BLOG#2 (Chapter 2, Module 2)

• Do you believe that access to healthcare is a right or a privilege?
  
  I believe that access to healthcare is a right, but realistically it seems to be a privilege because the majority of Americans cannot afford healthcare. In the article “ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE: A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE”, Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa states, “Something is wrong when 45 million Americans – eight out of 10 of them in working families – can’t afford even basic health insurance.” The majority of the less fortunate that are uninsured are minorities, which is the same population that is affected by healthcares diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. Due to America’s, despite our abundance of resources, inability to provide basic healthcare, Senator Tom Harkin reports there is an “overuse of emergency rooms, treatment of chronic conditions, and uncompensated care cost U.S. taxpayers billions each year. In addition, access to health care coverage saves money in the long run”. Since it is a proven fact that preventive healthcare saves money and access to healthcare is a right, not a privilege, why then, are there still millions of Americans that do not have access to basic healthcare? I have met many young pregnant women who did not receive prenatal care because they could not afford it and as a consequence they have sickly children that are constantly in and out of the emergency room, thus increasing our already inflated taxes.
  
  HEALTHCARE ACCESS: A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE by Senator Tom Harkin
  
  Source
  Harkin, Senator Tom. (2005). Column. HEALTH CARE ACCESS: A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE. Retrieved January 20, 2007, from http://harkin.senate.gov/column.cfm?id=236988

BLOG#1 (Chapter 1, Module 1)

• What health issues are you most concerned about? Why? Interview 2-3 women (different ages, ethnicities and/or cultures if possible) and ask them the same question. Are your concerns similar or different? Explain.
  
  The health issues that most concern me are obesity, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease because they are heredity in my family. My father and mother suffer with diabetes and hypertension. My father’s parents are both deceased and both died from congestive heart failure. My mother’s father smoked all of his life and died from lung cancer four years ago. All of my uncles and aunts suffer from hypertension and/or diabetes. Obesity is also prevalent on both sides of my family. My parents combined take over 15 different types of medication to help remedy their health ailments. I decided a few years ago after my father was rushed to the emergency room and diagnosed with diabetes to put an end to the generational CURSE! My goal, after completion of this online health studies program, is to go out and educate the African American community about healthy lifestyles.
  
  Brittany M. (13 year old/Hispanic): most concerned about obesity because the majority of her family is overweight. Brittany’s concern with obesity is similar to mine in that she fears what may happen to her in the future if she does not make a conscious decision to choose an alternate lifestyle to be healthy.
  Lai N. (21 year old/Asian): most concerned about being overweight, however Lai is not overweight. Lai’s concern differs from mine because she is focused on portraying an unhealthy body image that society has deemed as the perfect body type for young women.