Smokers cost society less in total health care costs
- Thread starter Niflmir
- Start date
I've known several people who lived to a ripe old age in good health and just suddenly died in their sleep or just keeled over doing things like working the garden. Pneumonia can come on quite suddenly and take a fast course, so as usual you are full of bullsh*t again. :lol:
Pneumonia Elderly
What are the Risk Factors?
Underlying illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, diseases of the immune system, smoking and alcoholism increase the risk of pneumonia. Hospitalization puts seniors at high risk for pneumonia elderly.
Other risk factors for pneumonia elderly:
- Chronic heart, lung, spleen or kidney disease
- Any medical condition that impairs the immune system
- Diabetes
- Alcoholism
- History of smoking (damages the lining of the respiratory tract that helps to remove bacteria)
- Swallowing difficulty due to muscle weakness from a stroke or Parkinson's disease
- Difficulty initiating swallowing due to advanced dementia
- Decreased ability to cough
- Poor dental hygiene leading to higher amounts of potentially harmful bacteria in the mouth (which can then go into the lungs)
- Previous history of pneumonia
- Hospitalization
Bull****? That's a strange euphemism for wisdom.
It would figure that you would take the comment without the sarcasm in which it was indended.
Sure those things can lead to pneumonia, but not ALL pneumonia, which is what I was referring to. My point is many seniors die very quickly without complications. THOSE are the ONLY ones I'm talking about, Einstein, and all I did was questioned how many died in such a fashion which you are unable to answer so it would have been prudent for you just to keep your trap zipped! Can I explain it any simpler, Genius!
The "healthier" will include people take prescription meds for all sorts of age-related illness and breakdowns of bodilly function. Hypertension, diabetes, and increasingly dementia is becoming a larger portion of the long-term costs.
It is indeed imaginable, which is why people (like myself) have thought for so long that getting people to quit smoking is better for society. But at some point, these authors asked the question, "Well, that is the theory, how does it work in the real world?" and what they found was the opposite. In the short term, the smokers cost much more than a healthy person, but the protracted costs of a long life amount to more in the end.
Then again, these are social cost arguments. There is little comfort in knowing that society will pay less when your family member just died of lung cancer.
That, was tongue in cheek. I assume idratherbeskiing was also posting tongue in cheek...8O
Longer life, more increase in those and other diseases - Also persons with either long term depression or PTSD - (No study yet on when they are combined as many have both) their risk factor doubles for dementia.
Also substantial increase in risk of a heart attack - Or as the doctors call it today - Event.
But the protracted earnings of a long life may be enough to offset the protracted costs of a short life! :lol:
I am giving up the filthy habit tonight. Talked myself into over this past month. Got my Habitrol patches and a whack of gum.
Why not have the smoker sign for the smokes that relieves everybody from having to 'fix' anything and that way he gets away without having to pay any taxes and the Gov doesn't have to treat them for smoking related diseases and the funeral homes get some clients earlier than need be?
You'll know you made it when you tell a smoker that he can smoke without having to roll the window down. I can usually smell the first whiff and after that .... nothing.