An Analysis of Social, Political, and Environmental Health Issues

This essay delves into the multifaceted challenges within healthcare, focusing on the interplay of social, political, and environmental factors. It examines how these elements impact health outcomes, from individual well-being to broader societal concerns. The essay explores the historical and philosophical concepts of health and disease, analyzing the influence of economic and political forces on healthcare systems. It highlights specific issues such as environmental deficiencies, lack of resources, and disparities in access to care, particularly for vulnerable populations and those with chronic diseases like cancer. The assignment underscores the importance of addressing these issues through improved practices, policy changes, and the development of new services to meet the diverse needs of individuals. The essay also discusses the different dimensions of health: physical, mental, social, and spiritual, and the impact on individuals and the healthcare system. Furthermore, it touches upon the significance of environmental factors such as air pollution and climate change, and their effect on public health. Overall, the essay advocates for comprehensive strategies to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare services, reduce disparities, and ensure better health outcomes for all.

Social, Political and
Environmental Issues in
Healthcare

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Environmental, political and economic issues may manifest in several different ways and
can negatively effect viability of organization. Environmental issues can make permanent or
temporary changes to particular atmosphere. Economic and political developments and related
changes in delivery and practice of social and health care have led professionals and managers to
identify importance as well as links between decision making and problem solving skills.
Especially assessing impact of environmental, political and economic factors on the
organizational programmes and health care policy (Baer and Singer, 2016). Organisational
programmes and proposals are becoming identifying stage of health service strategic planning
and development mechanism. Political, environmental and economic factors are very important
in society and these factors are creating issues related to treatment and care in health care. All
these problems impacting on population which needs good quality of care to fulfil their needs.
This assignment will mainly focus on philosophical and historical ideas and different concepts of
health, national health and it's issues in their economic, political, environmental and international
as well as influence and significance of health on population. Problems and solutions for the
health issues.
MAIN BODY
Health & disease are fundamental experiences of the human life. These concepts which
individual in different cultures have to used try to understand, health and disease have
consequences for the therapy and diagnosis, the behaviour and attitude of doctor, how individual
deals with the disease, shape of the moral choices, social structures and attitudes and cultural
significance of wellness and sickness behaviour. Naturalism and constructivism is the philosophy
is to see the concept of disease as including empirical judgements about normative judgements
and human philosophy about the well being or human behaviour. Health care system is very
important as people suffer from many pathologies. Economic aspects effect on the framework of
system (Lee and Divari, 2014). There are different concepts of health and diseases which were
dominated in human society so far. It was realised that maintaining well being and fighting with
sickness depends upon the natural causes. The disease and health can not be separate from the
specific social and physical environment nor from the human behaviour. In addition to that
ultimate challenge was to understand the order of this universe as it included body of human

viewed as microcosm like metaphysical speculations. The word mythical was replaced later by
one who constructed by independent power of human intellect, the world that demanded that the
reality should be explained with the help of natural causes. Major practical, theoretical and
philosophical issues were aroused and answered.
All these philosophical belief about the nature diminished with the medical beliefs about
illness and health and hoe they effected in intermediate and immediate ways. Community
required to develop knowledge and skills related to the health and social care so that they can
help people with their illness. Community development and developing skills to secure
supportive environment, in re-oriented heath services as well as developing health public policies
(Scherer and et. al., 2016). This fact is essential for history of ideas and also understanding
evolution of human thought and continuity. Disease and health are based on theory which is
known as four fluids such as blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm which turn premised on
theory of the 4 elements those are fire, water, earth and air. Pythogoreans maintained that perfect
balance and equilibrium of all the key components to health. The health is the unique equilibrium
condition for the body fluids. The illness results in case this balance alters and essential thing for
regulating health is practicing life in such a way which allows least disturbance to the body. This
balance can be interrupted by external factor. So individual has to concentrate on their nutritional
and physical condition of the human body.
Concept of health is all about the maintain balance of the body elements so that person
can maintain equilibrium and may not get affected by diseases. Chronic diseases are very
complex as they may not show any related symptoms at earlier stages but later they may not be
able cure due to their complexity for example cancer. Different philosophy and concepts are
explained in order to make understand concept of health care but every philosophy and concept
states same thing. As in past people used to think that illness cause by only natural causes but as
the technologies developed, different methods were invented to understand concept of illness
which showed that there are different causes for a particular disease (Yearley, 2014). As in case
of cancer abnormal multiple cell division occurs which can be understand with help of health and
social care.
All these issues related to health affect whole country which can have bad impact on their
economy. In health care there are some fund issues due that all practices are not taught to nurses

