I decided to focus this project on the condition of medical 'depression.' There are people who don't consider it as an illness so I wanted to conduct more research and gain knowledge about it. Even if depression is medically approved as an 'illness' its hard to take that as a fact unless actually knowing someone with that condition.
The illness and dying unit made me uncomfortable most of the time, but helped me confront the things I have been avoiding. Hospitals and medicine are the dominant social practices surrounding this unit. These methods don't always work in favor of the patient and their family members and yet our society continue to grow dependency on this system. When people are sick, the first place we think to go to is the doctor. And, when the 'sickness' is not simply treated, we are constrained in a hospital until we are cured or pass away. Depression is not easily cured, especially when the person's environment worsens her condition. Medications can be taken to help depression, but since it dosn't have to be taken-some people may not even consider depression as a sickness. These insights connect to what I did for this project, because I think the social practice of allopathic medicine caused many to not take depression as a serious condition.
But, just because I know someone who struggles with depression does not mean that I know a lot about it. I researched the basics I should know about the condition and found statistics that I found important. From a small pdf from pbs I learned that about 15 million American adults are diagnosed with depression, and yet about 80% of depressed patients are not being treated. 90% of people who commit suicide could have been treated from a depressive disorder and is the third leading cause of deaths for ages 10 to 24. (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/takeonestep/depression/pdf/dep_stats.pdf)
On About.com I found more statistics that confirmed the facts. Depression has doubled in the past 15 years, and yet medline of 2000 stated that 30,000 deaths from suicide happen annually. Suicide is also the 8th leading cause of death.
(http://depression.about.com/od/drugsalcohol/a/alcoholanddep_2.htm)
Depression is life threatening, and yet I can't take a plane to Japan multiple times just because I worry for her. I have a loving aunt that I always found a little 'too nice' even before she became depressed and took medications for it. Before I went to visit her two summers ago, she had constantly called my mom to ask when she was coming over. When we finally met her, she was really happy and was her usual self. I was relieved, but when we returned to New York a call came in from my uncle who said her condition worsened. She didn't want us to leave her and yet it wasn't possible for us to fly to her every so often. Her medications had not worked and she continued to take different pills. My cousins who are in their 20's still depend on my aunt despite her illness. She drives one of my cousins to work which makes no sense to me. I don't even know if the other cousin has a job and she comes home in the middle of the night from who knows where. She also takes care of my uncle's mother who is bedridden. And, I am in a place where I can't support her in any way.
Before she was diagnosed with Depression, she was a very bright aunt, and I was still able to see that side of her when I flew to Japan two summers ago. Once in a while, the house phone would ring. When I picked up the phone, I didn't recognize her. Her voice was low and I thought my phone was broken or something. When I finally realized the person on the other side of the phone was my aunt, I was a bit upset. Her voice on the phone made me question if she was always afraid of something-like she could not be left alone.
Depression can happen to anyone-and it makes sense. People have emotions and become sad at certain moments. If bad things happen one after the other-who wouldn't end up becoming depressed? An individual struggling with depression should be in a supportive environment that understands that she is ill. Depression is also life-threatning, and can lead to suicide. Our dominant culture with illness and dying has factors that are upsetting, and I think not treating enough depressed patients is another reason for dissaproval. Hospitals should be spending more money on curing conditions that can save more lives.
The seriousness of depression and the statistics for it matters because it shows in the numbers. If depression is treated more often, suicide rates will decrease greatly. Depression is hard to detect, but it is treatable. It also matters because I don't think people are aware enough. Society should become more understanding about conditions that seem like the individual is weak-when really it is an illness that needs a lot of support.
Sources:
Depression Statistics. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/takeonestep/depression/pdf/dep_stats.pdf
What you need to know about Alcohol and Depression.
http://depression.about.com/od/drugsalcohol/a/alcoholanddep_2.htm
Friday, January 14, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
HW#29: Reading and noting basic materials
1. Development of Insurance
The developement of insurance can date back to Ancient times. Even though it is unclear how the idea of insurance got started, it was definitly something that had been happening for many years. "...historians generally trace its development back to ancient babylonian traders who feared that their shipments across the desert might fall prey to bandits, dust storms, or camels with shoddy knees." (Page 5, Sick)These traders needed a method to cover the loss in case its shipment became lost or destroyed. They ended up creating a 'fund' to cover these losses. This idea developed further into financial support and, "Eventually companies dedicated exclusively to providing insurance came into existence." (Pg. 5, Sick) And, eventually, using insurance to cover costs for the ill came into existence in the 20th century.
As the use of insurance became more common, the system itself created problems over time. "We devote about 17 percent of our gross domestic product to health care, far more than any other developed nation...ours does not guarantee every other wealthy industrialized democracy, ours does not guarantee health insurance. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 45 million of us lack coverage." (Page 65, Landmark) Also, in the film 'Sicko,' Michael Moore discusses the issues and flaws within the U.S. health care system. Many Americans do not have health insurance for ridiculous reasons that makes us question how selfish the system is. Profit is more valued then the will to support as many sick people as possible. Moore brings up about the many reasons people are denied. There is no universal health care in the U.S. and ironically, many Americans are dissatisfied because it is clearly unfair.
