A Mother Brings Her Daughter Into The Emergency Room 058339

A Mother Brings Her Daughter Into The Emergency Room During An Asthma

A mother brings her daughter into the emergency room during an asthma attack. Though both of her parents work, they cannot afford medical insurance for themselves or her. They also earn too much money to qualify for state or federal aid. She is treated with medication for her asthma attack at the hospital and she and her mother leave. Two weeks later, they return to the hospital in a virtually identical scenario.

In this 3-4 page paper, consider the following questions and explain your position on the issues: Do you think that this girl is receiving adequate care? Should she be able to see a primary-care physician before her condition gets so acute that she must visit the ER? Should everyone be entitled to a basic minimum of health care or to the exact same health care? Do you think that health care is a right? If so, is everyone forced to honor this right? Is this right relative or universal? Does this right exist because of the wealth of the United States, or is it applicable everywhere? Is health care a luxury? Does having money entitle a person to better health care?

Paper For Above instruction

The scenario presented highlights critical issues surrounding healthcare access, quality, and equity, especially within the context of the United States’ healthcare system. It raises fundamental questions about whether healthcare constitutes a basic human right and how socio-economic factors influence health outcomes. To explore these issues, it is essential to analyze the adequacy of current healthcare provisions, the role of primary care, the concept of universal healthcare, and the moral implications of healthcare disparities.

Firstly, evaluating whether the girl is receiving adequate care involves examining both her immediate treatment during asthma attacks and her ongoing healthcare management. Acute episodes like asthma attacks necessitate urgent medical intervention, which the hospital provides. However, recurrent emergency visits suggest a lack of preventive care and management. In a comprehensive healthcare system, primary care physicians (PCPs) play a pivotal role in managing chronic conditions like asthma, offering regular check-ups, medication management, and patient education. The girl's repeated ER visits indicate a gap in accessible primary care, which could potentially prevent severe exacerbations. This underscores the importance of accessible primary care services to reduce Emergency Room dependency and improve overall health outcomes.

This leads to the question of whether the girl should see a primary-care physician before her condition becomes so severe. Ideally, early and consistent engagement with a PCP could significantly reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks. Regular monitoring, environmental controls, and education about asthma management can prevent crises, reduce hospitalization, and improve quality of life. Barriers such as lack of insurance, financial constraints, and limited healthcare infrastructure impede access to primary care, especially for low-income families. Policy reforms that expand coverage and reduce costs are essential to bridging this gap and providing preventive, rather than reactive, healthcare.

Regarding healthcare entitlement, the question arises whether everyone should have access to a basic minimum of healthcare or whether access should be equal across all levels of service. Many argue that healthcare is a fundamental human right, rooted in the principles of dignity and equality. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes health as a human right, asserting that universal access to essential health services is crucial for sustainable development. Conversely, some advocate for a system where healthcare is tiered, with basic services accessible to all, and higher levels of care available to those who can pay. This dichotomy raises ethical debates about fairness, resource allocation, and societal responsibility.

From an ethical standpoint, the notion that healthcare is a right is compelling, emphasizing that no one should suffer or die due to inability to pay. If healthcare is a right, society bears a moral obligation to ensure its provision, although enforcement varies across nations. The United States, with its mix of private and public systems, does not universally guarantee healthcare as a right, though policy debates continue to center on moving toward universal coverage. In contrast, many countries, such as Canada and the United Kingdom, have established healthcare systems grounded in the principle of universal access, demonstrating that health rights are both feasible and morally justified.

The debate over whether healthcare rights are relative or universal often hinges on cultural, economic, and political contexts. Some argue that healthcare rights are universal, inherent to human dignity and applicable regardless of economic status or geographic location. Others view healthcare access as relative, shaped by societal values, resources, and priorities. Nonetheless, the global consensus tends to favor the universality of health rights, emphasizing that health is essential for personal development and societal progress.

Do economic wealth and individual income entitle access to better healthcare? While wealth can afford better facilities, advanced treatments, and quicker services, it should not dictate the quality of basic health services available to all. In an equitable system, essential healthcare services should be accessible to everyone, regardless of income. The existence of socioeconomic disparities in health outcomes underscores the need for equitable healthcare policies that prioritize urgent health needs for vulnerable populations, including low-income families like the girl’s.

Ultimately, whether healthcare is a luxury or a right hinges on ethical perspectives and policy choices. Recognizing healthcare as a right aligns with principles of social justice and human dignity, advocating for systems that provide essential services universally. Conversely, viewing healthcare as a privilege linked to wealth promotes disparities and perpetuates inequality. The ideal approach for ethical societies is to guarantee a baseline of essential health services for all, while providing avenues for additional care based on individual circumstances and resources.

In conclusion, the case of the young girl highlights crucial issues within the healthcare debate. It invites reflection on the moral obligation of societies to ensure equitable access to primary care, preventable illnesses, and crisis management. Moving toward universal healthcare systems that recognize health as a fundamental human right can improve health outcomes, reduce disparities, and uphold societal values of dignity and justice. Healthcare should transcend notions of privilege and be rooted in the universal principle that access to essential health services is a core component of human rights, applicable everywhere, regardless of wealth or social status.

References

• Braveman, P., & Gruskin, S. (2003). Defining Equity in Health. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 57(4), 254–258.
• World Health Organization. (2010). The right to health. WHO Fact Sheet No. 31.
• Daniels, N. (2008). Just health: Meeting health needs fairly. Cambridge University Press.
• Gostin, L. O., & Powers, M. (2006). What’s Special About Public Health Law? An Examination of the Core Domains of Public Health. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 34(3), 501–521.
• Shi, L. (2012). The Health Care Quality Indicators and Performance Measures. Medical Care, 50(7), 1–3.
• Whitehead, M., & Dahlgren, G. (2006). Concepts and principles for tackling social inequities in health: Levelling up part 1. World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe.
• Moreno, S., & Wilson, K. (2014). Health rights and social justice: A philosophical perspective. Social Science & Medicine, 102, 123–131.
• Shah, C., & Shapiro, H. (2020). Health inequality and policy: Addressing disparities in access and outcomes. Journal of Public Policy, 40(2), 173–192.
• Kumar, S., & Preetha, G. (2019). Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Strategies. Indian Journal of Community Medicine, 44(1), 8–13.
• OECD. (2020). Health at a Glance: Europe 2020. OECD Publishing.