and care providers so they lack with some specific skills can lead them to provide bad quality of
services and related care as in case of cancer patient practice should be accurate, to deal with
such chronic diseases lots of skills and knowledge is required. Environmental issues are those
which can be related to the organization and due to lack of equipments and related technologies
care providers may not able to learn effectively that can impact on their quality of care and
services they are providing to particular individual. Due lack of skills they may not be able give
accurate treatment which a cancer patient wants. Every person has to get well and proper care
which should be provided by the health and social care in order to maintain balance in society so
that people can fulfil their related needs. As every single person wants get good quality of care
which can be given by health care by improving and developing new services to provide the
requirements of individuals.
All these issues impact on the health of patient which can be overcome by developing
new practices which should be appropriate in order to provide treatment to patient. In case of
cancer patient several people do not get diagnosis and later this disease results in death of person
(Spruijt and et. al., 2014). These issues have to be reduce so that every patient can get care and
treatment for their health problems.
Politics for worse or better, plays very critical role in the health affairs. Poor quality of
care in health care is major excess driver mortality in middle income and low income countries.
Low quality or poor quality of care include delay in the diagnosis, that can result in spread of
communicable diseases and sometimes patient's condition can be worst. Economic issues are
referred as healthcare related issues of increasing concern is focus on the lifestyle and
behavioural choice of the individual to manage their in better way. Adherence of the treatment
and care plans are helpful but choice of patient like exercise and diet which is depend on their
economy plays great role (Shiva, 2014).
Environmental factors include air pollution and climatic change which is main concern
now a days. When fundamental survival needs are interrupted by flooding, storm, drought and
diseases which are more likely to spread across wide group of individuals. Quick solution for
these issues is to make available resources such as sanitation technology, education and global
health has to main focus on prevention of these challenges in very first place.
Economic disparities & access to the health care is about progress in field of the
medicine but still there are communities which lack health care and education. And this is why

people face STDs and basic nutrition related problems and child mortality rates (Giles-Corti and
et. al., 2016). All these issues can be eliminated by reducing all disparities which isolate these
individuals and populations.
Health is very important aspect to identify that concept of the health means different
thing to the different individuals. An individual cannot be accepted healthy unless his complete
social, mental and physical well- being. Any individuals health is dynamic and it alters every
time. There are different dimensions of health such as physical, metal, spiritual and social health.
Dimensions make up person’s level of health and every dimension interacts with each other. If
there is any kind of breakdown in one aspect that impact on the other remaining aspects.
Physical health involves body ability to participate in the everyday activities, organ functioning
efficiently in the body and absence of disease (Jacquet and Stedman 2014). There are different
indicators include such as level of fitness, degree of energy, nutritional status, resistance to the
diseases and body weight.
Social health is being able to communicate with other people in the particular
environment accepted by community standards. If person live in any society it is very important
to interact with people who are around, in case if person do not interact with other individual that
particular individual is very unfit in society. Communication is essential element to express
feelings and thought, this is how people understand each other by sharing their feelings and
emotions. Feeling some kind of sense of the connection with group and community is a sign that
particular person is healthy with their social health which is key element to live in society.
Marinating and forming a positive relationship with people and exchanging thoughts and ideas.
Individual has to interact with other people in cooperative and interdependent way.
Mental health is also known as emotional health which is refers to the state of the
emotional well being of individual. `in this metal wellness is very important to being healthy
with metal health. There should be an ability to cope up with changes of life as well as stress
related to certain issues and situations. Capability to show emotions appropriately and
developing positive self image and self esteem. This also include ability to work acceptably and
productively within the society (Hsu and Zomer, 2014). And also capability to maintain realistic
perspective and resolve conflicts in more effective way in the different situations.
Spiritual health is refers to meaning of life and sense of purpose of life as well as feeling
connected with society and others. This commonly involves like being synchronise with oneself,

ability to appreciate feelings and needs of others. There should capability to set some realistic
ambitions and goals as well as aspirations in life. As the every health dimension is important to
stay health completely (Williams, Priest and Anderson, 2016). In cancer patient there are
changes that along with their physical health metal health can be disturbed. As stress can be
created and it can affect the mental health of the particular person. Such kind of problem can
been seen worldwide is common. With time patient will be segregated from society and this
separation can hurt them and in order to maintain distance from people they may lost their social
interaction in society. This can impact on their social health and related abilities will reduce as
time passes. Health is much more essential element in any person’s life to lead a better life. All
these dimensions provide quality of life to all individuals. Being well and healthy is more
important than anything.
Environmental deficiencies in given health facilities decrease range and quality of
services provision and this can also turn in exacerbates basic inequalities in the access to most
critical health services among the people who are poor and vulnerable group. Environmental
issues has their key elements which affect equality in health care like lack of the public transport,
poor practices of caregivers as well as professionals and no insufficient equipments of health
which are required to treat people. Due to such issues people who are suffering from chronic
diseases such as cancer can be affected and it can lead to increase in mortality.
Patients who are which cancer has to provide a good quality of treatment so that they can
lead well life by reducing issues related to health. In such chronic diseases all these dimensions
get affected and decrease abilities that impact on person’s mental and physical life.
Environmental wellness is refers to ability to identify the own roles and responsibilities for every
basic needs of daily life (Bircher and Kuruvilla, 2014). All these dimensions help to understand
life in depth so that it can become more easier to identify health needs which will make person
more healthy and well.
Global health is referred as understanding of the health care in interdisciplinary and
international concept context. This also includes practice, research and study of medicine with
the focus on betterment of health care qualities and improving health for population worldwide.
The initiatives of global health take account non medical and medical disciplines like sociology,
public policy, cultural studies, and environmental factors, epidemiological and economic
disparities. Most prominent agencies like world health organization focus on advancing health at

