Soc 490 Week 5!

These past few weeks in our Soc 490 class we have been discussing ones control over their own health. In our class discussion last night there were many points brought up about who has the ultimate control over health and the factors that affect ones’s health. Some people believe that people can control their health by controlling the factors that influence one’s health. Others believe that their health is completely out of their control and tend to believe bad health is caused but supernatural things. 

While reading Universal Health Care for our assigned readings this week, I noticed two authors in the beginning of the book had two very different viewpoints. Robert Helms thinks that having a Universal Healthcare system would be a moral hazard while Malcolm Gladwell thinks there is no moral hazard involved. Helms talks about how a Universal plan encourages abuse of the system. We said in class that people would be lining up to take advantage of free doctor visits. But, would people really want to go the doctor just because it’s free? I know I already dislike going to the doctor and just because it would be free would not make me want to go. I guess I agree with Gladwell when he says, “You’ll no longer grab one of those free Pepsis when you aren’t really thirsty” (p.59). Gladwell is saying just because it is free people aren’t going to do it just because it is there. If they don’t need to visit the doctor then they wont go. 

Another point we talked about in class was whether one has control over their health. We also compared various statistics of countries with universal plans compared to the United States. In 1990 Italy had a Universal Plan but their mortality rates, and life expectancy were close to those of the United States, but in 2007 their numbers were drastically lower. What cause a decrease in their numbers if they already had a plan set in motion? In the United States there are people dying from heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and accidents. These numbers are almost double the amount compared to Canada. If one has control of their health can we limit these problems? My thought is no because our health is not completely in our control. Even if you eat healthy, and lead what some may call a healthy life style you can still have a condition that is passed down through genetics that could give you heart problems or diabetes.

It is said that people in Italy only eat McDonald’s as a treat, and they walk every where which is one reason their numbers are better than the United States. I don’t think this statement is completely true since not everyone goes to a McDonald’s or other fast food chains daily or even weekly. For some families McDonald’s is used as a reward or a special occasion. Some people believe that if American’s didn’t eat as much fast food then there would be more control over their health. But once again, I don’t think our health is in our control. I think external factors such as not eating healthy and not exercising contribute to bad health, but things like genetic disorders cannot be changed. I also feel that I will always have an argument that ends with a yes but.. which means I think to some extent things are in our hands BUT there are external factors involved.