2. The Culture of Hospitals
"In the United States during the twentieth century, death moved out of the home and into medical institutions. Today, more Americans die in hospitals than anywhere else, and the most frequent response to critical illness there is to try to starve off death with the most sophisticated technological means available." (Page 25, And a Time to Die) Hospitals have become the dominant practices revolving around illness and dying. However, do people realize the contradictions and culture-like actions within hospitals? "The contemporary hospital, with its remarkable tools and complicated ways of organizing health professionals work and moving patients and families through the system, is on the cutting edge of culture-making. Its system, techniques, and logic shape the forms of dying that occur there." (Page 28, And a Time to Die) When giving the idea of hospitals a second thought, it feels a bit strange that hospitals are indeed shaping our culture when dealing with death.
The culture of hospitals are also illustrated from the film, 'Near Death.' Ill patients are kept on white beds in white surroundings. Doctors are in white clothing and check in with the patients. While patients and their families should make decisions about their sickness and nearing death, they are given choices to decide upon by the hospitals 'rules.' It is a culture in itself because of the rules set by the hospital, and the common all-white setting. Tubes and machinery are used to give the patient more time to continue living.
3. Isoloation of the Sick
Today, people have a natural tendency to make themselves look better than others by society's standards and to feel bad when they are seen as the ousider of the stero-type of what we believe to be 'normal' from a person. "He posses a stigma, an undesired differentness from what we had aniticipated." (Page 5, Stigma) Unfortunantly, one major group of people who are stigmatized are those who are severly ill. This leads to isolation and feeling 'not normal' and as though they are unhuman. Even for those who are cured of that illness, they continue to live with the label of the person who had experienced that disease. "Where such repair is possible, what often results is not he acquisition of fully normal status, but a transformation of self from someone with a particular blemish into someone with a record of having a corrected a particular blemish. In other words, those who experience an illness or disability are labeled with that name, instead of as a normal individual as everyone else.
The isolation of the sick is also revealed within hospital grounds. "The institutional response to these cutbacks has been for nursing homes to transfer dying patients to hospitals to avoid the cost of intensive treatments, and for hospitals to discharge patients, once they are labeled "dying," so as not to incur the cost of palliative care. Simply put, at this point in history, dying people are not wanted in medical institutions, and it shows." (Page 29, And a Time to Die) Sick people are looked down upon by 'stigmas' and are also unwanted by hospitals and institutions to avoid costly care.
Source Citations:
*Cohn, Jonathan. 'Sick'. Harper Collins. Ny. 2007.
*Goffman, Erving. 'STIGMA: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity'. Prentice Hall. NJ. 1963.
*Kaufman, Sharon R. 'And A Time to Die: How American Hospitals shape the End of Life'. Simon & Schuster. New York. 2005
*Michael Moore. 'Sicko'. (Film). 2007.
*'Near Death'. (Film)
*Staff of Washington Post. 'Landmark'. Public Affairs. New York. 2010.
The developement of insurance can date back to Ancient times. Even though it is unclear how the idea of insurance got started, it was definitly something that had been happening for many years. "...historians generally trace its development back to ancient babylonian traders who feared that their shipments across the desert might fall prey to bandits, dust storms, or camels with shoddy knees." (Page 5, Sick)These traders needed a method to cover the loss in case its shipment became lost or destroyed. They ended up creating a 'fund' to cover these losses. This idea developed further into financial support and, "Eventually companies dedicated exclusively to providing insurance came into existence." (Pg. 5, Sick) And, eventually, using insurance to cover costs for the ill came into existence in the 20th century.
As the use of insurance became more common, the system itself created problems over time. "We devote about 17 percent of our gross domestic product to health care, far more than any other developed nation...ours does not guarantee every other wealthy industrialized democracy, ours does not guarantee health insurance. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 45 million of us lack coverage." (Page 65, Landmark) Also, in the film 'Sicko,' Michael Moore discusses the issues and flaws within the U.S. health care system. Many Americans do not have health insurance for ridiculous reasons that makes us question how selfish the system is. Profit is more valued then the will to support as many sick people as possible. Moore brings up about the many reasons people are denied. There is no universal health care in the U.S. and ironically, many Americans are dissatisfied because it is clearly unfair.
2. The Culture of Hospitals
"In the United States during the twentieth century, death moved out of the home and into medical institutions. Today, more Americans die in hospitals than anywhere else, and the most frequent response to critical illness there is to try to starve off death with the most sophisticated technological means available." (Page 25, And a Time to Die) Hospitals have become the dominant practices revolving around illness and dying. However, do people realize the contradictions and culture-like actions within hospitals? "The contemporary hospital, with its remarkable tools and complicated ways of organizing health professionals work and moving patients and families through the system, is on the cutting edge of culture-making. Its system, techniques, and logic shape the forms of dying that occur there." (Page 28, And a Time to Die) When giving the idea of hospitals a second thought, it feels a bit strange that hospitals are indeed shaping our culture when dealing with death.
The culture of hospitals are also illustrated from the film, 'Near Death.' Ill patients are kept on white beds in white surroundings. Doctors are in white clothing and check in with the patients. While patients and their families should make decisions about their sickness and nearing death, they are given choices to decide upon by the hospitals 'rules.' It is a culture in itself because of the rules set by the hospital, and the common all-white setting. Tubes and machinery are used to give the patient more time to continue living.
