The American journal of managed care
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Body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher is used to identify individuals with obesity. In the last 3 decades, the worldwide prevalence of obesity has increased 27.5% for adults and 47.1% for children. Obesity is the result of complex relationships between genetic, socioeconomic, and cultural influences. ⋯ Persons who are obese have less school attendance, reduced earning potential, and higher healthcare costs that may result in an economic burden on society. A review of the prevalence and economic consequences of obesity is provided. Potential causes and comorbidities associated with obesity are also discussed.
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Multiple sclerosis (MS) is disease that has an early age of onset and may intensify and subside with disease relapses or exacerbations interrupted by periods of stability. Because of this, patients, their families and caregivers, employers, and the entire healthcare system carry substantial clinical and economic burdens associated with the disease over of a period of many years. ⋯ Treatment of MS should be individualized, and shared decision making between patients and healthcare providers must be preserved. Healthcare providers and payers need to collaborate to ensure that resources are used optimally and not wasted, reducing both the clinical and economic burdens related to this complex chronic disorder.
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Comprehensive lifestyle interventions, including nutrition, physical activity, and behavioral therapy, are the foundation for clinical obesity management. New tools and treatment approaches help clinicians provide these interventions and support weight management in the primary care setting. ⋯ This article provides a review of obesity treatment in primary care and managed care settings. Principles of lifestyle changes for weight management, behavioral counseling, and options for pharmacotherapy, medical devices, and bariatric surgery are discussed.
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Multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology, involves an immunemediated attack of the central nervous system (CNS) that produces demyelination and axonal/neuronal damage, resulting in characteristic multifocal lesions apparent on magnetic resonance imaging and a variety of neurologic manifestations. The disease pathology is characterized by multifocal lesions within the CNS, in both the white matter and gray matter, with perivenular inflammatory cell infiltrates, demyelination, axonal transection, neuronal degeneration, and gliosis. MS pathogenesis is complex, as it involves both T- and B-cell mechanisms and is heterogeneous in presentation. ⋯ In young and middle-aged adults, MS is one of the most common contributors to neurologic disability, and it exerts detrimental effects on a patient's productivity and health-related quality of life. Typically, patients with MS have a long life span, although healthcare utilization increases over time. As a consequence, the disease places a substantial burden on patients and their caregivers/families, as well as employers, the healthcare system, and society.