Disclaimer: This contains an overdose of my personal opinions!
Less Education:
With the increase in internet access and free educational options, this is an area where we are seeing improvement. The relationship between education and health is much deeper, involving not just an increase in brain reserve but also a lifestyle change effect.
Hearing Loss:
One of the most challenging areas in the clinic. Patients are not satisfied with hearing aids and generally do not want to use them. Although I'm not an expert in this field, innovative solutions are needed.
High LDL Cholesterol:
Already one of our biggest enemies. We are already fighting it, and the addition of powerful drugs has increased our effectiveness. The only issue is the lack of motivation for lifestyle changes in individuals who have not previously had a heart attack. The success seen in those who have had a heart attack is not achieved in others.
Depression:
So prevalent that it has lowered our mood threshold. What we often consider normal may actually be depression.
Traumatic Brain Injury:
Will decrease with the reduction in traffic accidents. This is also an area where we can be considered successful. Of course, workplace safety needs to be emphasized.
Physical Inactivity:
Phones are not helping in this regard, but societal awareness is gradually increasing.
Diabetes:
The variety of medications is increasing, strengthening our hand.
Smoking:
The global trend is a rapid decline.
Hypertension:
We have many medications, and we can usually treat it successfully.
Obesity:
An area widely discussed with the advent of GLP-1 analogs. Things seem to be changing.
Alcohol Consumption:
We have made mistakes in this area too. Due to partial uncertainty about the topic of one glass of wine, we have given the wrong messages. The current general consensus is that alcohol is harmful. We need to correct this message again.
Air Pollution:
If we look at this topic not on a scale of months or years, but decades or centuries, we are very successful.
Low Social Contact:
An area where my hands are tied in the clinic. I cannot make an impact. A different life philosophy is needed. Work and success are so emphasized that people who do not work or are retired lose respect in society. It needs to be addressed as an ageism issue. Yes, we can provide individual solutions, but if social relationships are not invested in during middle age, the opportunity might be missed in later years.
Vision Impairment:
The most important issue here, as with hearing loss, is lowering expectations. When someone with decreased vision complains, they often do not receive the right response from others. The process is generally considered normal with aging.