3. Isoloation of the Sick
Today, people have a natural tendency to make themselves look better than others by society's standards and to feel bad when they are seen as the ousider of the stero-type of what we believe to be 'normal' from a person. "He posses a stigma, an undesired differentness from what we had aniticipated." (Page 5, Stigma) Unfortunantly, one major group of people who are stigmatized are those who are severly ill. This leads to isolation and feeling 'not normal' and as though they are unhuman. Even for those who are cured of that illness, they continue to live with the label of the person who had experienced that disease. "Where such repair is possible, what often results is not he acquisition of fully normal status, but a transformation of self from someone with a particular blemish into someone with a record of having a corrected a particular blemish. In other words, those who experience an illness or disability are labeled with that name, instead of as a normal individual as everyone else.
The isolation of the sick is also revealed within hospital grounds. "The institutional response to these cutbacks has been for nursing homes to transfer dying patients to hospitals to avoid the cost of intensive treatments, and for hospitals to discharge patients, once they are labeled "dying," so as not to incur the cost of palliative care. Simply put, at this point in history, dying people are not wanted in medical institutions, and it shows." (Page 29, And a Time to Die) Sick people are looked down upon by 'stigmas' and are also unwanted by hospitals and institutions to avoid costly care.
Source Citations:
*Cohn, Jonathan. 'Sick'. Harper Collins. Ny. 2007.
*Goffman, Erving. 'STIGMA: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity'. Prentice Hall. NJ. 1963.
*Kaufman, Sharon R. 'And A Time to Die: How American Hospitals shape the End of Life'. Simon & Schuster. New York. 2005
*Michael Moore. 'Sicko'. (Film). 2007.
*'Near Death'. (Film)
*Staff of Washington Post. 'Landmark'. Public Affairs. New York. 2010.
Monday, January 3, 2011
HW#28: Comments 2
For Sarah:
"I found your post very insightful and deep. The post painted a great visual that made me want to read more. I found this line particularly insightful, "It was as if this woman was slowly turning back into an infant with no sense of her surroundings." This line moved me, along with the whole post in general."
For Stephanie:
"I found your post very moving and explicitly showed your reactions and emotions toward this figure. A line I found very insightful was, "It is possible that she doesn't want to feel like she is relying on medicine to keep her alive and she wants to die "naturally" and if it's her time to go she wants to just go." I also found it ironic that this figure was the complete oppostite as my grandmother who relies on medicine because she's afraid of death. The post made me question how we should use medicine."
For Jay:
"I actually found this post interesting, and brought up a few things that caught my attention. One line that I liked was, "I think its wrong, people should be allowed their privacy. Yes, sure the have the right to say no, buy even if they had said yes, even if they wanted to be interviewed I'd still feel wrong about it." I do agree with you on this, because I also felt it was too personal about doing this particular homework assignment. It just feels wrong to observe and analyze ill people."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments on my HW#27:
Mom:
I thought your post showed your emotions and was a moving post in general. I thought you painted the person well through your perspective. I found the line, "Watching her sometimes frustrates me-especially on those days I sleep in late and end up doing nothing productive. Having an ill person so close in my life makes me question myself if I'm making my own life meaningful at all," very thought provoking ad grabbed my attention. I guess when people are healthy and not ill, people tend to value less about our lives.
From Sarah:
Megumi - I found your blog post very captivating and personal. You really went into depth with your own feelings about what was happening. I liked that you connected it directly to the other sources used in this class. The line, "I was shocked but I knew I had to stay strong so I could reassure her that everything will be okay." It made me think about how whenever I am around someone who is very sick I often get more emotional than they are. It seems like the person who isn't sick is more scared than the person actually suffering. I enjoyed reading this nicely written story.
From Steph:
While reading your post two sentences really popped out to me. The first being "Right now, I see her as a strong independent figure that continues to teach me the importance of living." I was impressed by this sentence because it is very strong and powerful and I personally would feel great hearing this from a loved one it would give me the courage to keep fighting. The second sentence that popped out to me was "I was shocked but I knew I had to stay strong so I could reassure her that everything will be okay" This popped out to me because although your sad you know you have to stay strong for your loved one because the struggle is a lot harder for her. Your post was very inspirational and drew me in great job.
Crissy (Younger reader):
when i read your post 1 sentence POPPED OUT TO ME.I WAS IMPRESSED BY THE SENTENCE BECAUSE IT WAS VERY STRONG AND POWERFUL
"I found your post very insightful and deep. The post painted a great visual that made me want to read more. I found this line particularly insightful, "It was as if this woman was slowly turning back into an infant with no sense of her surroundings." This line moved me, along with the whole post in general."
For Stephanie:
"I found your post very moving and explicitly showed your reactions and emotions toward this figure. A line I found very insightful was, "It is possible that she doesn't want to feel like she is relying on medicine to keep her alive and she wants to die "naturally" and if it's her time to go she wants to just go." I also found it ironic that this figure was the complete oppostite as my grandmother who relies on medicine because she's afraid of death. The post made me question how we should use medicine."
