Deck 15: Comparative Perspectives: International

Question 1

Describe the global inequities in health care.

Answer 1

Global inequalities send a serious message to consumers. The way an individual lives and their money statues are major factors of health inequalities around the world. The way individuals look at health and how to treat illnesses is determined by the individuals' race, culture, work, gender, birthplace and more.
Also the fact that physicians and healthcare professions leave their home country to find work at better well developed countries. This leaves developing countries short of physicians to help provide access to its citizens and it puts a blockage for support and care communities.
There is a big difference in life expectancy and infant mortality among and within countries because of the wealth. Funds and promotions should be able the health of its citizens and preventing disease. Not all countries believe in providing good access to healthcare to be an important aspect of a country. Many social determinants are making it hard to decide what to do with money and how to provide good access.
Many countries are not getting funded enough for research and developing vaccines or ways to prevent illness. Research can provide a good understanding of illnesses and ways to prevent illness but some countries do not have enough investments to provide the right funds.

Question 2

In your opinion, what aspect(s) of health care does your health facility emphasize? Is the emphasis even handed or does one area receive more attention than the other? How does the health facility's emphasis impact access and the quality of health care?

Answer 2

My healthcare facilities emphasizes on elderly care. It does not matter what type of care is being done but elderly get a lot of attention. There is a high percentage of elderly individuals in my community. If I had to choose a specialty then I would have to say muscular medical issues are emphasized more.
While working in different parts of the hospital, the muscular and skeletal floor in the hospital is highly spoken about. There are many elderly individuals who are in the hospital and whatever floor you go to there is probably around eighty percent of the beds full with individuals over the age of fifty or sixty.
There are signs everywhere around the hospital emphasizing the quality of care and how to address a professional if the quality is not to an individual's standard. There are bulletins of workers that have exceled in helping patients. Many charities are illustrated to and how funding occurs throughout the hospital.
There are surveys for patients to do after they leave too so the hospital knows how there time was and what they can improve on. The hospital I work at is very into keeping patients happy and attending to their needs quickly. It is a small hospital, so it is not too difficult to get around and to get assistance even from other floors.

Question 3

Explain how social determinants affect health-seeking beliefs and practices in a global society.

Answer 3

The WHO defines social determinants as "social and economical conditions under which people live that determines their health." The way an individual is brought help determines their health and how they are going to take care of themselves, where someone is born, grown up and their cultural backgrounds determines a lot about a person.
If a Hispanic is born in a poor neighborhood with many other Hispanics their beliefs culturally may be the same as a Hispanic raised an a predominantly white neighborhood but their morals and the way they take care of themselves may be different. An individual's race, gender and age say a lot about an individual too.
An elderly individual may take care of themselves on their own and not believe in the Internet or what technology has to give to help with health. Also a man is probably more likely to tough it out while they are ill while a female likes to be pampered and given medication to get better quicker.
A wealthier individual is more likely to use the healthcare system because they have the means to pay for bills and the transportation to get to a healthcare office. The way an individual takes care of him or herself is determined a lot about an individuals social determinants.

Question 4

Specifically, describe your healthcare facility's emphasis on each of the following:
a) Funding acute care initiatives
b) Supporting high technology to cure problems
c) Maintaining health and preventing disease

Question 5

Discuss ways in which one culture might learn from another.

Question 6

Identify three issues that make it difficult to reduce the incidence of a preventable disease.Explain why these issues are experienced in countries worldwide.

Question 7

What are health disparities? Identify health disparities that predominate your work setting. How do these disparities affect your ability to provide access and quality health care?

Question 8

Discuss similarities and differences of incidence and prevalence of disease among selected countries.

Question 9

Explain how health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Does this definition fit your view of health? Based on your observations as a health provider, would you say that patients subscribe to the WHO definition of health? In your opinion, do patients have an inclusive view of health or do they perceive health more narrowly, i.e., as absence of disease.

Question 10

Identify common funding initiatives and challenges in developed and developing countries.

Question 11

What is the connection between health and health equity? How does Marmot's notion of "strengthening health equity" affect your view of what it means to be an effective health provider?