Chapter 20 Health and Medicine Chapter Outline Health and Medicine in Global Perspective
Issues of Healthcare in the United States Medicine and Technology Health and Medicine in Global Perspective
Health care is distinct from health. Health care refers to medical services Health is the state of being of one individual oran entire society. Social scientists use the following to measurethe health of an entire society: Infant mortality rates Maternal death rates Life expectancy Health and Medicine in Global Perspective
The health of a society is also measuredthrough access to health care. The following criteria are used to comparenations from a global viewpoint: Access to medical care Quality of medical care Doctor-to-patient ratios The Importance of Water Supply
Contaminated water is the leading cause ofinfant death throughout the world. Creating a safe water supply is one of the mostimportant ways to improve global health. Safe water is creating by: Separating human from animal waste Removing sewage from irrigation channels Issues of Health Care in the United States
In September 2009, President Obama set forthan argument for health care as a right. The social justice argument for health carereform in the United States is based oncomparisons between the U.S. and otherindustrialized nations. To date, there is no single system that othernations have adopted for delivering universalhealth care. Medicine and Technological Change
Throughout history, limitations on foodproduction, together with lack of medicalknowledge, have placed limits on the size ofpopulations. In England, the bubonic plague, known as theBlack Death, was responsible for a drastic dropin the population in 1348 and for the lack ofpopulation growth in the 17th century. In ,417 residents of London died ofthe plague. Long-Term Population Trends in England and Wales, 10001800 Medicine and Technological Change
During the 19th century, scientific researchresulted in the discovery of the causes of manydiseases. They learned about hygiene, sterilization, andother principles of public health, especially theneed to separate drinking water from wastewater. Rates of infant mortality decreased dramatically,births began to outnumberdeaths, and lifeexpectancy increased. Infant Mortality Rates for Selected Countries Hospital: From Poorhouse to Healing Institution
The first hospitals were religious centers for thecare of the sick and the poor. During the Renaissance, hospitals becamepublic facilities. When the nonmedical tasks of hospitalsdisappeared, the hospital became an institutionfor medical care and research. Early Hospitals This painting by JanBeerblock (17391806)depicts the sick wards inSint-Janshospital inBruges, Belgium, ableak forerunner ofmodern hospitalorganization. Medicine and Social Change
The development of medical technologies,together with the practice of requiring patients topay for hospital services, has led to a crisis inAmerican medical care. The high cost of medical care has become amajor public issue. Over 40% of Americans have inadequatemedical insurance, or none at all. Social Epidemiology Epidemiology is the study of how diseasesoriginate and spread in human populations andhow societies can develop better public healthsystems. Social epidemiology looks for the fundamentalcauses of health problems in basic socialconditions that are often the precursors of healthproblems. Transmission Categories of Adults and Adolescents With HIV/AIDS Sex of Adults and Adolescents With HIV/AIDS Diagnosed During 2007 Diseases related to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Race, Income, and Obesity Cardiovascular Diseases
Death Rates, by Cause of Death, United States, (per 100,000 population) Year Tuberculosis Cancer Cardiovascular Diseases 1900 194.4 64 345.2 1910 153.8 76.2 371.9 1920 113.1 83.4 364.9 1930 71.1 97.4 414.4 1940 45.9 120.3 485.7 1950 22.5 139.8 510.8 1960 6.1 149.2 521.8 Cardiovascular Diseases
Death Rates, by Cause of Death, United States, (per 100,000 population) Year Tuberculosis Cancer Cardiovascular Diseases 1970 2.6 162.8 496 1980 0.9 183.9 436.4 1990 0.7 203.2 368.3 2000 0.3 200.5 340.4 2001 194.4 323.9 2002 193.8 318.3 Death Rates, by Cause of Death, United States, (per 100,000 population)
Year Influenza and Pneumonia Motor Vehicle Accidents 1900 202.0 NA 1910 155.9 1.8 1920 207.3 10.3 1930 102.5 26.7 1940 70.3 26.2 1950 31.3 23.1 1960 37.3 21.3 Death Rates, by Cause of Death, United States, (per 100,000 population)
Year Influenza and Pneumonia Motor Vehicle Accidents 1970 30.9 26.9 1980 24.1 23.5 1990 32 18.8 2000 24.3 15.2 2001 21.8 15.4 2002 22.9 15.5 Quick Quiz 1. Doctors and medical technology
began increasing the life span markedly aboutthree centuries ago. have always done more good than harm inpromoting health and well-being. only started to become extremely relevant incuring sick people and extending the life in the20th century. were far more important than public healthmeasures in improving the health status of oursociety during the 19th century. Answer: c Doctors and medical technology only startedto become extremely relevant in curing sickpeople and extending the life in the 20thcentury. 2.People from which categories are currently at greatestrisk of HIV infection?
Latinos, homosexuals, men whites, homosexuals, women African Americans, homosexuals, men All categories are at equal risk. Answer: c The categories currently at greatest risk of HIVinfection are: African Americans,homosexuals, and men.