For Jay:
"I actually found this post interesting, and brought up a few things that caught my attention. One line that I liked was, "I think its wrong, people should be allowed their privacy. Yes, sure the have the right to say no, buy even if they had said yes, even if they wanted to be interviewed I'd still feel wrong about it." I do agree with you on this, because I also felt it was too personal about doing this particular homework assignment. It just feels wrong to observe and analyze ill people."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments on my HW#27:
Mom:
I thought your post showed your emotions and was a moving post in general. I thought you painted the person well through your perspective. I found the line, "Watching her sometimes frustrates me-especially on those days I sleep in late and end up doing nothing productive. Having an ill person so close in my life makes me question myself if I'm making my own life meaningful at all," very thought provoking ad grabbed my attention. I guess when people are healthy and not ill, people tend to value less about our lives.
From Sarah:
Megumi - I found your blog post very captivating and personal. You really went into depth with your own feelings about what was happening. I liked that you connected it directly to the other sources used in this class. The line, "I was shocked but I knew I had to stay strong so I could reassure her that everything will be okay." It made me think about how whenever I am around someone who is very sick I often get more emotional than they are. It seems like the person who isn't sick is more scared than the person actually suffering. I enjoyed reading this nicely written story.
From Steph:
While reading your post two sentences really popped out to me. The first being "Right now, I see her as a strong independent figure that continues to teach me the importance of living." I was impressed by this sentence because it is very strong and powerful and I personally would feel great hearing this from a loved one it would give me the courage to keep fighting. The second sentence that popped out to me was "I was shocked but I knew I had to stay strong so I could reassure her that everything will be okay" This popped out to me because although your sad you know you have to stay strong for your loved one because the struggle is a lot harder for her. Your post was very inspirational and drew me in great job.
Crissy (Younger reader):
when i read your post 1 sentence POPPED OUT TO ME.I WAS IMPRESSED BY THE SENTENCE BECAUSE IT WAS VERY STRONG AND POWERFUL
Thursday, December 23, 2010
HW#27: Visiting an Unwell Person
Despite her illness, it seemed as if she has moved on and accepted the fact that she was ill. She accepted the reality a long time ago that she would have to live until her death with her cancer. I don't know if I would be able to keep my sanity if I were in her shoes-I wouldn't be able to retain my fear of when death would appear around the corner. I wonder how she is able to deal with her reality. It hurts to see her take medications that won't be able to cure her illness completely. I never started the conversation about how she feels about her own illness because I felt as though that was too personal-even though I'm going to keep her anonymous. I only smiled and talked casually like with any of my friends.
I still remember when she heard her cancer spread and if she wanted to take chemotherapy. I was shocked but I knew I had to stay strong so I could reassure her that everything will be okay. I think she was able to move on and accept her illness because of time. She had a lot of time to really think about the situation she was placed in, and probably decided that crying over it wouldn't do much. There are also things she wants to do and accomplish before her death, and I think that is the main reason she continues to push herself to live as long as she can. Right now, I see her as a strong independent figure that continues to teach me the importance of living. When I watch her, or just talk to her, I always question myself if I'm really living my life to the fullest-whatever that means. If there's something I want to do before death, than maybe I should do it sooner than later. Watching her sometimes frustrates me-especially on those days I sleep in late and end up doing nothing productive. Having an ill person so close in my life makes me question myself if I'm making my own life meaningful at all.
She is definitly stronger than me mentally, but she's only human. I think cancer has made her more tired-and that shows human vulnerability. The fact that I can't do anything to make her feel better also shows how vulnerable I am as another person. (The same would apply to her doctors.) The fact that her cancer is most likely getting worse (despite her medications) shows her mortality as a person. It's scary, but watching her made me see visually how weak people are in general.
There's a few insights from other sources that applies to her. When the guest speaker came in class to talk about her husband's illness and death I felt uncomfortable because it reminded me of when she was in the hospital after her surgery (right now she's at home). The guest speaker said that she wanted 'the doctors to see her husband as a person-an artist,father,and husband-and not just a cancer.' Some doctors I liked more than others and I think her insight has to do with that. I liked a particular nurse because she was really sweet to me and her other visitors. I felt like she didn't see the patient just as a 'cancer.' There was a doctor I particualarly disliked because he just checked her and moved on-he was just doing his job. He was emotionless-and at the time I thought he was a complete jerk. From the book, "Mountains Beyond Mountains," I found it insightful that Dr. Paul Farmer honestly just wanted to make Haiti a better place and never put money before curing patients. Reading the book made me wish that there were more purely devoted doctors like himself-
I still remember when she heard her cancer spread and if she wanted to take chemotherapy. I was shocked but I knew I had to stay strong so I could reassure her that everything will be okay. I think she was able to move on and accept her illness because of time. She had a lot of time to really think about the situation she was placed in, and probably decided that crying over it wouldn't do much. There are also things she wants to do and accomplish before her death, and I think that is the main reason she continues to push herself to live as long as she can. Right now, I see her as a strong independent figure that continues to teach me the importance of living. When I watch her, or just talk to her, I always question myself if I'm really living my life to the fullest-whatever that means. If there's something I want to do before death, than maybe I should do it sooner than later. Watching her sometimes frustrates me-especially on those days I sleep in late and end up doing nothing productive. Having an ill person so close in my life makes me question myself if I'm making my own life meaningful at all.
