The Health of Individual Is Due to the Social Environment They Inhabit - Essay Example

The health of individual is due to the social environment they inhabit Introduction Health at some point is not a right but a privilege. Although a child for instance has the right for good health, adults on the other hand who are constantly most of the times in control of their lives are making things that may influence the kind of health they are enjoying that at some level may become a privilege. However, it is important to think of it that a healthy life can be influenced by the social environment an individual belongs. This is the main focus of this article and the following subtopics are discussed in this paper to give more emphasis of the main topic. 1. Some causes of chronic diseases and other related illnesses 2. Response of an individual to health care programs 3. Technological advancement in health care 4. Individual responsibility to health care 5. Individual awareness of diseases 6. Factors influencing health and well-being In this paper, the above mentioned topics are clearly emphasized and discussed by providing them examples and illustrations. Moreover, they are also presented as factors proving that the health of individual can directly be correlated to his or her social environment. Some causes of chronic diseases and other related illnesses Brunner & Marmot (2006) emphasized causes of diseases and other related illnesses to be socio-economic aspects, geographical locations, climate and culture. Furthermore, stress can be noted in the second chapter of their article as one of the major causes of diseases. The process of acquiring disease from stress sounds like everything started out personal or social and then finally turned out into a more biological issue as the body physically responded to physical situations. Stress is an output of an environmental challenge faced by humans (Brunner & Marmot, 2006). The social environment in which the human lives is a challenging environment to live in. This shows that humans are not ensured from not experiencing stress as a result of various challenges faced by the humanity through socio-economic aspects, geographical locations, climate and culture. Stress is usually defined as reaction of people to excessive demands or pressures while coping with tasks, responsibilities or other job-related pressures and in the long run, it can lead to heart disease and high blood pressure (Robertson, 2000). The effect of stress can be so challenging and somehow serious to the extent that they are detrimental to future human race. Research shows that stress can affect fetus while the mother was stressed during pregnancy (Ward, 2007). Response of an individual to health care programs It is important to think about treatment when it comes to management of chronic illness or other diseases. Thus, it is also important to look at patients’ response to some health care programs underlying treatment and prevention of diseases. This is simply to say that patients’ response to some programs underlying treatment may vary according to their total understanding of the treatment process. In fact, the article of Assal (2005) pointed out the importance of patient education in the management of their long-term care. Furthermore, the article has also recognized common characteristics of chronic illness, treatment and patient’s and physician’s. There must be something to look forward to when it comes to the implementation of health care programs. Implementation process can highly be affected by various factors which are already stated in the article of Assal (2005). As concluded in the article of Hawkes (2006), “Connecting for Health has always been a good idea, but implementing it will call for even more blood, sweat and tears than already have been expended.” Technological advancement in health care The advancement of science and technology opened up solutions to various diseases of which some are noted to be incurable or are still subject of continuing research. It can be observed that challenges may come on the way in our quest to providing quality and standard process in dealing with diseases and other related illnesses. In this regard, Piel (2005) asks two essential questions concerning basic health benefits issues such as the following. 1. Keeping up the rate of progress in world health development as currently enjoyed in the twentieth century. 2. Ensuring unbiased availability of benefits to all. The above essential issues are very important to understand. It is crucial to find out if everyone can equally benefit the available advancement of medicine and other health facilities available for public use. Reich (2009) commented, “As a result of increasing global competition and technological advancements, the US and other post-industrial nations have seen declining median incomes and a widening gap between rich and poor. Therefore, consumer demand in the US and other post-industrial nations has been insufficient to keep these economies running at full capacity.” Devichand (2004) quoted the following in his article. "When I am poor, and I cant get food, or heat and hot water, or basic health care for my family, life is truly miserable and wretched. But that is because I am poor and I cant afford these necessities, not because someone somewhere else has just joined the queue for a £500 haircut." The issues are more economical as expected. Considering that the gap between poor and rich is in upward spiral, the rich will continue to be served with a classy medical and other related health services while the poor will continue to appreciate what is only available for them. Individual responsibility to health care Everyone has the right to be given the right to good and healthy life. Within the range of this right is everyone’s ability to impart basic responsibility in sharing common good and reaching out those who need it most. This applies to sharing health benefits to those who exactly need them the most. Verity (2007) showed concrete information emphasizing everyone contributing in the spread of welfare in the community. Thus, individual responsibility in terms of sharing welfare is an