Promote scoliosis awareness campaign and conduct spine screening worldwide for early detection.

Promote scoliosis awareness campaign and conduct spine screening worldwide for early detection.

The Issue

Scoliosis affects 2-3% of the population, or an estimated 7 million people in the United States, and there is no cure. [1 out of 40 Filipinos to be specific] Scoliosis impacts infants, adolescents, and adults worldwide with little regard to race or socio-economic status. The primary age of onset for scoliosis is 10-15 years old, occurring equally among both genders. However, females are eight times more likely to progress to a curve magnitude that requires treatment. Scoliosis can impact the quality of life with limited activity, pain, reduced respiratory function, or diminished self-esteem. The vast majority of people with this condition are not expected to require treatment. The problem is we do not know who will get it, why they get it, which will progress, or how far they will progress. Each year scoliosis patients make more than 600,000 visits to private physician offices, and an estimated 30,000 children are put into a brace for scoliosis, while 38,000 patients undergo spinal fusion surgery. Despite physicians trying to treat this spinal deformity for centuries, 85% of the cases are classified as idiopathic. Consequently, a scoliosis patient's life is exacerbated by many unknowns, and treatments therefore that are often ineffective, invasive, and/or costly. Scoliosis patients also have increased health risks due to frequent x-ray exposure. Scoliosis is a multifactorial disorder, which requires multidisciplinary research and treatment. ------------- Caring is sharing. Screen your child today and make a difference. Share this to people who matter to you most. You might save someone's life by doing so! Source: National Scoliosis Foundation #ScoliosisAwarenessPH #Scoliosis #Philippines #awareness #FightScoliosis #advocacy #spine #deformity
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The Issue

Scoliosis affects 2-3% of the population, or an estimated 7 million people in the United States, and there is no cure. [1 out of 40 Filipinos to be specific] Scoliosis impacts infants, adolescents, and adults worldwide with little regard to race or socio-economic status. The primary age of onset for scoliosis is 10-15 years old, occurring equally among both genders. However, females are eight times more likely to progress to a curve magnitude that requires treatment. Scoliosis can impact the quality of life with limited activity, pain, reduced respiratory function, or diminished self-esteem. The vast majority of people with this condition are not expected to require treatment. The problem is we do not know who will get it, why they get it, which will progress, or how far they will progress. Each year scoliosis patients make more than 600,000 visits to private physician offices, and an estimated 30,000 children are put into a brace for scoliosis, while 38,000 patients undergo spinal fusion surgery. Despite physicians trying to treat this spinal deformity for centuries, 85% of the cases are classified as idiopathic. Consequently, a scoliosis patient's life is exacerbated by many unknowns, and treatments therefore that are often ineffective, invasive, and/or costly. Scoliosis patients also have increased health risks due to frequent x-ray exposure. Scoliosis is a multifactorial disorder, which requires multidisciplinary research and treatment. ------------- Caring is sharing. Screen your child today and make a difference. Share this to people who matter to you most. You might save someone's life by doing so! Source: National Scoliosis Foundation #ScoliosisAwarenessPH #Scoliosis #Philippines #awareness #FightScoliosis #advocacy #spine #deformity

The Decision Makers

Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh
Regional Director South East Asia Region World Health Organization
Dr Janette P. Loreto-Garin
Dr Janette P. Loreto-Garin
Secretary Department of Health Philippines

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