She is definitly stronger than me mentally, but she's only human. I think cancer has made her more tired-and that shows human vulnerability. The fact that I can't do anything to make her feel better also shows how vulnerable I am as another person. (The same would apply to her doctors.) The fact that her cancer is most likely getting worse (despite her medications) shows her mortality as a person. It's scary, but watching her made me see visually how weak people are in general.
There's a few insights from other sources that applies to her. When the guest speaker came in class to talk about her husband's illness and death I felt uncomfortable because it reminded me of when she was in the hospital after her surgery (right now she's at home). The guest speaker said that she wanted 'the doctors to see her husband as a person-an artist,father,and husband-and not just a cancer.' Some doctors I liked more than others and I think her insight has to do with that. I liked a particular nurse because she was really sweet to me and her other visitors. I felt like she didn't see the patient just as a 'cancer.' There was a doctor I particualarly disliked because he just checked her and moved on-he was just doing his job. He was emotionless-and at the time I thought he was a complete jerk. From the book, "Mountains Beyond Mountains," I found it insightful that Dr. Paul Farmer honestly just wanted to make Haiti a better place and never put money before curing patients. Reading the book made me wish that there were more purely devoted doctors like himself-
HW#26: Looking Back and Forth in Unit
What I learned so far:
1.) There are flaws in the U.S. health care system that has infinite reasons to deny coverage so the companies can maximize their profits. (Sicko)
2.) Health unsurance in the U.S. started in the congress. President Nixon approved HMO's around 1973 for the purpose of gaining profit. (Sicko)
3.) One of the main reasons why U.S health insurance is exspensive is because of indigent care. Individuals who do not have money tend to go to emergency rooms which are more pricey than normal doctor appointments. Public hospitals pay the money which can cause the hospital to collapse. (Andy)
4.) Doctors sometimes make decisions through conversations with each other instead of with the patient. The issue of consent gets confusing. (Near Death)
5.) Doctors pursuade ill patients toward certain 'care.' In the film, a doctor told the patient the choice of rejecting tubes going in his body again was 'unreasonable' and said that money was not the main issue at hand. (Near Death)
So far in the unit, I learned a glimpse of the history of U.S. health insurance system and the contrast of U.S health insurance to those of Canada and Europe. I also learned that health insurance and the issue of the relationships between doctor and patient is not simple. The film 'Sicko' was helpful in having a better understanding of the dominant social practices of illness and dying. For some reason, I didn't think much about health insurance, and the film helped me develop an opinion on the system. It gave me some insight into the vague flaws of the health insurance in the U.S. and introduced places that provided free universal health care. Not only was the film interesting, but it was a helpful introduction to give me a sense of the reality of health insurance. It was easy to follow and helped me gain interest in the subject of health insurance and how this connects to the dominant practices of our unit.
Another helpful source was the documentary 'Near Death.' Our dominant model of allopathic medicine is portrayed well in the film and helped me deeply think about the dominant practices of dying. Doctors in these hospitals deal with dying and ill patients all the time, and sadly, there are times when they cannot base decisions solely based on the sick patient. The film so far has made me question theses dominant practices, and if perhaps our society does not treat death as a serious topic.
For the last part of the unit, I think exploring the alternatives and possible solutions in the flaws of allopathic treatment and our health insurance system. I'd like to learn more and make a contrast between different countries when dealing with health insurace. Free universal health insurance seems like the best solution, but then why did many Republicans disagree with Obama's plan? A difference in opinion means that not everyone thinks free health care is best-I like to learn why, or at least their opinion.
1.) There are flaws in the U.S. health care system that has infinite reasons to deny coverage so the companies can maximize their profits. (Sicko)
2.) Health unsurance in the U.S. started in the congress. President Nixon approved HMO's around 1973 for the purpose of gaining profit. (Sicko)
3.) One of the main reasons why U.S health insurance is exspensive is because of indigent care. Individuals who do not have money tend to go to emergency rooms which are more pricey than normal doctor appointments. Public hospitals pay the money which can cause the hospital to collapse. (Andy)
4.) Doctors sometimes make decisions through conversations with each other instead of with the patient. The issue of consent gets confusing. (Near Death)
5.) Doctors pursuade ill patients toward certain 'care.' In the film, a doctor told the patient the choice of rejecting tubes going in his body again was 'unreasonable' and said that money was not the main issue at hand. (Near Death)
So far in the unit, I learned a glimpse of the history of U.S. health insurance system and the contrast of U.S health insurance to those of Canada and Europe. I also learned that health insurance and the issue of the relationships between doctor and patient is not simple. The film 'Sicko' was helpful in having a better understanding of the dominant social practices of illness and dying. For some reason, I didn't think much about health insurance, and the film helped me develop an opinion on the system. It gave me some insight into the vague flaws of the health insurance in the U.S. and introduced places that provided free universal health care. Not only was the film interesting, but it was a helpful introduction to give me a sense of the reality of health insurance. It was easy to follow and helped me gain interest in the subject of health insurance and how this connects to the dominant practices of our unit.
Another helpful source was the documentary 'Near Death.' Our dominant model of allopathic medicine is portrayed well in the film and helped me deeply think about the dominant practices of dying. Doctors in these hospitals deal with dying and ill patients all the time, and sadly, there are times when they cannot base decisions solely based on the sick patient. The film so far has made me question theses dominant practices, and if perhaps our society does not treat death as a serious topic.
