The PMTCT program was a success not because of the intervention itself but because of the activism that employed specific and nuanced measures in repealing detrimental cultural understandings of disease. The pilot program in Khayelitsha went on to inform further programs in other predominately black townships. However, it has been proven over time that Khayelitsha is an exceptional case and not the norm. If anything, Khayelitsha proves the importance of the social and anthropological conceptions of disease within the context of health interventions. Interventions in an ethnic context must keep in mind the many intricacies that go in line with being infected and being of a certain identity and the history of that disease within that region.
This book addresses one of the common characteristics, and challenges, of health care today: the need to achieve a working knowledge of as many cultures as possible in health care. The Hmong population of Merced, California addresses the collision between Western medicine and holistic healing traditions of the Hmong immigrants, which plays out a common dilemma in western medical centers: the need to integrate modern western medicinal remedies with aspects of cultural that are good for the well-being of the patient, and the belief of the patient’s ability to recuperate. What we see is a clash, or lack of integration in the example of the story thereof. Lia, a Hmong child with a rare form of epilepsy, must enter the western hospital instead of the Laotian forest. In the forest she would seek out herbs to remedy the problems that beset her, but in the west she is forced to enter the western medical hospital without access to those remedies, which provided not only physical but spiritual comfort to those members of the Hmong culture. The herbs that are supposed to fix her spirit in the forest are not available in the western hospital. The Merced County hospital system clashes with Hmong animist traditions.
The Tuskegee study of untreated syphilis in the Negro Male population was studied to improve the health of poor African Americans. Men were recruited for this study and were promised free medical examinations, blood tests, and medicines. Bessie disliked going to the doctor, however, she would really not really seek health care knowing the circumstances of this case. Trusting the health care providers would be her biggest issue. Not being able to communicate and understand a patient, as a caregiver would make me not want to go to the doctor as well. Annette Dula would suggest that the need for dialogue with African Americans should be recognized as a serious bioethical problem. I would suggest that health care providers should know different dialogue to get a better understanding of their patients. I agree with the three health disparities: institutional racism, economic equality, and attitudinal barriers to
The Hmong people, an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam and Laos, greatly value their culture and traditions. The film “The Split Horn: Life of a Hmong Shaman in America” documents the seventeen year journey of the Hmong Shaman, Paja Thao and his family from the mountains of Laos to the heartland of America. This film shows the struggle of Paja Thao to maintain their 5000 year-old shamanic traditions as his children embrace the American culture. Moreover, the film shows that one of the major problems refugees like Paja Thao and his family face upon their arrival to the United States is conflict with the American medical system. Despite the dominant biomedical model of health, the film “The Split Horn” shows that
"Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health." Public Health Reports. July/August 1998: 372 EBSCOhost. Available <http://www.epnet.com/ehost/login.html>. (11 February 1999)
Dressler, W. W. (1993). Health in the african american community: Accounting for health inequalities. Medical anthropology quarterly, 7(4), 325-345.
If we were to apply a longitude exposure study over the span of 42 years from the time an inner-city child is born, we may conclude that life experiences resulting from potential malnutrition, underprivileged environments, and overall lack of health education are the leading contributors to adult African American deaths. Studies show that 8 of the 10 leading causes in the deaths of African Americans are medical disease, which with proper education and care may have been prevented and/or addressed earlier in their life to diagnose and treat. The fact is Heart Disease is the leading cause of deaths for African Americans. When compared to other ethnicities, some form of heart disease causes 24.5% of African American deaths. These numbers are astounding considering Blacks make up approximately only 14.2% of the total U.S. population. The contributing factor is lack of knowledge and family medical screening. Understanding the history of your genial line specific to your race and ...
