A Sociological Look at Health and Medicine in Canada

A+Sociological+Look+at+Health+and+Medicine+in+Canada%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cWhat+is+Health%3f%0d%0a%ef%81%acHealth+is+a+state+of+complete+physical%2c+mental%2c+and+social+well-being+(WHO)%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cHealth+and+Society%0d%0a1.+Cultural+patterns+define+health%2c+e.g.%2c+definitions+of+mental+illnesses+2.+Cultural+standards+of+health+change+over+time%2c+e.g.%2c+education+strains+women%e2%80%99s+brains%2c+and+smoking+is+now+bad+3.+A+society%e2%80%99s+technology+affects+people%e2%80%99s+health%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cHealth+and+Society+(cont.)%0d%0a4.+Social+inequality+affects+people%e2%80%99s+health%2c+e.g.%2c+the+rich+live+longer+and+are+healthier+than+the+poor+despite+universal+medical+coverage%2c+a+system+in+which+the+costs+of+essential+medical+services+are+covered+by+the+state%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cHealth%3a+A+Global+Survey%0d%0aIn+ancient+times+people+lived+short+lives%2c+and+little+could+be+done+to+help+them+Low-income+Countries+%ef%81%ac+1+in+6+suffer+from+serious+illness+due+to+poverty.+%ef%81%ac+Lowering+death+rates+must+be+coupled+with+reducing+birth+rates+High-income+Countries+%ef%81%ac+The+Industrial+Revolution+caused+great+health+problems%2c+e.g.%2c+air+pollution+and+accidents+%ef%81%ac+Main+causes+of+death+are+chronic+diseases%2c+e.g.%2c+heart+disease%2c+cancer+and+stroke%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cHealth+in+Canada%0d%0aSocial+epidemiology%3a+the+study+of+health+and+disease+as+distributed+throughout+the+society+%ef%81%ac+Age+and+gender%3a+death+is+rare+for+young%2c+and+men+have+higher+death+rates+than+women+%ef%81%ac+Social+class+and+race%3a%0d%0a%ef%82%a1the+higher+the+income%2c+the+longer+the+life+span%3b+%ef%82%a1the+lower+the+income%2c+the+lower+the+health+status%3b+and+%ef%82%a1Aboriginals+are+more+at+risk+than+the+general+population+for+life+span+and+infant+mortality%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cHealth+Issues%3a+Epidemics+and+Pandemics%0d%0a%ef%81%ac+Audio+Clip%3a+Canadian+sociologist+Robert+Brym+on+the+SARS+epidemic%e2%80%a6%0d%0a%ef%82%a1+The+hospital+environment+has+many+problems%0d%0a%ef%81%ac+esp.+cleanliness%2c+ventilation%2c+water+pipes%2c+sterilization%0d%0a%0d%0a%ef%82%a1+In+U.S.+6%25+of+hospitalized+contract+hospital+acquired+infections+%ef%82%a1+In+2000%2c+90000+deaths+due+to+hospital+infections+(4th+leading+cause+of+death)+%ef%82%a1+Overuse+of+antibiotics+has+led+to+variety+of+antibiotic+resistant+bacteria+%ef%82%a1+Brym+calls+it+an+%e2%80%9cepidemic+of+infectious+diseases+caused+by+slack+hospital+hygiene+and+the+overuse+of+antibiotics%e2%80%9d%0d%0a%0d%0a%ef%81%ac+Can+our+health+care+system+cope%3f%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cHealth+Issues%3a+Cigarette+Smoking%0d%0a%ef%81%ac+From+a+high+of+45%25+of+the+population+in+1960%2c+smoking+has+declined+to+21.5%25+in+2000-01+%ef%81%ac+Causes+%c2%bc+of+men%e2%80%99s+and+women%e2%80%99s+deaths+35-84+years+of+age+%ef%81%ac+Laws+mandating%0d%0a%ef%82%a1Smoke-free+environments+%ef%82%a1No+advertising+at+sporting+and+cultural+events%0d%0a%0d%0a%ef%81%ac+Worldwide+1+billion+adults+smoke%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cHealth+Issues%3a+Socially+Caused+Eating+Disorders+and+Body+Image+Problems%0d%0aAnorexia+nervosa+and+bulimia%3a+Intense+forms+of+dieting+or+other+method+of+weight+control+to+be+very+thin+%ef%81%ac+95%25+who+suffer+from+anorexia+nervosa+are+women+but+is+becoming+a+problem+for+men+too+(the+new+toward+the+%e2%80%9cthin+look%e2%80%9d+for+men)+%ef%81%ac+Women+want+to+be+thinner+than+men+say+women+should+be.