For the last part of the unit, I think exploring the alternatives and possible solutions in the flaws of allopathic treatment and our health insurance system. I'd like to learn more and make a contrast between different countries when dealing with health insurace. Free universal health insurance seems like the best solution, but then why did many Republicans disagree with Obama's plan? A difference in opinion means that not everyone thinks free health care is best-I like to learn why, or at least their opinion.
Monday, December 20, 2010
HW#25: Response to Sicko
Precis:
50 million people in America do not have health insurance, however Michael Moore wants to criticize the health care system itself and the problems with it despite having insurance. Health care insurance in the U.S do not cover all costs and works hard in finding excuses not to pay. The system doesn’t really ‘care’ for the people, since it is a business in goals of achieving massive profit. In fact, the system used money to destroy Hillary Clinton’s health care plan and succeeded. Michael Moore than presents an alternative, where in places like Canada and Europe, there is a universal health care system for all people.
Evidence:
Specific Pieces of evidence to support his thesis (The U.S health care system is inadequate):
* The Health care system maximizes denial reasons to gain profit. Examples of reasons to decline coverage would be: 'pre-existing conditions',ambulance emergencies,some cancer,heart disease, and diabetes.
* During Bush's administration, the government paid the elderly to get prescription through pharmaceuticals but the elderly ended up paying more.
These two pieces of evidence supports his thesis of how the U.S health care system is inadequate and is lacking to help the sick. The first piece of evidence gives an example of how the system is all about profit-motive moreso than the emotional devotion to cure and help more people. This is precisely why the system is so poor in their job, because the people are only in for the money when massive amounts of money should be used to help the ill. The second piece of evidence shows a sense of betrayal. The reform prescription under Bush's administration seemed to be supportive of the elderly, when really it was a system to have the elderly spend more money. The system is not only money obsessive, but manipulative and unfair.
Fact Check:
On CNN's fact check that I had to examine, it was stated in the interview that health care is not necessarily 'free' in places Sicko said it was. (France, Britain)The people there pay higher tax rates in the U.S. This was something Moore neglected to mention as he praised the health care system where it was provided for 'free.'
From doing some research, I can tell Michael Moore neglected the negative aspects of the health care system in other areas:
"So far France has been able to hold down the burden on patients through a combination of price controls and increased government spending, but the latter effort has led to higher taxes for both employers and workers. In 1990, 7% of health-care expenditures were financed out of general revenue taxes, and the rest came from mandatory payroll taxes. By 2003, the general revenue figure had grown to 40%, and it's still not enough. The French national insurance system has been running constant deficits since 1985 and has ballooned to $13.5 billion."
(Quote from: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_28/b4042070.htm)
This quote shows that the French Health Care system in which Moore spoke as an example of the best system, wasn't a perfect system. The U.S. insurace companies can definitly learn a lesson or two from France, but I think Moore should have mentioned these facts that I found. Watching the film, I thought something was odd about how Michael Moore made other health care systems so wonderful and where all the money to care all these ill people came from. It's from the high taxes.
Just to make sure I found another site that says, "Finally, no discussion of highly taxed nations would be complete without including France. With a top marginal tax rate on average workers of about 40% (and a top tax on high-income workers of nearly 50%), France is long-known for sacrificing economic growth to social benefits handed out by government."
This makes complete sense now, and why the people in France seem to have so many 'benefits.'
Sources:
The French Lesson in Health care: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_28/b4042070.htm
12 Countries with the Highest & LowestTax Rates: http://www.businesspundit.com/12-countries-with-the-highest-lowest-tax-rates/
Response:
In general, I thought the movie Sicko was interesting, while it was very one-sided and was a complete propaganda. I found the film touching and provacative. I can tell Moore just wanted to throw in a bunch of facts to support his views on the flaws of the U.S health care system even though it was random and out of order. I knew that in a Capitalist system, everyone always has a profit-motive in mind and health care is just another form of business-I just didn't know how bad it was. The list of reasons to decline covering for costs struck me the most. He made the people in France (and other places) seem happy and shook their heads when asked about the system in the U.S. The film made me think twice about our health care system and the flaws that come with it.
Even though Moore failed to voice the other side of his argument to make himself sound justified throughout: the film definitly made me think and question about the dominant social practices around the unit. In our society, we as people want to believe that the government and these health insurance companies will provide us all the care because they really want to 'help' us. I think illness and dying in our society is taken as a 'business' because clearly no company wants to spend money on illness and diseases that are costly. This is wrong, but it is the truth that I have to deal with. Perhaps before watching the film and learning about the unit, I was narrow-minded on the sensitive topic: why would companies under the Capitalist system care about people they don't know if its going to cost billions of dollars?
50 million people in America do not have health insurance, however Michael Moore wants to criticize the health care system itself and the problems with it despite having insurance. Health care insurance in the U.S do not cover all costs and works hard in finding excuses not to pay. The system doesn’t really ‘care’ for the people, since it is a business in goals of achieving massive profit. In fact, the system used money to destroy Hillary Clinton’s health care plan and succeeded. Michael Moore than presents an alternative, where in places like Canada and Europe, there is a universal health care system for all people.
