HLTH100 Harvard University Life and Existence Paper 1.The paper already finished, but the reqirement needs five outside additonal sources. I only have one now.
2. Please make the new sources fits the original cotaxtl, you can change them if you need,
3. use specifica page number when you do the citation and share the link with me after you finished.
4. please use online sources so we can check it later .
thank you Running head: JOSE AND JORGE
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Jose and Jorge
Introduction
An individual’s life and existence is surrounded by multiple factors, some of which aid in
prolonged survival and some which alter life patterns. Most of these factors revolve in and
around the environment that such an individual is exposed to. The environment is a great
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contributor to an individual’s lifespan. For example, a given environment may disclose an
individual to specific health issues and behaviors such as crime and drug addiction. This may
shorten the lifespan of such an individual since he/she may spend most of his/her time with low
immunity and exposure to health diminishing issues. On the other hand, another person may
reside in a conducive environment free from health issues and unethical behaviors. Such a person
is likely to fight the health hazards that come their way using the right channels compared to the
former.
Children mainly find themselves in environments that they never chose to be in. also,
most of them tend to adapt to their respective environments and form the behaviors they find. In
such an environment, children may join gangs and get introduced to behaviors such as
prostitution, drug abuse, and crime. All these behaviors collectively may influence the health of
such children and in most cases, leave them with illnesses that affect them to their old ages. In
the slums, it is also common not to find better health care compared to environments comprising
of the middle-class and the rich. This means that the medical attention that is given in slums may
be less hence lowering the lifespan of individuals in such areas. In areas inhabited by the rich and
the middle-class, there are multiple placed health facilities which ensure that the residents of
such environments acquire quick medical attention. As such, these areas provide strategies
involving health standards, which include child immunization, frequent check-up, and
specialized attention. The environment in such places is free of crimes and other unethical
behaviors, thereby reducing the effects of such harmful norms. The environment and the
standards of living, therefore, have such a significant influence on an individual’s lifespan.
Jose and Jorge were identical twins. However, their upbringing in different environments
caused a great difference in their health. Their different disease patterns were also mainly
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influenced by the big GEM determinants. These determinants included behavior, genetics,
socioeconomic status, environment, and medical care. The environment happened to be one that
exposed him to numerous diseases and unethical behavior. In the slum, the environment was
polluted, meaning that the health hazards were just a short distance away. Crime was also one of
the leading behaviors and a key to other behaviors such as drug abuse. With Jose growing up in
such an environment, he was highly susceptible to illnesses. As it is the case in slums,
poverty/low socioeconomic status might have led to Jose’s malnutrition and reduced medical
care. Also, he had missed crucial vaccinations against measles, mumps, rubella, and other
childhood illnesses. Jose’s socioeconomic status and his inability to receive medical care led to
the development of measles at the age of 4.
The socioeconomic status of Jose also pushed him to drop out of school and work in a
factory. However, this did not go well as his health would worsen. Overworking always
triggered his asthmatic condition leaving him panting after work. One of the determinants of
disease, which brought about a hit on Jose’s health, was behavior. When Jose got exposed to
crime and drugs, he had HIV, which he did not know until he was nearly 30 years old. This was
a massive blow to Jose, mainly because he had a weak immune system and did not have the
necessary resources to keep track of his health. At first, Jose was lucky enough to get free
treatment against tuberculosis, but due to lack of follow-up, the condition returned, this time
depleting his energy and ability to breathe. The stage in which the condition was also could not
favor him as drugs would not do any good. Jose was hence hospitalized and wait for death.
Jorge, on the other hand, was favored by the big Gem determinants until a point where he
developed obesity. Jorge’s environment made his life easier as he was able to receive good
childcare. However, despite being exposed to good health care, Jorge seemed to have developed
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a genetic illness, and one which Jose had. Jorge, just like Jose, developed asthma. However, with
adequate treatment, Jorge was able to participate in sports and engage in sports teams, up until he
developed a smoking habit at the age of 14. Jorge’s socioeconomic status could not be compared
to Jose’s. As for Jorge’s education, he never faced crime or unethical behavior such as drug
abuse. However, due to never lacking, he developed obesity, which was the beginning of all
other health problems. Obesity hence caused high blood pressure and diabetes by the time he was
30 years old. In his 40s, he had a heart attack and surgery a few years later. Again, his
socioeconomic status enabled him to seek medical attention, which worked for his favor. The
treatments for hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes went well, leaving Jorge to lead a
professional life into his 40s. At his worst, Jorge was able to afford twice-a-week dialysis, which
kept him as he awaited a kidney transplant. The only thing that might have messed up Jorge’s
health was his eating behavior and nothing more.