+%ef%81%ac+Result+of+gendered+images+of+women%e2%80%99s+roles+and+bodies+is+health+risk+and+lives+%ef%81%ac+Men+also+suffer+from+%e2%80%9cmuscle+dysmorphia%e2%80%9d%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cHealth+Issues%3a+Obesity%0d%0a%ef%81%ac+Rates+for+adults+and+children+rose+greatly+over+the+last+25+years+%ef%81%ac+About+one+quarter+of+adults+are+overweight+%ef%81%ac+Very+difficult+to+reduce+%ef%81%ac+Increases+risk+of+heart+disease+and+diabetes+%ef%81%ac+People+are+eating+more+and+exercising+less+%ef%81%ac+Lower-income+people+are+more+likely+to+be+obese%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cHealth+Issues%3a+Sexually+Transmitted+Diseases%0d%0a%ef%81%ac+Gonorrhea%3a+rose+40+%25+in+last+5+years+%ef%81%ac+Syphilis+is+rare+but+increasing+%ef%81%ac+Genital+herpes%3a+possible+prevalence+1+in+5+(U.S.)%0d%0a%ef%82%a1Perhaps+symptomless%2c+but+incurable%0d%0a%0d%0a%ef%81%ac+AIDS%3a+Acquired+immune+deficiency+syndrome%0d%0a%ef%82%a1Cause+is+HIV%2c+human+immunodeficiency+virus+%ef%82%a1Specific+behaviours+increase+risk%3a+unsafe+sex+and+sharing+needles+%ef%82%a1Incurable%2c+but+controllable+%ef%82%a1Globally+affects+40+million%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cEthical+Issues%3a+Confronting+Death%0d%0aWhen+does+death+occur%3f+%ef%81%ac+An+irreversible+state+involving+no+response+to+stimulation%2c+no+movement+or+breathing%2c+no+reflexes%2c+and+no+indication+of+brain+activity+Do+people+have+a+right+to+die%3f+%ef%81%ac+Euthanasia%3a+assisting+in+the+death+of+a+person+is+against+the+law+in+Canada%2c+e.g.%2c+Sue+Rodriguez+Mercy+killing%3f+%ef%81%ac+Robert+Latimer+was+convicted+of+killing+his+child+who+was+living+in+constant+pain%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cThe+Medical+Establishment%0d%0aMedicine+is+a+social+institution+that+focuses+on+combating+disease+and+improving+health.+The+rise+of+scientific+medicine+%ef%81%ac+Doctors+sought+primary+role+in+health+care+%ef%81%ac+Other+healers%2c+e.g.%2c+Chiropractic%2c+naturopathy%2c+midwifery%2c+etc.%2c+kept+tradition+and+occupied+a+lesser+role%2c+but+one-third+of+N+Americans+use+%e2%80%9ccomplementary+medicine%e2%80%9d+%ef%81%ac+Over-representation+of+medical+students+from+rich+backgrounds+and+until+recently+predominantly+male%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cHolistic+Health%0d%0aAn+approach+to+health+care+that+emphasizes+prevention+of+illness+and+takes+into+account+a+person%e2%80%99s+entire+physical+and+social+environment+%ef%81%ac+Treats+patients+as+people+%ef%81%ac+Takes+an+active+approach+to+health%2c+rather+than+reactive+to+illness+%ef%81%ac+Provides+personal+in+home%2c+not+institutional%2c+treatment%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cPaying+For+Health%3a+A+Global+Survey%0d%0aMedicine+in+socialist+societies%2c+like+China+and+the+former+Soviet+Union%3a+What+existed+used+to+be+available+to+all.+Now+less+so.