integral part of spreading equal chance or opportunity for everyone to experience. Triggle (2006) showed the challenge in providing NHS care in prison. He quoted this in his article, "Like the rest of the NHS, it has been starved of investment and our staffs have not been given the right training." This is to illustrate the fact that wherever we go, various things are needed to insure public welfare. Thus, an environment ensuring public welfare first is most likely to experience safety at hand. In the case of health aspect, an individual belonging to a society where public welfare first is substantial will most likely to be ensured with good health and be satisfied in maintaining wellbeing. Individual awareness of diseases Perhaps the easiest way to encourage somebody to do things you want them to do is through keeping them informed on things related to what you want them to do. In the same way, individual awareness of diseases can give way to a broader understanding of what needs to be done. However, there is a challenge on this part since everyone can have different ideas or understanding of a specific thing. The article of Last (2005) discusses different perspective of people with respect to diseases. This is another way of saying it that everyone has the ability to understand specific disease provided that he or she is totally aware of other related things underlying that certain disease. There can be more to awareness but how to keep everyone be informed of a certain disease is directly related to the kind of environment that he or she belongs. This is another way of saying it that the environment can be directly related to how an individual learn of specific things. Health (2002) from BBC news column reported that “Public ignorance is fuelling the spread of HIV across India, according to the United Nations.” Furthermore, it is added in the report that the case will increase unless public awareness of the disease improves. This is to illustrate the fact that the environment and individual’s awareness of the disease can play as a significant factor in disease control or its spread. Factors influencing health and well-being It is emphasized in the article of Brunner & Marmot (2006) that causes of diseases and other related illnesses can be socio-economic aspects, geographical locations, climate and culture. This is to agree with the information about the health and well-being of youth presented by Young People AIHW (2008). The article was able to show demographics regarding the health status and outcomes of Australian youth, factors influencing their health and well-being and the performance of serving their needs.  According to Health and Neighborhood Renewal, Department of Health, England (2008), “The root causes of ill health are so varied that they cannot be dealt with by focusing on illness alone, or by defining health simply as the absence of illness. Evidence shows that the causes of ill health and health inequalities are influenced by factors such as poverty, education, housing, transport, crime and employment. When people think about health, they tend to think about illness and access to specific NHS facilities, such as the local doctors surgery or the nearest hospital. While these services are important, they are just a part of the range of things that influence health. Improving health will mean addressing the wider determinants of health as well as lifestyle factors, such as diet, exercise, smoking, and misusing alcohol and drugs.” It is therefore clear that an environment where an individual belongs can play a significant part in his or her health. Though health of a particular group or community is dependant upon many factors (Mega Essay, 2009), it is clear that an environment where an individual inhabit is certainly one of the surest factors we can count on. References Assal, J. P. (2005). Therapeutic Patient Education for Chronic Diseases. Understanding the Global Dimensions of Health, Springer. Devichand, M. (2004). The ‘superstar’ effect. Retrieved May 24, 2009, from BBC News Web site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/3989569.stm. Eric Brunner, E., & Marmot, M. (2006). Social organization, stress, and health. Books@Ovid. Hawkes, N. (2006). Connecting for Health is placed in intensive care. Retrieved May 24, 2009, from Times Online Web site: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/ tol/business/columnists/article619747.ece. Health (2002). India AIDS awareness urged. Retrieved May 21, 2009, from BBC News Web site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2512559.stm. Health and Neighbourhood Renewal, Department of Health, England (2008). Factors Affecting Health and Well-being. Retrieved May 22, 2009, from Health Challenge Pembrokeshire Web site: http://www.healthchallengepembrokeshire.co.uk/ content.asp?Parent_Directory_id=705&nav=707. Last, J. (2005). A Brief History of Advances Toward Health. Understanding the Global Dimensions of Health, Springer Mega Essay (2008). Factors affecting health and well being. Retrieved May 22, 2009, from Mega Essays LLC Web site: http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/24568.html. Piel, A. (2005). The Coming Storm. Understanding the Global Dimensions of Health, Springer. Reich, R. (2009). Restructure now. Retrieved May 24, 2009, from The Guardian Web site: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/mar/27/useconomicgrowth-economy. Robertson, H. (2000). Is stress a sign of weakness? Retrieved May 23, 2009, from The Guardian Web site:http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/ 2000/ nov/09 / publicsectorcareers.careers. Triggle, N. (2006). The challenge providing NHS care in prison. Retrieved May 23, 2009, from BBC News Web site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4876874.stm. Verity, F. (2007). Community capacity building: a review of the literature/ SA. Dept of Health Ward, L. (2007). Mother’s stress harms fetus, research shows. Retrieved May 23, 2009, from The Guardian Web site:http://www.guardian.co.uk/ science/2007/may/31/ childrensservices.medicineandhealth. YOUNG PEOPLE AIHW (2008). Young Australians: their health & well-being 2007, pp. 5-11 Read More