Feminism, Prehospital Context and Paramedics issues - Essay Example

Feminism, Prehospital Context and Paramedics Name: Roll No: Class: Semester: Subject: Teacher: June 17th, 2008 University 1. Choose one of the major sociological theories, other than functionalism. How adequate is this theory/model for describing illness (as a concept) in a prehospital context and does this theory/model have relevance to paramedicine and prehospital care? Discuss. I have selected feminism as a sociological theory. Feminism is a theory that talks about the rights of women, inadequacy of equivalent opportunities, social welfare and other features. Feminism started as a movement in 1940’s but soon it entered in every field of knowledge due to different attitudes regarding men and women (Lenhart, 1993, 155). Women are treated everywhere as non-equivalent whether it is a medical profession or any other. Feminism highlights the importance of women and their role in the progress of society. It further forces that the role of women cannot be neglected or avoided in any field of life (Harding, 1993, 45). Feminism as a theory is closely related to paramedicine and prehospital care because of establishment of different behaviours towards men and women. As far as prehospital context is concerned, gender plays an important role and feminism is also associated with its description in terms of gender bias (Harding, 1993, 52). It has been known that in terms of medical treatment of men and women, a difference attitude is practised that influences the women either negatively, positively or neutral. Why women take this attitude differently? It is because they have been accustomed to all kinds of treatments and take it positive and neutral because of their being accustomed. Some of them, which take the treatment as negative are not ready to accept their role as a minor or ‘other’ (Lenhart, 1993, 157). It has been evidenced by inadequate researches towards women health conditions such as sexual violence, unlawful abortion and other health issues. Moreover, in terms of women vulnerability and reception of any disease is not fully known as it is ignored in most of the conditions (Harding, 1993, 58). If the association between sexual position, social position and health is assessed, it is a complicated task as compared to others. In terms of susceptibility, it has been assumed without further researching that men and women are vulnerable to diseases likely and their gender roles are also accepted in medical treatment (Harding, 1993, 65). It is also being assumed that men and women are dealt equally in terms of health service provision and researches but this assumption is incorrect as the situation is opposite. This assumption may lead towards a prejudiced knowledge in terms of clinical care, nature of diseases and other medical issues (Harding, 1987, 78). There is a wide difference in terms of dealing with men and women in terms of prehospital and paramedicine care. Women go through many different illnesses, which are given less importance as more researches are performed in order to find medical treatment solutions for men and not for women (Harding, 1987, 80). Also in terms of taking men and women as a research body, men are preferred due to which, the results that are obtained are for men but are considered for both of them. Sex is given less significance but sex difference can generate various issues and different diseases. Women as a part of gender are not considered worth enough so that various researches can be conducted for their welfare. Their role is negated (Harding, 1987, 85). An example can be taken about chemical exposure and women. This topic is very much significant regarding the health of those women who work in conditions where there are chances of chemical exposure (Gandhi, Aweeka, Greenblatt, et al, 2004, 499). For both of the sexes, men and women, chemical risks are identified to be equivalent or no differences in terms of their sexual behaviours and chemicals. Women also make use of chemicals but the precautions are written not for women but for men in general (Lenhart, 1993, 159). Women also take these precautions as for them also but no importance to given to gender based risks. Therefore, Feminism is relevant to paramedicine and prehospital care as women play a crucial role in society and should be dealt likewise in medical treatments as well as other fields of life for which, feminism is working. 2. How adequate is the sick role as a means of understanding illness in the prehospital setting? How does it compare to the traditional biomedical model that is usually presented to and supported by paramedics? If we see the role of a sick person in terms of prehospital setting in terms of understanding illness, we will come to a point that because of lack of medical expertise, health services and clinical help, there can be problems but if a person is able to get first aid that can be supportive in saving his/her life. Nevertheless, sometimes, this prehospital care leads a person towards health if it is provided appropriately (Porter, 1997, 35). The people who are responsible for the provision of appropriate prehospital care to any sick person must be well practised to provide the sick one with all the possible help they can. Sometimes, common people provide prehospital care to sick