Evidence:
Specific Pieces of evidence to support his thesis (The U.S health care system is inadequate):
* The Health care system maximizes denial reasons to gain profit. Examples of reasons to decline coverage would be: 'pre-existing conditions',ambulance emergencies,some cancer,heart disease, and diabetes.
* During Bush's administration, the government paid the elderly to get prescription through pharmaceuticals but the elderly ended up paying more.
These two pieces of evidence supports his thesis of how the U.S health care system is inadequate and is lacking to help the sick. The first piece of evidence gives an example of how the system is all about profit-motive moreso than the emotional devotion to cure and help more people. This is precisely why the system is so poor in their job, because the people are only in for the money when massive amounts of money should be used to help the ill. The second piece of evidence shows a sense of betrayal. The reform prescription under Bush's administration seemed to be supportive of the elderly, when really it was a system to have the elderly spend more money. The system is not only money obsessive, but manipulative and unfair.
Fact Check:
On CNN's fact check that I had to examine, it was stated in the interview that health care is not necessarily 'free' in places Sicko said it was. (France, Britain)The people there pay higher tax rates in the U.S. This was something Moore neglected to mention as he praised the health care system where it was provided for 'free.'
From doing some research, I can tell Michael Moore neglected the negative aspects of the health care system in other areas:
"So far France has been able to hold down the burden on patients through a combination of price controls and increased government spending, but the latter effort has led to higher taxes for both employers and workers. In 1990, 7% of health-care expenditures were financed out of general revenue taxes, and the rest came from mandatory payroll taxes. By 2003, the general revenue figure had grown to 40%, and it's still not enough. The French national insurance system has been running constant deficits since 1985 and has ballooned to $13.5 billion."
(Quote from: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_28/b4042070.htm)
This quote shows that the French Health Care system in which Moore spoke as an example of the best system, wasn't a perfect system. The U.S. insurace companies can definitly learn a lesson or two from France, but I think Moore should have mentioned these facts that I found. Watching the film, I thought something was odd about how Michael Moore made other health care systems so wonderful and where all the money to care all these ill people came from. It's from the high taxes.
Just to make sure I found another site that says, "Finally, no discussion of highly taxed nations would be complete without including France. With a top marginal tax rate on average workers of about 40% (and a top tax on high-income workers of nearly 50%), France is long-known for sacrificing economic growth to social benefits handed out by government."
This makes complete sense now, and why the people in France seem to have so many 'benefits.'
Sources:
The French Lesson in Health care: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_28/b4042070.htm
12 Countries with the Highest & LowestTax Rates: http://www.businesspundit.com/12-countries-with-the-highest-lowest-tax-rates/
Response:
In general, I thought the movie Sicko was interesting, while it was very one-sided and was a complete propaganda. I found the film touching and provacative. I can tell Moore just wanted to throw in a bunch of facts to support his views on the flaws of the U.S health care system even though it was random and out of order. I knew that in a Capitalist system, everyone always has a profit-motive in mind and health care is just another form of business-I just didn't know how bad it was. The list of reasons to decline covering for costs struck me the most. He made the people in France (and other places) seem happy and shook their heads when asked about the system in the U.S. The film made me think twice about our health care system and the flaws that come with it.
Even though Moore failed to voice the other side of his argument to make himself sound justified throughout: the film definitly made me think and question about the dominant social practices around the unit. In our society, we as people want to believe that the government and these health insurance companies will provide us all the care because they really want to 'help' us. I think illness and dying in our society is taken as a 'business' because clearly no company wants to spend money on illness and diseases that are costly. This is wrong, but it is the truth that I have to deal with. Perhaps before watching the film and learning about the unit, I was narrow-minded on the sensitive topic: why would companies under the Capitalist system care about people they don't know if its going to cost billions of dollars?
Saturday, December 18, 2010
HW#24- Illness and Dying Book Part 3
Bibliographic Info:
Title: Mountains Beyond Mountains
Author: Tracy Kidder
Publisher: The Random House Publishing Group
Year Published: 2003
Precis:
Tracy Kidder (the author) takes on a journey with Dr. Paul Farmer. Unlike most doctors, Farmer is devoted in actually curing his patients and pursues his goal to send medicine and care to countries that need it most (i.e Haiti) He walks miles and miles to check in on his Haitian patients, take long plane rides to and from Haiti, and speaks about the situation in these poor countries in books and in conferences. He is a doctor who represents the people of Haiti who are unable to speak for themselves because of their poverty and illness, and is willing to spend his whole life doing so. He should be a role model for other doctors.
Quotes/Responses:
"You're a great guy." I said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "But without your clinical practice-" He interrupted. He said, "I wouldn't be anything." (Page 237)
Response: I found it interesting that Farmer knew that he wouldn't have been in his current position if not for his medical expertise. I coudn't help but think that even though Farmer was devoted and hard working, at the same time he thought of himself highly-which wasn't true at all.
