CPH 2711 UNIT 3 Learning Journal Unit 3 PDF

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From your own experience, in your home country, community, even family, describe any health inequalities that you have witnessed or experienced firsthand. South Africa has passed through a tough era of discrimination in terms of race or ethnicity to the world it might seem to be over but, in my community, I have witnessed and experienced this form of discrimination trying to access healthcare services. According to WHO (2011) many people in the world are facing health disparities and the lower an individual’s socio-economic position, the higher their risk of poor health. This has been my family situation for the past 2 decades as we live-in poverty-stricken farming community with a farm mobile clinic run by the white farm owners. Hence, the distribution of health resources between the owners of the farms and the working community is never equal. I remember in 2010 my father got sick as he was the breadwinner the situation at home got even worse as we could not be able to get a proper meal. Due to our family’s socio-economic status, we could not access the farm owned clinic which was only for the elite farm owners and highprofile people within the community as we were told to seek health services from the public healthcare system. Braveman (2006) echoed that encompass the difference between the most advantaged group in a certain category which is what I experienced as the most powerful people and the white farm owners access all the best quality health care services unlike the poor working class.

What are the social problems that, from your experience, contribute to these inequities? According to WHO (2011) the inequities have significant social and economic costs both to individuals and societies. A number of social ills namely education, employment status, income level, gender and ethnicity contributed greatly to the inequalities in my community. Hence, because of my poverty and high unemployment in my community and racial status access to health care is predominantly control by one social status. No wonder why in my communities’ people die every day due to malaria, diarrhoea, pneumonia and other disease related to poor living conditions as echoed by Wilkinson and Marmot (2003) that people’s lifestyle and their living conditions significantly influence their health. Thus, income level, race, ethnicity, education and employment status are social problems that form my experiences to health inequalities.

What should be done to help improve these issues? There is need to implemented life charging policies in order to eliminate these disparities in the healthcare system. Policies which are relevant to health might include, taxation and tax credits, old-age pensions, sickness or rehabilitation benefits, maternity or child benefits, unemployment benefits, housing policies, labor markets, communities, and care facilities (Marmot et al, 2018,

page 5, para.1). Thus, the government and other stakeholders need to come together and implemented policies which limit or abolish any form of discrimination in order to allow the underprivileged to have equal access to healthcare facilities regardless of their class or status. In the Learning Journal, be sure to describe: What you learned I have learned of factors that contribute to inequality in health sector. More importantly I have learned a lot through WHO (2011) that the lower an individual’s socio-economic position, the higher their risk of poor health hence my community is facing an ever-failing health due to the low economic position. More importantly, I have learned that the most influential aspects of health are best shaped by good policies. Thus, the great health risks being faced by my community can be easily eliminated and the community can non-discriminatory healthcare services.

Any preconceived ideas or notions and how this activity and reading helped to add or dispel those ideas or notions. I was of the view that health equity cannot be realized in my community due to different economic status or class, but after reading and learning through the discussion forum I have realized that it is achievable. Thus, it all take seriousness from the government to impose or implement policies that are no tolerance to any form of inequality in the health system.

Conclusion Health inequality is a serious pandemic which many communities and countries are facing. A number of social factors need to be addresses in order to achieve health equity such as , education, employment status, income level, gender and ethnicity have a marked influence on how healthy a person is. In all countries – whether low-, middle- or high-income – there are wide disparities in the health status of

References Braveman, P. Health disparities and health equity: Concepts and measurement. Annual Review of Public Health. 2006;27:167–194. [PubMed] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16533114/

Marmot, M., Friel, S., Bell, R., Houweling, T. A., Taylor, S., & Commission on Social Determinants of Health. (2008). Closing the gap in a generation: health equity through action on the social determinants of health. The Lancet,372(9650), 1661-1669. http://www.who.int/social_determinants/strategy/Marmot-Social%20determinants%20of %20health%20inqualities.pdf?ua=1

WHO. 10 facts on health inequities and their causes. 2011. [April 28, 2021]. http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/health_inequities/en. Wilkinson, R. G., & Marmot, M. G. (Eds.). (2003). Social determinants of health: the solid facts. World Health Organization http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/98438/e81384.pdf...