Assignment #1 – Health Care Issues in the United States.
1. Explain how health is affected by behaviors, economics, and social structure.
The relationship between lifestyle and health is well established. Behavioral determinants significantly impact each of the twelve leading causes of death. Chronic diseases such as cancer, stroke, and heart disease are end results of behavioral contributors such as alcohol, tobacco, and dietary behaviors. It is well documented that sexual behaviors are related to the increase of communicable diseases such as AIDS, syphilis, herpes, and gonorrhea. Societal stress is linked to the deterioration of the immune system and resulting morbidity and mortality contend Williams & Torres (2010). Comprehending and elevating health related behavior is vital to the posterity of public health.
The social and economic climate of a community is built by the individual and the commingled efforts of its members and is distinguished because of social standards and cultural traditions. Widely accepted is the notion that people with higher incomes generally enjoy better health and live longer than people with lower incomes. Moreover, people tend to be healthiest when they have faith in their safety, supported and connected to and can trust others in their families, neighborhoods, workplaces, and communities. As a result, economic and social structure determinants can influence choices and behaviors that improve or jeopardize health; they can offer a wide supply of possible choices to improve health that can have both negative and positive health effects.
2. Describe the three stages of medical technology development.
The three stages of medical technology are review by regulatory agencies, technology assessments by insurance carriers, and review by purchasers, clinicians, and consumers. Review by regulatory agencies is the most recognized of the three stages and is administered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The...