"It occured to me that PIH would probably always be in some kind of jeopardy, because it was constitutionally impossible for Farmer and Kim to sit on resources-to wait for lower drug prices while MDR killed Russian prisoners, to save for an endowment for Zanmi Lasante while Hatian peasants died of AIDS. Their approach, especially toward money, was completely impractical, it seemed to me, and yet it appeared to be working." (Page 253)
Response: Nobody likes the idea of people dying in third world countries because they lack standard care and medicine, but there's always the barrier of money. It's surprising how Farmer and PIH members take the money risk, and shows that they care more about the people who are ill and dying instead of themselves.
"It's embarressing that piddly little projects like ours should serve as exemplars," Farmer told me. "It's only because other people haven't been doing their jobs." (Page 257)
Response: I agree, and its sad that there is such a lack of support and aid. I understand that its not an easy task, but it still makes me question whether people in general can actually have the devotion to support others.
"Hiking into the hills to see just one patient or two is a dumb way for Farmer to spend his time, and even if it weren't, not many other people will follow his example, not enough to make much difference in the world." (Page 294)
Response: I understand where this opinion comes from, but I think it DOES make a difference. Even if its only one person that starts doing something thats obviously 'good' than its going to attract attention.
"And I can imagine Farmer saying he doesn't care if no one else is willing to follow their example. He's still going to make these hikes, he'd insist, because if you say that seven hours is too long to walk for two families of patients, you're saying that their lives matter less than some others', and the idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that's wrong with the world." (Page 294)
Response: This was the most moving quote I found personally, because it makes a lot of sense. Somehow, people tend to create ranks in their minds of who is more important than others and there's something wrong with that idea. And, I think Farmer should be a figure more people should look up to because he teaches lessons other than the obvious that those in poor needs equal care.
I thought this book taught me a valuable lesson about the lives of others, and the fact that not many people can take risks that can help others on a grand scale. Especially towards the end, I found it very insightful that Farmer only does what he does because he wants to and doesn't expect others to follow in his footsteps. I don't think its possible to have people do what Farmer does, but I think its possible for people to get something out of Farmer's views and opinions. I think the problem with today's society is the lack of devotion for others, because we always put ourselves before others. It's hard to risk our own money, status, or anything else even if its for the better good for others.
Title: Mountains Beyond Mountains
Author: Tracy Kidder
Publisher: The Random House Publishing Group
Year Published: 2003
Precis:
Tracy Kidder (the author) takes on a journey with Dr. Paul Farmer. Unlike most doctors, Farmer is devoted in actually curing his patients and pursues his goal to send medicine and care to countries that need it most (i.e Haiti) He walks miles and miles to check in on his Haitian patients, take long plane rides to and from Haiti, and speaks about the situation in these poor countries in books and in conferences. He is a doctor who represents the people of Haiti who are unable to speak for themselves because of their poverty and illness, and is willing to spend his whole life doing so. He should be a role model for other doctors.
Quotes/Responses:
"You're a great guy." I said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "But without your clinical practice-" He interrupted. He said, "I wouldn't be anything." (Page 237)
Response: I found it interesting that Farmer knew that he wouldn't have been in his current position if not for his medical expertise. I coudn't help but think that even though Farmer was devoted and hard working, at the same time he thought of himself highly-which wasn't true at all.
"It occured to me that PIH would probably always be in some kind of jeopardy, because it was constitutionally impossible for Farmer and Kim to sit on resources-to wait for lower drug prices while MDR killed Russian prisoners, to save for an endowment for Zanmi Lasante while Hatian peasants died of AIDS. Their approach, especially toward money, was completely impractical, it seemed to me, and yet it appeared to be working." (Page 253)
Response: Nobody likes the idea of people dying in third world countries because they lack standard care and medicine, but there's always the barrier of money. It's surprising how Farmer and PIH members take the money risk, and shows that they care more about the people who are ill and dying instead of themselves.
"It's embarressing that piddly little projects like ours should serve as exemplars," Farmer told me. "It's only because other people haven't been doing their jobs." (Page 257)
Response: I agree, and its sad that there is such a lack of support and aid. I understand that its not an easy task, but it still makes me question whether people in general can actually have the devotion to support others.
"Hiking into the hills to see just one patient or two is a dumb way for Farmer to spend his time, and even if it weren't, not many other people will follow his example, not enough to make much difference in the world." (Page 294)
Response: I understand where this opinion comes from, but I think it DOES make a difference. Even if its only one person that starts doing something thats obviously 'good' than its going to attract attention.
"And I can imagine Farmer saying he doesn't care if no one else is willing to follow their example. He's still going to make these hikes, he'd insist, because if you say that seven hours is too long to walk for two families of patients, you're saying that their lives matter less than some others', and the idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that's wrong with the world." (Page 294)
Response: This was the most moving quote I found personally, because it makes a lot of sense. Somehow, people tend to create ranks in their minds of who is more important than others and there's something wrong with that idea. And, I think Farmer should be a figure more people should look up to because he teaches lessons other than the obvious that those in poor needs equal care.
I thought this book taught me a valuable lesson about the lives of others, and the fact that not many people can take risks that can help others on a grand scale. Especially towards the end, I found it very insightful that Farmer only does what he does because he wants to and doesn't expect others to follow in his footsteps. I don't think its possible to have people do what Farmer does, but I think its possible for people to get something out of Farmer's views and opinions. I think the problem with today's society is the lack of devotion for others, because we always put ourselves before others. It's hard to risk our own money, status, or anything else even if its for the better good for others.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)