As a public health professional, it is crucial to identify the strategies that should be put in
place to reduce the incidences of diseases. Some of these strategies involve directing limited
resources to improve the health of a population. Identifying the type of illness is equally crucial
in creating a healthy population. For example, some diseases may be communicable, while
others are non- communicable. An example of a communicable disease happens to be HIV,
while a non-communicable one is diabetes. HIV and diabetes have become part of national
health tragedies in most countries. HIV mainly has seen the death of many people. This has made
its treatment being made free in most countries. HIV has a great impact on an individual and a
community at large. First, HIV deteriorates an individual’s health and makes them susceptible to
other diseases such as tuberculosis. Many such people live in worse health conditions, if they
couldn’t to follow a doctor’s prescription, and some even die due to lack of immunity. In
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children, HIV results in malnutrition and health-compromising. Education for children would
also be compromised as they mainly undergo language abuse. One of the major blow that is
caused by HIV is death. At times, children grow without their parents as they might have died
from this deadly disease. These children may grow under abject poverty, as in most cases, they
have no one to take care of them.
Addressing HIV requires a health practitioner to set up strategies that match the
environment of the affected and infected people. For example, education of the disease to both
positive and negative members of a region may help. For the HIV negative individuals, they may
be taught on abstinence, use of protection, and other methods that may help keep HIV at bar.
Distribution of condoms and other protective gear may also be necessary for the HIV negative
persons. For the HIV positive patients, they may be taught on the need to follow the doctor’s
prescription mainly in taking the ARVs. Since, in most countries, the treatment of HIV is free, a
health practitioner would not incur any cost unless in education individuals. Many cultures
consider HIV to be a disease brought about by immorality. Also, most people stigmatize patients
with HIV. To stop this stigmatization, it is crucial to educate people on other causes of HIV
rather than sexual intercourse.
Diabetes, on the other hand, is a disease brought about by high blood sugar. Most people
nowadays have suffered from this disease, and some have died as a result of diabetes. The focus
should be drawn towards setting strategies crucial for the reduction of cases related to diabetes.
The two types of diabetes, diabetes mellitus, and diabetes insipidus. Diabetes, just like HIV, has
associated impacts on individuals and the community in general. For example, patients
experience tiredness, sores that are slow to heal, and increased thirst. When addressing the issue
of diabetes, it is crucial to identify the causes of each type. For example, type 1 diabetes may
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rarely be controlled as it is the immune system that mistakenly attacks insulin-producing cells in
the pancreas. However, when addressing type 2 diabetes, it is worth noting its cause as genetics
and lifestyle. People should, therefore, watch their lifestyles mainly what they eat as being obese
increases the risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes. What most people do not know is that
carrying extra weight, mostly in the belly, makes cells more resistant to the effects of insulin on
blood sugar. Unlike with HIV, there are no cultural restrictions with diabetes; hence, it is easy to
combat the disease. The cost of solving the effects caused by diabetes is, however, high; thus, aid
is needed for any practitioner who decides to limit the disease occurrence.
The way communicable diseases and non-communicable ones are addressed may be
different. One factor of addressing communicable diseases is through barrier protections. For
example, in addressing HIV, both male and female condoms may be supplied for free, and
individuals taught on the need to use protection. Non-communicable diseases, on the other hand,
maybe addressed through screening, to identify the diseases at an early stage and treat them
when it’s still early. To select the best strategy, it is best to follow some guidelines such as the
most effective, and one that would be the most acceptable. In a population level, the application
of these strategies would include studying the strategies and the way they have proved to be
effective or ineffective in the past. This would include using web info for the relationship
between the strategy used and the effect experienced. Also, when selecting each strategy, it is
crucial to consider the determinants of disease, including behavior, environment, and
socioeconomic status. For example, using screening in Jose would not be effective BECAUSE
his socioeconomic status is low. However, for Jorge, the strategy would be effective since he
could afford it. However, to stop the socioeconomic status barrier, screening may be made free to
aid those living in abject poverty.
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Conclusion
It is evident that the determinants of the disease have a crucial effect on the development
and cure of a disease. The environment particularly has a huge impact as it encompasses
behavior, social status, and infrastructure. Medical attention is, however, crucial for prolonged
life. As in the case of Jorge, his life was extended as a result of getting medical attention.
Reference
Riegelman, R. and Kirkwood, B. (2019). Public Health 101. 3rd ed. Jones and Bartlett learning,
p.380.
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