+Medicine+in+capitalist+countries%3a+%ef%81%ac+Sweden%3a+mandatory%2c+comprehensive+government+medical+care+system+offered+to+all%2c+socialized+medicine%2c+government+owns+and+operates+most+medical+facilities+and+employs+most+physicians%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cPaying+For+Health+Globally%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+Great+Britain+Duel+system+of+public+health+services+(national+health+service)+for+all+citizens+and+may+also+purchase+private+services+%e2%80%a2+Japan%3a+Physicians+have+private+practice+and+paid+like+much+of+Europe%2c+combination+of+government+programs+and+private+insurance+%ef%81%ac+United+States%3a+No+government+operated+program+for+all%3a+government+pays+for+less+than+half+of+total+costs%2c+a+direct+fee+system+for+others%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cMedicine+in+Canada%0d%0aUniversal+medical+coverage+administered+by+provincial+and+territorial+governments+Single-payer+system+since+1972+National+principles%3a+%ef%81%ac+universality%2c+%ef%81%ac+portability%2c+%ef%81%ac+comprehensive+coverage%2c+and+%ef%81%ac+public+administration+Expenditures+now+over+9%25+of+GDP%0d%0a%0d%0a%0c%0cProblem%3a+Shortage+of+Nurses%0d%0a%ef%81%acRising+median+age+(44)+of+nurses+%ef%81%acStressful+work+environment+%ef%81%acWomen+have+a+greater+variety+of+options+%ef%81%ac15+Canadian+nurses+go+to+U.S.+for+every+one+that+comes+to+Canada%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cProblem%3a+Doctor+Shortages+Canadian+Women+in+Medicine%0d%0a%ef%81%acNow+30%25+of+physicians+are+women+%ef%81%acUnder+35+years%0d%0a%ef%82%a150%25+of+all+physicians+%ef%82%a144%25+of+specialists%0d%0a%0d%0a%ef%81%acSome+medical+schools+have+over+50%25+female+students%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cStructural-Functional+Analysis%3a+Sick+Role+Theory%0d%0aSick+Role%3a+patterns+of+behaviour+defined+as+appropriate+for+people+who+are+ill+(Parsons)+1.+Sick+people+are+exempted+from+responsibilities+2.+But+people+must+want+to+be+well+3.+Do+whatever+is+necessary+to+regain+good+health+by+cooperating+with%2c+for+e.g.%2c+doctors+Critique%3a+%ef%81%ac+more+appropriate+for+acute+than+chronic+problems+%ef%81%ac+Depends+on+patient%e2%80%99s+resources%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cSymbolic-Interaction+Analysis%3a+The+Meaning+of+Health%0d%0aHealth+and+medical+care+are+socially+constructed%3b+for+example%3a+%ef%81%ac+Responses+to+illnesses+can+be+based+on+social+definitions%2c+e.g.%2c+prejudice+and+AIDS+%ef%81%ac+Definitions+of+illness+can+affect+how+people+feel.+%ef%81%ac+Gynecological+exams+are+constructed+to+be+professional+and+impersonal.+Critique%3a+Certain+factors+cause+specific+diseases+and+conditions%2c+e.g.%2c+being+blind%2c+define+interpersonal+relations%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cSocial-Conflict+Analysis%3a+Health+and+Inequality%0d%0aInequality+has+consequences+1.+Access+to+care%3a+rural+and+Aboriginal+people+are+at+a+disadvantage.+2.+Profit+motive%3a+doctors+have+financial+interests+3.+Medicine+as+politics%3a+in+the+past%2c+doctors+lobbied+against+government+programs+Critique%3a+%ef%81%ac+Advances+made+by+scientific+medicine+to+the+health+of+people+are+minimized+%ef%81%ac+Profit+motive+provides+new+drugs+and+equipment%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cThe+Future%3f%0d%0a%ef%81%ac+Good+health+and+long+life+are+taken+for+granted+%ef%81%ac+AIDS+epidemic+will+last+a+long+time+%ef%81%ac+Health+problems+are+far+greater+in+poor+societies%2c+but+life+expectancy+is+rising+%ef%81%ac+High-income+countries+will+have+to+deal+with+soaring+costs+of+health+care+%ef%81%ac+Need+to+prepare+for+flu+pandemic+%ef%81%ac+What+possibilities+exist+for+genetic+changes%3f%0d%0a%0d%0a%0c