Keeping Ebola in perspective

Since the US acquired its first Ebola patient, people have been on high alert – watching the news, listening to NPR, and obtaining information from wherever they could obtain it. Do not even think about mentioning that you have been vomiting, having diarrhea or a recent fever because as of late, that has a whole new meaning. Recently, I was on a plane headed to Atlanta and was making polite conversation with my seat mate. Unfortunately, I made the grave error of discussing a recent mission trip to Africa. I should have known that a faux pas had occurred when this particular passenger looked at me as if I had the plague. I had been in Southeast Africa, which has not been affected by Ebola, but I’m sure to the general public the name Africa conjures up images of hazmat suits and body bags. 

As of the time of my preparing this column, the United States had four confirmed cases of Ebola and only one death. On the other hand, Liberia had 6,535 cases and 2,413 deaths. Sierra Leone and Guinea are affected tremendously as well by this deadly virus. 

Breaks in the skin, mucous membranes and via the blood vessels are all possible entry sites for the Ebola virus. Once infected, a cascade of events occur that could cause a person to bleed uncontrollably, experience electrolyte imbalances and develop multi-organ failure. The onset of symptoms is typically between eight to 10 days after exposure but can range from two to 21 days. 

High fevers, muscle aches, poor appetite and headache are other potential symptoms as well. Because these symptoms mirror other less virulent diseases initially, patients could be misdiagnosed, as in the case of the Liberian man who died at a hospital in Dallas. Although the stories surrounding the Ebola epidemic have elicited fear in the general population, I want us to keep in the forefront of our minds more common health issues that we battle every day.  We have to keep Ebola in perspective so that we will not ignore the more present threats to mankind. 

For example, in the United States, one in five deaths can be contributed to tobacco use. Unlike genetic disorders which are passed down to us whether we want it or not, tobacco use is self-inflicted, making it the number one preventable cause of death. Per the American Cancer Society, smoking kills more Americans than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide and illegal drugs combined. Tobacco use not only causes lung and throat cancer, but also increases your risk of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, smoking worsens respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis. Finally, although it may be minor to you but extremely important to me, tobacco use seems to accelerate the aging process. Compare the skin of a smoker versus that of a non-smoker. Smokers on average look 10 years older! 

Currently, there are a little over 13,000 known cases of Ebola worldwide as compared to the 37.3 million outpatient visits between 2007 and 2010 for diabetes. Furthermore, 7 million people are unaware that they have the disease. African Americans are disproportionately affected with 18.7 percent of all African American people over the age of 20 with diabetes as compared to 10.2 percent of whites. 

Similarly to tobacco use and diabetes, obesity rates pose an even greater disparity when looking at the total population affected. In the US, 78.6 million or 34.9 percent of adults are obese, which equates to 6,000 times more people affected than the number of Ebola cases worldwide. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the highest age-adjusted rates of obesity were for African Americans at 47.8 percent. 

Therefore, though the Ebola infection wreaking havoc in West Africa is causing quite a stir, it cannot compare to the damage caused by many self-imposed conditions here in the U.S. Diabetes, hypertension, tobacco use and obesity are all contributors to devastating outcomes such as strokes, heart attacks, and end stage kidney disease. Warning signs are occasionally present but often ignored until it is too late. 

Yes, by all means stay current on the latest news as it relates to Ebola, but don’t forget to also stay just as concerned about your present health conditions. The likelihood of contracting Ebola is far less than your chances of developing diabetes or hypertension. Therefore, I would suggest that you exchange some of the time you spend watching CNN and MSNBC to time spent walking, lifting weights, or line-dancing.

Yours in Service,

Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D.

Assistant Professor

SLUCare Family Medicine

yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com