohol and to­bacco—which are known to cause disease— than they do on disease prevention and medical research. Obviously, much needs to be done to persuade people to take more responsibility for their health.