Global Health Comparison Grid Template Use This Docum 172656
Global Health Comparison Grid Templateuse This Document To Complete Th
Describe the policy in each country related to the identified healthcare issue. What are the strengths and weaknesses of this policy? Explain how social determinants of health may impact the specified global health issue, providing specific examples. Analyze how each country's government addresses cost, quality, and access issues related to the global health issue. Discuss the impact of each health policy on the health of the global population with specific examples. Evaluate the potential impact of the health policy on the role of nurses in each country. Describe how global health issues influence local healthcare organizations and policies, offering specific examples from both countries. Additionally, review the Belmont Report and the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, reflecting on the ethical principles involved. Identify which aspect of the Tuskegee Study was most impactful to you and why, and connect one ethical principle from the Belmont Report to the ethics (or lack thereof) of the Tuskegee Study, explaining how it was violated using supporting information from the provided links and video.
Paper For Above instruction
Global health issues significantly shape healthcare policies, influencing how countries approach challenges related to disease prevention, treatment, and the equitable distribution of healthcare resources. This paper compares healthcare policies related to a specific global health issue—such as infectious disease management—between the United States and another country, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and societal impacts. Additionally, it reflects on ethical considerations in research, particularly through the lens of the Belmont Report and the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, to understand the importance of ethical guidelines in protecting human subjects.
Healthcare Policies in the United States and Their Impact
The United States’ healthcare policy concerning infectious diseases, notably HIV/AIDS, exemplifies a multifaceted approach. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) played a pivotal role by expanding healthcare coverage, emphasizing preventative services, and promoting public health initiatives. A primary strength of this policy is its expansion of insurance coverage, which enhances access to testing, treatment, and education. However, weaknesses include disparities based on socioeconomic status and insurance coverage gaps, which hinder universal access. Social determinants such as income inequality, education level, and race significantly impact health outcomes by influencing access to care, health literacy, and risk exposures (Braveman et al., 2011). For instance, minority populations often experience higher incidence rates due to systemic inequities, demonstrating the social determinants' influence on disease prevalence (Williams et al., 2010).
Global Policy Approaches and Their Outcomes
In contrast, countries with universal healthcare systems, such as the United Kingdom, address infectious diseases through publicly funded health services. These policies emphasize equitable access, reducing disparities present in the US system. The strengths of such policies include consistent access to preventive and treatment services, leading to better population health outcomes. Weaknesses often involve resource allocation challenges and bureaucratic inefficiencies, which can delay care delivery. Both nations’ policies influence cost, quality, and access; the US struggles with high costs and inconsistent quality, whereas the UK emphasizes universal access but faces resource limitations.
The global health policies directly impact health outcomes by shaping prevention strategies, treatment accessibility, and resource distribution. For example, the US’s targeted testing initiatives during outbreaks and the UK’s national immunization programs have significantly reduced disease burden (CDC, 2020). These policies also influence the nursing profession by expanding nurses' roles in health education, screening, and advocacy, especially in community settings (Pierce & Gillespie, 2017).
Impact of Global Health Issues on Local Healthcare and Policies
Global health issues necessitate adaptation within local healthcare organizations. In the US, hospitals and clinics must implement protocols aligned with federal guidelines, such as CDC recommendations, impacting staffing, resource allocation, and infection control practices. Similarly, in the UK, NHS policies respond to WHO guidelines to optimize management and prevention strategies. These global to local policy connections influence everyday practice and shape healthcare delivery, emphasizing the importance of culturally competent, accessible, and evidence-based care.
Ethical Reflections: Belmont Report and Tuskegee Syphilis Study
The Tuskegee Syphilis Study remains a stark reminder of unethical research practices. The most impactful aspect of the study was its blatant violation of informed consent and the deliberate withholding of treatment from African-American men with syphilis, which led to preventable suffering and death. It fundamentally eroded trust in medical research within minority communities.
Connecting this to the Belmont Report’s principle of beneficence, which mandates maximizing benefits and minimizing harms, reveals the ethical breach. In the Tuskegee study, researchers failed to provide effective treatment, knowingly allowing suffering and death, which grossly violated this principle. The report emphasizes respect for persons and justice; the Tuskegee study's deception and exploitation of vulnerable populations exemplify profound ethical lapses (National Commission, 1979).
These ethical violations underscore the necessity for strict adherence to guidelines that protect human subjects, fostering trust and integrity in research. Recognizing these lessons informs current practices, ensuring that ethical principles guide research endeavors universally, especially in vulnerable populations.
Conclusion
Global health issues shape national policies, which in turn influence local healthcare practices and the roles of healthcare professionals, including nurses. Understanding these dynamics, along with the importance of ethical conduct, is essential for progressing equitable and effective healthcare systems worldwide. The history of unethical research emphasizes the critical importance of ethical principles—respect for persons, beneficence, and justice—that must underpin all research activities to prevent harm and promote trust.
References
- Braveman, P., Egerter, S., Williams, D. R. (2011). The social determinants of health: Coming of age. Annual Review of Public Health, 32, 381–398.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020). HIV Surveillance Report, 2019. CDC.
- National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. (1979). The Belmont Report. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
- Pierce, J., & Gillespie, M. (2017). The evolving role of nurses in healthcare delivery. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 49(3), 266–273.
- Williams, D. R., Gonzalez, H. M., Neighborhood racial disparities in health. (2010). Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice, 3(1), 1–10.