World Responsibilities for Health
Health Theme Page
World Hunger PowerPoint Presentation
Anna English
Global Malnutrition: Causes, Effects, and Solutions
Robert DiMario
This project is intended to raise awareness of malnutrition and its torrential effects worldwide. In this paper, the reader will explore the catalysts of malnutrition and learn how some areas in the world lack food. Then, different effects of malnutrition are explained depending upon the type of nutrients a person is lacking. Finally, the reader is introduced to solutions that alleviate the effects of malnutrition. Data will show that malnutrition is a serious problem with horrendous effects. But, the data also shows that there are ways to fight against malnutrition, and suggests that the more people can help, the more effective these solutions are.
Ashley Caillier
Obesity was researched to find evidence that it truly is a worldwide epidemic. The goal was to find out who is affected and what can be done to improve it. Research suggests that cultural and lifestyle changes over time have altered people’s eating habits. Food choices and preparation have been taken out of the home because of busier lifestyles. Thus, individuals are consuming high energy dense foods incorporated with lack of physical activity. All of the new habits that people have acquired are being studied and plans of actions are being implemented to change them once again, and reduce to the risks of obesity.
How Have Ethical Concerns Affected the Progress of Stem Cell research?
Lise Murrell
Stem cells are indistinguishable cells located in various places of an individual’s body. These cells are especially interesting because when they are at a certain stage, they can distinguish into a variety of different cells. Stem cell research has a great potential to help cure many diseases and to offer therapeutic care for many diseases and organ dysfunctions. Parkinson’s disease is one of the main diseases that may be affected by this research. However, the question of what source of stem cells is ethically acceptable to use has placed a barrier on the progress of stem cell research in general. This concern is not only in the United States, but in European countries as well. The main question arises about which source is the most ethically and morally acceptable. Whether it is from in vitro embryos or somatic cell nuclear transfer, there is a constant disagreement between researchers and ethicists as to what source is principally correct. However, with the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells, a potential solution for this ethical disagreement may come to a halt. If these human skin cells can help us reach an uncontroversial answer to where stem cells should come from, then the world of medicine could change forever.
Medical Tourism: A Global Opportunity
Huy Nguyen
The causes and effects of medical tourism were researched in this project. Medical tourism has increased because of the high cost of healthcare mainly in the United States, causing its citizens to leave for cheaper healthcare. In this paper, the reader will examine what has led to the high cost of healthcare that has led to the increase of medical tourism. The effects and outcomes medical tourism has created will also be presented. Lastly, the reader will be informed about the possible solutions of how they can inhibit the cost of healthcare in the United States. Studies will show that medical tourism is an increasing trend and is not necessarily a bad problem globally; information will be given to show how countries have benefitted from medical tourism and how people can help the United States gain a better healthcare status.
Fast Food: Is It Really the Cause of Obesity?
Isabel Remedios
Obesity rates have drastically been increasing in recent years, so much so that being obese is no longer just an epidemic of the United States, but rather a pandemic around the world. Often the fast food industry gets blamed, but accusing corporations such as McDonald’s and Burger King is oversimplifying the answer. In actuality, a variety of reasons contribute to the obesogenic environment of today. The world is going through a ‘nutrition transition’ due to agricultural changes. Furthermore, the more countries become industrialized, the more their obesity rates rise. Net-income also affects one’s diet and daily regimen. All of these macro environmental causes intertwine so that it is extremely difficult to pinpoint one culprit behind escalating obesity rates.
Health Care Policies Affecting Third World Countries
Katherine Cook
The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on the health care crisis occurring in Sub-Sahara Africa countries. The paper first focuses on the main problem being faced in Africa, which is malnutrition. The data then shifts toward two major donors, The World Bank and IMF, and how the policies they are enforcing are affecting the health in Africa. Furthermore, drug companies also play a part in aiding those poorer nations who are unable to support themselves. Finally, conclusions are drawn and possible solutions are proposed for those who are battling the health care crisis.
Mary Edwards
Childhood obesity is considered by world organizations to be a growing pandemic that is infecting the children that inhabit our world. “According to the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), data suggests around 1.1 billion people in the world are overweight, including more than 300 million who are obese. However, a new IOTF report to the World Health Organization now recognizes that an additional 155 million school-age children fall into the overweight and obese category” (James, 2004). In this essay I will explain the causes of childhood obesity as well as the effects as an adult. I will also prove that this is a global issue that might stem from the western civilization, more specifically the United States. The history of global childhood obesity began approximately 45 years ago making this a fairly new issue, especially in the other nations of the world. If we raise awareness and increase education we can help overweight and obese children to defeat and prevent health issues as adults. Preventative medicine is a new program implemented across the United States that has seemed to make a small difference. The seriousness of this issue is rapidly becoming a focus of nations across the globe.
The Media’s Effects on Eating Disorders Around the World
Anonymous1
Eating disorders are becoming more common in today’s society. What many people do not realize, however, is that they are also becoming more widespread. Studies have shown that eating disorders are not only affecting the United States, but they are also influencing places such as Europe and Asia. The media have also impacted the steady increase of eating disorders and the way people feel about themselves. Generally speaking, the media play a great role in influencing eating disorders all around the world.
