{"id":344,"date":"2016-05-01T01:40:03","date_gmt":"2016-05-01T01:40:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontosociology-waymaker\/?post_type=chapter&p=344"},"modified":"2024-04-25T16:34:44","modified_gmt":"2024-04-25T16:34:44","slug":"global-health-and-epidemiology","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-introductiontosociology\/chapter\/global-health-and-epidemiology\/","title":{"raw":"Global Health and Epidemiology","rendered":"Global Health and Epidemiology"},"content":{"raw":"
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Learning Outcomes<\/h3>\r\n
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  • Apply theories of social epidemiology to an understanding of global health issues<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Compare and contrast health conditions in high- versus low-income countries<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nSocial epidemiology<\/span><\/strong> is the study of the causes and distribution of diseases. Social epidemiology can reveal how social problems are connected to the health of different populations. These epidemiological studies show that the health problems of high-income nations differ greatly from those of low-income nations. Some diseases, like cancer, are universal. But others, like obesity, heart disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes are much more common in high-income countries and are a direct result of a sedentary lifestyle combined with poor diet. High-income nations also have a higher incidence of depression (Bromet et al. 2011). In contrast, low-income nations suffer significantly\u00a0more\u00a0from deadly diseases such as\u00a0malaria and tuberculosis, diseases that are rare in high-income contexts.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

    How does health differ around the world? Some economic and political\u00a0theorists, most notably Immanuel Wallerstein, differentiate among three types of countries: core nations, semi-peripheral nations, and peripheral nations. Core nations are those that we think of as highly developed or industrialized, semi-peripheral nations are those that are often called developing or newly industrialized, and peripheral nations are those that are relatively underdeveloped. While the most pervasive issue in the U.S. healthcare system is affordable access to healthcare, other core countries have different issues, and semi-peripheral and peripheral nations are faced with a host of additional concerns. Reviewing the status of global health offers insight into the various ways that politics and wealth shape access to healthcare, and it shows which populations are most affected by health disparities.\u00a0As we move across international contexts, it is imperative to keep in mind the influence of cultural significance on health, as it is a mechanism that plays a role in the conceptualization of health conditions, the role of healthcare and its providers, and the consequences of illnesses.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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    Try It<\/h3>\r\nhttps:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/ca60c7e2-8ea5-473a-b3f7-fc2ca1c005c6\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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    Health in High-Income Nations<\/h2>\r\n

    Obesity, which is on the rise in high-income nations, has been linked to many diseases, including cardiovascular problems, musculoskeletal problems, diabetes, and respiratory issues. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2011), obesity rates are rising in all countries, with the greatest gains being made in the highest-income countries. The United States has the highest obesity rate at 42 percent; some of these people are considered severely obese, which occurs in 9 percent of U.S. adults (Hales 2020).<\/p>\r\n

    Wallace Huffman and his fellow researchers (2006) contend that several factors are contributing to the rise in obesity in developed countries:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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    • Improvements in technology and reduced family size have led to a reduction of work to be done in household production.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Unhealthy market goods, including processed foods, sweetened drinks, and sweet and salty snacks are replacing home-produced goods.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Leisure activities are growing more sedentary, for example, computer games, web surfing, and television viewing.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • More workers are shifting from active work (agriculture and manufacturing) to service industries.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Increased access to passive transportation has led to more driving and less walking.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

      Obesity and weight issues have significant societal costs, including lower life expectancies\u00a0and higher shared healthcare costs.\u00a0While the United States fares well in terms of health outcomes, it actually has a relatively shorter life expectancy than countries similar in economic development, standards of living, and wealth,[footnote]OECD (2019), Life expectancy at birth (indicator). doi: 10.1787\/27e0fc9d-en (Accessed on 02 April 2019)[\/footnote] which is partially due to obesity and its consequences.<\/p>\r\n

      While ischemic heart disease is the single most prevalent cause of death in higher-income countries, cancers of all types combine to be a higher overall cause of death. Cancer accounts for twice as many deaths as cardiovascular disease in higher-income countries (Mahase 2019).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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      Watch It<\/h3>\r\nThis video explains population health and describes some of the key health\u00a0indicators that measure health for different populations. Consider what factors contribute to health disparities among populations.\r\n\r\n