health communications project

HEALTH COMMUNICATIONS 4026M-W 3:30-4:45

C. TURNER WILSONMARCH 18, 2013

Pathologies of Power Presentation

Chapters 6 and 7

GROUP 4:

Lauren Smith Brad Owens

Sabrina Bowden Daniel Mutai

PATHOLOGIES OF POWERHEALTH, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND THE NEW WAR ON THE POOR

Written by Paul Farmer

University of California Press: Berkley and Los Angeles, California

© 2005 by Regents of the University of California

Retail price: $36.00

ISBN:0-520-24326-9

AUTHOR: PAUL FARMER

Health and human rights Role of social inequalities

in the distribution and outcome of disease

Treatment of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (including multidrug-resistant tuberculosis) in resource-poor settings

Building comprehensive primary health care systems in resource-poor settings

AUTHOR INFO CONTINUED

Medical work in Haiti and Rwanda

Research and writing on structural violence, health, and human rights

Editorship of the open-access journal Health and Human Rights

Reconstruction in Haiti following the January 12, 2010 earthquake

CHAPTER 6 SUMMARY: LISTENING FOR PROPHETIC VOICES

The United states is the only economically developed country that does not have a national healthcare program, though our nation promotes universal access for all its citizens

Poverty and inequality are two major social injustices in the US affecting healthcare today

Health has become a commodity and health care has become big business

The prophetic voice of medicine markets to those who can afford to purchase and limits access to those who do not.

CHAPTER 6 CASE STUDIES:HEALTH DISPARITY DUE TO POVERTY

Brenda has been diagnosed with advanced AIDS and she has been labeled by her American doctor as non- compliant

Sanoit is a 9 year old boy with the diagnosis of Tuberculosis and attends a free clinic in Haiti

Olga is diagnosed with TB that has now become multi resistant due to poor care, resulting from budgetary cuts to healthcare in Russia

CHAPTER 6 STRENGTHS

Represents a global issue of concern

Demonstrates that Inadequate care is universal among the poor

Stresses that access and availability of healthcare affects outcomes

Presents a clear message that healthcare reform is necessary

CHAPTER 6 WEAKNESSES

Limited in focus of preventative care and health maintenance issues faced by the poor

Could have been strengthened by mentioning the limited access to knowledge needed to better lead the poor in making informed consent

CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION:

Healthcare has become more about profits than access and availability.

The poor are more likely to become sick than those with health insurance

Health should not be a commodity, it should be a right

The poor will continue to suffer until health reforms are implemented

CHAPTER 7 SUMMARY:CRUEL AND UNUSUAL

Tuberculosis has a long history of living within prison walls

In the mid 19th century, TB caused an estimated 80% of all prison deaths

It spreads to anyone who inhaled the droplet nuclei

TB is not only a prison issue but it is a public health issue.

CHAPTER 7 SUMMARY CONTINUED…

The Russian prison system is infected with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB)

The widespread of MDRTB is accredited to the poor living conditions within a crude criminal justice system

Prisoners are placed in facilities that have TB colonies for extended periods of time then return to general population untreated

Consistency in treatment is crucial in managing the disease

CHAPTER 7 STRENGTHS

Statistics of the amount of prisoners infected with MDRTB gave perpective the crisis at hand

Quotes from various persons affected by the Russian criminal system gave a more humanistic concern to the writing

The formulations of strategies to combat the health issues are presented by the author, which makes the problem seem more rectifiable.

The message was strong and informative regarding an issue this not always visible to the public

CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSION

One of the largest outbreaks occurred in new York in 1989 and 80% of the infections could be traced back to the jails

TB is also common with those prisoners that are infected with HIV and have depressed immune systems

HIV is also prevalent among prisoners the susceptibility of TB is increased.

Overcrowding and lack of proper ventilation also furthers the spread of TB of prison inmates.