For many African-Americans, the Tuskegee Syphilis Study has affected their daily life when it comes to health care. With the amount of sadness that surrounds the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, it is hard to believe that so many are unaware it existed. Problems such as broken medical ethics, severely affected health of African Americans, and a change in the way African Americans view medicine arose because of this
Through showing the different definitions of health, the authors explain how those different understandings affect patterns of behavior on health depend on different cultures. In addition, an analysis of the models of health demonstrates even western medical approaches to health have different cognitions, same as the Indigenous health beliefs. The most remarkable aspect is a balance, a corresponding core element in most cultures which is an important consideration in Indigenous health as well. From an Indigenous perspective, health is considered as being linked, and keeping the connection is a priority to preserve their health. Consequently, health is a very much culturally determined. Health practitioners should anticipate and respect the cultural differences when they encounter a patient from various cultures. In particular, this article is good to understand why the Indigenous health beliefs are not that different than western medicine views using appropriate examples and comparative composition, even though the implementation the authors indicated is a bit abstract, not
For instance, many were chronically unemployed or unpaid, lived in unbearable conditions in shacks, exposed to malnutrition, and had severe health diseases, which include tuberculosis, syphilis, hookworm, pellagra, and high death rate (Jones, Bad blood: The Tuskegee syphilis experiment, 1993). According to Jones (2008), “Syphilis is a highly contagious disease caused by the Treponema pallidum, a delicate bacterium that is microscopic in size and resembles a corkscrew in shape. Three stages mark the development of the disease: primary, secondary, and tertiary” (p. 2). In the author’s book, it identified the struggles that African Americans faced on a daily basis. For instance, the author revealed the most prominent time of history was during the Great Depression, Progressive era and other eras. This population in particular had limited access to health care. Only a few of this population had access to adequate medical care; however, majority of them never saw a physician. In fact, the African American physicians were limited, but the whites refused to treat or provide services. During the 1930s, the Depression Era was one of the eras that had the greatest impact on this population. This is the time when whites dominated the United States, exploitation with racism, poverty, and health care was a fee for services, making it
The disease was viewed as a black man’s disease due to its vast spread in the black race community. In this chapter, it is clear that the medical fraternity had formed opinion of the disease even before the start of the experiment. The theme of racial prejudice is brought out clearly in this chapter. The blacks are discriminated from the whites even after learning that syphilis can affect both races alike. The slaves received treatment like their masters just because of economic concerns and not because they were human like their masters. In chapter 3 “Disease Germs Are the Most Democratic Creatures in the World”, the writer points out that the germ theory changed the way syphilis is viewed in the society. It was clear that other emphasis such as sanitation, education and preventative medicine was necessary to combat the disease. The areas inhabited by the blacks were behind in healthcare facilities and service. In this chapter, the theme of unequal distribution of resources is seen. Whereas areas inhabited by the whites had better hospitals and qualified professionals to deal with the
Some critics say that the decline in disease rates was due to the fact that there were 70% more cases of death rather than new infections. They also argue that public education was not the cause of behavior changes rather the fact that most people knew someone who died of the disease was the major cause of behavioral changes. The evidence for success in Uganda because of TASO is people of Uganda were able to go back to work and clients from other organizations changed to TASO. The organization exceeded it’s target of registration of 7,000 clients and 35,000 beneficiaries in the nutritional assistance program with World Food Program by the end of 2005 (Ellner, et al. p. 17). The level of success in terms of how much of their efforts caused a decline in disease rates is difficult to measure. Some critics say that the decline in disease rates was due to the fact that there were 70% more cases of death rather than new infections (Ellner, et al. p. 17). They also argue that public education was not the cause of behavior changes rather the fact that most people knew someone who died of the disease was the major cause of behavioral
Sutherland, A. (1992, September). Cross-Cultural Medicine: Gypsies and Health Care. The Western Journal of Medicine, 276-280
accessed 12-04-2014. Reference: Sociology for AS AQA Ken B 4th edition ISBN-13:978-0-7456-5551-2(Pb). World health organisation cited in Haralambos and Holborn (2009) Sociology themes and perspectives: student handbook, seventh edition, London Collins Publishers. Taylor, S. and D. Field 2003 Sociology of Health.
2016). One of CEH’s health promotion programs include Multicultural Health and Support Service (MHSS) that aims to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, viral hepatitis and sexually transmissible infections (STIs) in refugee and migrant communities, asylum seekers and mobile populations (CEH 2016b). The aim of this program is associated with the PHC principle of equitable access to health care, and health promotion and disease prevention. CEH promotes the program by working with communities and health services, which is related to the PHC principle of community participation and a multi-sectoral approach (CEH 2016a). MHSS supports the PHC principle of the use of appropriate technology by providing individuals with assistance to make appointments for screening and diagnostic tests (CEH 2016b). The program applies the HP principle of reorienting health services by operating Multicultural Sexual Health Network that gathers people across multiple sectors to share information, improve service coordination, and research ways to enhance health for refugees and migrants (CEH 2016b). MHSS is also aligned with the HP principle of strengthening community action in that they work
The SWOT analysis is a useful tool for identifying our personal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to our plans and goals. According to a “Fuel My Motivation” article (2010), this analysis considers internal influences that can positively or negatively affect our ability to achieve our goals. The internal factors are our strengths and weaknesses. Also considered are opportunities and threats, which are external influences that can have a positive or negative impact on the ability to achieve our goals. I will share how the self-assessment instruments and self-exercises in this course have contributed to assessing and understanding my strengths and weaknesses. I will also discuss techniques I will use to leverage my strengths and understand my weaknesses. In addition, I will consider opportunities that I can take advantage of and the threats that can possibly impede my progress.