Chapter 2: Health Flashcards
Define life expectancy
the average number of years individuals born in a given year can expect to live.
Define mortality (infant, under-5, maternal)
The incidence of death in a population.
Infant Mortality Rate: The number of deaths of live-born infants under 1 year of age per 1000 live births (in any given year).
Under-5 Mortality Rate: Refers to the rate of deaths of children under age 5.
Maternal Mortality Rates: A measure of deaths that result from complications associated with pregnancy and childbirth.
What is globalization and how does it impact health both positively and negatively?
Globalization is the growing economic, political and social interconnectedness among societies throughout the world. It has eroded boundaries that separate societies creating a “global village.
Positive: Global communications make it easier to monitor and control disease and share scientific knowledge and research findings.
Negative: Increased travel and the expansion of trade and transnational corporations are linked to a number of health problems including infectious disease and obesity.
What is medical tourism? What health risks does this practice create?
A growing multibillion-dollar global industry involves traveling primarily across international borders for the purpose of obtaining medical care.
Health risks - unrelated care, black-market organ sales
What is the primary reason that people engage in medical tourism?
cost
How does the U.S. compare to other democratic countries in terms of health costs and outcomes?
The U.S. spends more per capita on health care than any other country but has middling heath care outcomes. For example, we are currently 46th in the world in life expectancy.
Why does having health insurance in the U.S. not prevent going into medical debt?
It really just caps how much you much debt you can acquire. This is due to what is known as the deductible in a health insurance plan. A deductible is a number that people have to pay out of pocket before insurance companies will pay medical costs. The average deductible in the United States is around $4500 for a year for an individual.
What factors have contributed to the rise of medical costs in the United States?
Increased longevity - older people have higher medical costs on average;
Cost of hospital services and medical technology - we visit the hospital less often than other countries but spend more when we do;
Cost of prescription drugs - drugs cost 2-3 times as much in the U.S. relative to elsewhere;
Cost of health insurance - we have a for-profit model that incentivizes insurance companies to boost profits;
Broader societal problems - increasingly sedentary lifestyles, dietary choices, work/life balance issues
How do structural-functionalist approach health and health care?
According to the structural-functionalist perspective, healthcare is a social institution that functions to maintain the well-being of social members and, consequently, of the social system as a whole.
It examines how changes in society affect health.
It also draws attention to latent dysfunctions, or unintended and often unrecognized negative consequences of social patterns or behaviors.
How does a conflict theorist view health & health care?
The conflict perspective focuses on how wealth, status, and power influence illness and health care.
What are some aspects of our health care system that conflict theorists might focus on today?
It points to ways in which powerful groups and wealthy corporations influence health-related policies and laws through lobbying and financial contributions to politicians and political candidates.
What do symbolic interactionists emphasize when looking at health and health care?
How meanings, definitions, and labels influence health, illness, and health care.
What does the term “medicalization” refer to?
Medicalization is defined as labeling behaviors and conditions as medical problems.
What is a stigma?
A stigma refers to any personal characteristic associated with social disgrace, rejection, or discrediting.
What are the advantages/disadvantages of the Beveridge (socialized medicine) health care model? (Great Britian, Spain)
Advantages: low costs per procedure, benefits standardized, ease of use;
Disadvantages: long waiting times, costs can go up due to overuse, problematic during times of crises.
