#modernisation theory

[revisesociology]

Theories of Development applied to Health

Theories of Development applied to Health

As a genera rule, people in developing countries suffer from poorer health than people in developed countries – with higher rates of deaths from preventable causes resulting in higher child mortality rates and lower life expectancies. Theories of development aim to explain why this is the case and what the most effective solutions to improving health should be. Modernisation…

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[revisesociology]

Anuta - A Case Study in Global Development

Anuta – A Case Study in Global Development

The Island of Anuta is one of the remotest places on Earth – part of the Soloman Islands, it is a 5-6 day sail from the Capital, with its nearest inhabited neighbouring island being over 50 KM away.

Boats may visit the island as infrequently as three times a year, so the islanders cannot rely on them for resources, they have to make use of what is available to them on the island and…

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Health

Difference in causes of death

Many of the deaths causes in developing nations now are from infectious diseases. For example, in Sub-Saharan Africa 65% of deaths are the result of infectious diseases, its only 5% in the developed world. Sutcliffe (2001) found that most of the developed worlds deaths were caused by non-infectious diseases like cancer and heart disease. These diseases in developed nations are mostly the result of lifestyle choices, these 'diseases of affluence' are present in developing nations but the biggest killers are communicable (transmitted from person to person) like Diarrhoea and bacterial and viral diseases (polio, cholera) and airborne diseases like influenza.

Who is effected?

In the developing world children are mostly effected by illness because they are malnourished and also women who have little access to healthcare, clean water and sanitation.

History of disease

Many of the diseases seen in the developing world currently were faced by the developed world. There are some diseases that threaten to return to Europe. There are 3 things which controlled the diseases;

Improvements in nutrition and diet

Improvements in hygiene- clean water/sewage disposal

Changes in reproductive behaviour- falling birth rate

These factors were also helped by education.

The western model of medicine has been forced onto developing nations during the colonial period, western hospitals are often costly, with unreliable modern technology and in cities not rural areas. Doctors who are trained in this system have no incentive to work and often only work for the 'urban elites', or leave the country (brain drain).

Two options for developing nations

Selective biomedical intervention; mass vaccination programmes, vitamin supplements or insecticide nets. This can lead to reduction in child mortality but is not sustainable, preventing one disease now might not rule out another later one

Comprehensive primary healthcare; community based with an emphasis on healthcare education and prevention of disease – draining ponds so mosquito cannot breed etc

Theories of health in global development

Modernisation theory-

The developing nations are where the developed world were hundreds of years ago, and M. theorists expect them to follow the western path. We are now in Epidemiologic transition which is a change from infectious diseases, resulting in high child mortality and low life expectancy to 'diseases of affluence' where the highest killers are heart disease and cancers. Developing nations should drop traditional medicines, opt for a centralised healthcare system based on doctors and mass immunisation. They should look at aid and expertise from the developed word

Dependency theory-

Developing countries can't be expected to follow the west, colonialism changed health and neo-colonialism continues this trend. There are factors affecting health in these countries;

adopting lifestyles of the rich world (sugary/fatty)can lead to cancers and heart conditions

power of TNC's to advertise sugary/fatty foods irresponsibly and avoid attempts to restrict them

pollution and environmental damage caused by TNC's affect health

TNC's are reluctant to sell medicine at affordable prices/let them manufacture their own

poor funding for medicine and treatments that would help those in the south, now they are targeted at weight loss and cosmetics

structural readjustment programmes give little scope for states to improve health care, charges have to be made and poor can't afford it.

Health related Millennium Development Goals

MDG4- To reduce child mortality

Child survival rates have improved

The worst rates in Sub-Saharan Africa, in 2005 10.1 million children died before their 5th birthday

Child death from measles fell by 60% between 2000 and 2005

MDG5- to improve maternal health

500,000 women die in childbirth each year

women in sub-saharan Africa have a 1 in 6 chance of dying in childbirth/pregnancy, in the developed world it is 1 in 3,800

MDG6- to combat HIV/AID's

prevalence of HIV is steady now, however more people are dying from it. There are 15.2 million children who have lot one or both parents because of AIDs, 80% in Africa