individuals. The person who is sick himself or herself should ask for people’s help in terms of informing about his/her illness. If he/she is not able to notify his/her problem, he/she is helpless, as the person who is attending them, will help them in the format in which, he/she thinks suitable (Jones and Naidoo, 1997, 75). The people who provide help should try to take the person as quick as they can to the nearest hospital. The role of a sick person is very important in terms of understanding illness in the prehospital setting. He/she must carry some information regarding his/her illnesses so that he/she can be facilitated with appropriate help in time. If the person who is sick has some information regarding his/her health, he is less susceptible to severe problems in terms of prehospital setting (Jones and Naidoo, 1997, 77). For instance, a person is a cardiac patient and has gone through a heart attack, if that person is carrying medicines for his disease with him/her or if he/she has detailed description of his/her disease in his/her pocket diary, the person who is providing help will know his/her illness through it and provide him/her with the suitable help (Porter, 1997, 39). Every person, who is going through some kind of health disturbance, should keep some data concerning his/her health status, so that, he/she can be provided with proper support in terms of prehospital setting. Prehospital setting can be made better by employing a staff who is eligible to provide assistance to any person who is in need of help. That staff should be using automobiles to reach to the location as seen as they can to provide prehospital care to the sick person (Jones and Naidoo, 1997, 80). Such staff will appear to be very useful in terms of their practice. There can also be TV and other media programs that can accommodate the people with some common knowledge regarding the provision of prehospital help to a sick person. There are more situations in which, the role of a sick person is not adequate according to the requirement, as the people are not habitual of carrying necessary information about their illnesses with them. In such conditions, sick people are in need of some help from other people who should try to provide the sick with support in terms of taking them to the closest hospital. A sick person needs to be handled with care so for taking him/her to a vehicle also needs care. He/she should be lifted with care or in a self-made stretcher. According to current knowledge, it is known that sick role in terms of understanding illnesses in a prehospital setting is not adequate (Porter, 1997, 41). The traditional biomedical model was discovered in mid nineties and from that time, it has been employed by paramedics and physicians for diagnosis of a certain sickness or disease (Jones and Naidoo, 1997, 83). Certain significant factors are overlooked in this model such as the diagnosis procedure that is a consequence of the discussion between the doctor and the patient. It is also a very effective method in treating patients from their illnesses (Porter, 1997, 43). After noticing all the implications of health care and clinical help, it has been suggested that biomedical model that is prioritized by doctors from a long time is unable to explain all illnesses that are existing. The traditional biomedical model works according to three assumptions (Jones and Naidoo, 1997, 85). They are 1. Sicknesses and illnesses of all kind have a central cause and it is common for all illnesses. 2. The central cause of all illnesses is disease or pathology. 3. If the health needs to be recovered, the disease should be eradicated or attenuated. Researches indicate that all the assumptions made by the traditional biomedical method are incorrect. In some cases, they are effective and give amazing results but in other cases, they prove themselves ineffectual and useless (Jones and Naidoo, 1997, 88). A sick person can refer to his/her symptoms and illnesses while negotiating to the doctor or to some other person in prehospital setting. As compared to the traditional biomedical model, sick person’s role is effective as he/she is the one who can describe the details of his/her felt health problems. The person who is providing help to a sick person cannot give the same kind of help for all sick persons as is set by the traditional biomedical model. If the sick person informs about his/her illness type, he/she can be helped in a better manner. References Lenhart, Sh., (1993). Gender discrimination: A health and career development problem for women physicians, J Am Med Women Assoc, 48, pg. 155–159. Harding, S., (1993). The science question in feminism, New York: Cornell University Press, Ithaca, pg. 45-67. Harding, S., (1987). Feminism and methodology: social science issues, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, pg. 78-85. Gandhi, M, Aweeka, F, Greenblatt, R, et al., (2004). Sex differences pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol, 44, pg. 499–523. Porter, R., 1997. The greatest benefit to mankind. A medical history of humanity from antiquity to the present. London: HarperCollins, pg. 35-43. Jones, L. & Naidoo, J. (1997). Theories and models in health promotion. In J. Katz & A. Peberdy (Eds.), Promoting health - knowledge and practice. London: Macmillan Press, pp. 75-88. Read More