The Complexity of Help: Africa and HIV/AIDS
Zach Hoffman
The reason anti-HIV/AIDS help in Africa is not effectively dealing with the pandemic can not be placed only on the U.S. and U.N. alone, there are other forces as well. South Africa has been slow in responding and holds primitive views on how to deal with its AIDS crisis. Drug companies have been reluctant to allow generic versions of their drugs be created. Faith based groups do not promote condom usage for safe sex and insist that abstinence is the only way to go. We, as a population, have exhibited little concern for this pandemic. No one can be blamed for the crisis, but we can force changes and begin to save millions and extend millions of lives from HIV/AIDS.
The Uninsured: Coverage for a Whole Nation
Anita LeBlanc
Basic health coverage in the United States has been investigated throughout the past century. One recurring problem that faces the country is the uninsured rate of its citizens. Considering that the United States is economically an important country, many other countries around the world seem to have better coverage plans that provide nearly all of their citizens with health coverage. This project is designed to give adequate information expressing current health care issues on various countries. The results indeed do detail that several countries seem to be more successful in providing health coverage to all or most of their citizens compared to that of the United States. Following the project is a possible suggestion of what actions the United States could take to insure coverage to the entire country.
Healthcare in the U.S.: Ways to improve it
Fang Lin
The U.S. healthcare system is not doing very well compared to other countries. Improvements are greatly needed toward the healthcare. Researched have shown that the U.S. is the only country without a universal healthcare plan compared to Canada, Cuba, and Britain. Candidates running for the 2008 elections have provided plans to improve the system. Hillary Clinton’s American Health Choices Plan and Barrack Obama’s National Health Insurance Exchange are some of the excellent health plans to be considered. Also individual citizens in the U.S. can follow Paul Farmer’s lead toward helping the world’s poorest countries by offering free treatments to those patients. Farmer’s accomplishments in Haiti show that the improvement of U.S. healthcare could affect the world globally. With a successful healthcare system, the U.S. would be able to send more doctors like Farmer to undeveloped countries to help.
Eating Disorders: A Global Phenomenon
Caroline Robinson
Eating disorders are a common affliction in the western part of the world, most notably the United States. However, they are beginning to spread world-wide. Eating Disorders existed in ancient times, but they were based on religious values rather than persuasiveness of the media. Eating disorders are indirectly promoted by the media and various cultural customs, today. This causes young people to feel pressured to fit into the “ideal” body type as is portrayed by stick-thin models. Advances in technology have allowed eating disorders to develop and spread at a more rapid pace than ever before, and the consequences are severe. Young models are dying decades before their time from unlikely conditions. Luckily, action is being taken in several countries as legislation is proposed to regulate a healthy size for models in order to be hired. If the image of models changes, then it is likely that “beauty” will seem more attainable for the common person.
Steroid and Performance-Enhancing Drugs: Not Just in America’s Society
Eric Schexnayder
Baseball, America’s pastime, is not the only sport with a “black eye.” Performance-enhancing drugs and steroids are being used by athletes worldwide. The Olympics, the Tour de France, Soccer, and the World Wrestling Entertainment all have users in their sports taking these illegal supplements. Steroids, especially anabolic steroids, are used to increase muscle mass and physical strength. Athletes who take this substance are given an edge over their competitors, which makes it illegal. Not only are these drugs against the law, but they are also extremely harmful to a user’s body. Steroids and performance-enhancing drugs have side effects that include both physical and psychological damage. This can range from depression and anxiety, to liver damage, cancer, and even HIV/AIDS when needles are not properly cleaned. There has to be a more efficient way to test for these substances and to get the word out not only here in the United States, but worldwide as well. If we fail to do this, and our youth, who look up to these drug users, follow in their footsteps, then our society will have taken a huge setback.
Emily Schnauder
The rise of obesity has become a concern for not just the United States but other nations as well. Dating back to the Industrial Revolution and the widespread use of motorized vehicles, obesity has become a serious problem. People are less active and mobile nowadays more than ever. Even though exercise is needed in order to maintain a healthy diet, other implications are seen as a key factor in the rise of obesity. The mass media surrounding ‘fast’ food and the amount of unavailable healthy foods also contributes to this epidemic. In order to lower the rates of obesity, several actions need to take place, not just by the individuals but by the authorities and national leaders governing those individuals.
Health Issues in Third World Countries
Eric Blackmon
There are many health issues attacking third world countries daily that most of us seem to be completely unaware of. Malnutrition is one of the major problems that haunt these countries. It seems that some things are being addressed, such as HIV/ AIDS, which seems to have become a global concern. However, what about the other issues like malnutrition? Among the problems is one that causes more concern than anything else- doctors and nurses are leaving remote areas where assistance is needed for malnutrition and AIDS and going to work in urban areas where they feel they are better suited. They are seemingly forgetting about the continued importance of a health care role in areas with diseases other than AIDS, and more importantly, remote geographical areas with imminent need.