global level. There are different prominent health issues at global level which should every one
aware of to understand the important of health care.
Pandemics are refers to the global disease outbreaks, this include Ebola, SARS and HIV
and other viral threats which reflect vulnerability to spread any particular diseases which
normally originate from animals (Pugh, 2014). There will be new emerging pandemic every year
which cannot be diagnosing symptoms and solved as signs and symptoms only occur when
person is already infected. Such issues can be overcome cut off at source through addressing
essential areas such as issues which cause virus to transmit, responsible agricultural practice and
health education.
Health care providers are practiced to help people who are suffering with such kind of
illness and by providing better care and treatment they can improve their quality of life. There is
different debate about the concept health as health is very important factor for every living
organism. Sometimes there will be rapid development of movement of the health promotions that
is partly, this is totally connected to the medicine (Allen and et. al., 2014). As health promoters
play major role in order to provide care to patients who are with the needs as well as those
people who are in crucial condition. To decrease illness, health care is very important.
Health is dynamic wellbeing state emergent from the conducive interactions in between
life’s demand, individuals’ potential, environmental and social determinants. There are different
issues raise globally related to the health. Energy and environmental security is defined as
primary issues on global agenda which can affect the people who are living in particular country
these environmental factors mainly affect on person’s health. Conflict and poverty comes in
economic factor due to poverty people do not receive good quality of treatment and care in order
to meet their needs. Maintaining health at global is very important so that mortality rate from
chronic diseases like cancer can be decrease at in whole nation. Political issue play critical role
in health care, due to certain policies issues related to the health arises and inequality in health
care and treatment occurs (Singer and et. al., 2017). Political issues and economic issues have
major affect on the health.
If at the global level observed environmental factors are those which can not be
controlled. All these factors have major impact on the health of individual. There are a lot of
cancer patients are not getting treatment due to their economic status, as treatment for such kind
of chronic diseases can be expensive due to poverty there are several people who may not able to

receive good care and treatment. Understanding national health is essential in order to provide all
the services and treatment to people who seeking for care. National health refers to the every
individual who is living on the earth, their health is very important so it has to be maintain by
taking care. There should be some economy for health and social care as all people should be
healthy then only that country can develop and progress further in order to achieve well
maintained lives. Programmes can be provided to making aware individuals so that they can
prevent diseases in earlier stage (Gifford and Nilsson, 2014). Life of every individual is so
important so every one should get treatment and care so that it can help them to overcome with
their health issues.
All these issues of diseases and health care can be eliminated at global level by taking
major steps regarding to health issues. As chronic diseases are lethal to individuals it can be
treated with help of health care so that patient can better their quality of life. Approaches and
strategies have to be adopt in order to eliminate these issues from society.
The SWOT analysis of Chronic disease i.e. cancer consist related strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats. Initially, strengths of cancer is that it is not visible among people
which helps to reduce social issues for patient. However, weaknesses of cancer consist its severe
symptoms like blood in urine, hoarseness, indigestion or difficulty in swallowing, unusual
vaginal bleeding or discharge etc. Meanwhile, opportunity of cancer involves effective
medications & treatment methods like surgery, chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, targeted
therapy or hormone therapy and medicines like Abemaciclib, Abiraterone Acetate, Abraxane etc.
Moreover, threats of cancer includes side effects of chemotherapy including vomiting, fatigue,
hair loss, infection, anaemia, appetite changes, constipation and nausea.
In context of United Kingdom, the new cases of cancer are observed around 363 to 484
around 2014 to 2016 on an average. The common types of cancers observed in more than half
new cases of this health problem like breast, prostate, lung or bowel cancer in 2014 to 2016 on
an average. It has been analysed that peak rate of cases related to cancer are mostly determined
in age of 85 to 89 years in UK. In contrary to this, Nigeria new cases of breast cancer is 22.7%,
cervix uteri is 12.9%, Prostate cancer is 11.3%, colorectum cancer is observed around 5.8%, non-
Hodgkin lymphoma is 4.6 and 42.7& cancer are of other type which are determined in the years
of 2018.

CONCLUSION
As the above report is concluded as there are different factors like political, social and
environmental issues which affect the health care and their services. All these issues play a major
role to affect health of person. There are philosophical and historical concepts of health. Health
is very essential part in human life. National issues which are related to health can have negative
impact at global level. Different dimension of health is explained such as metal, social, physical
and spiritual, an individual who is healthy with all these dimension is complete well being.
Several problems at the global level related to health and their solution is explained and this
should be reduced with help of different resources so that it can reduce the affects worldwide.
Such issues has to be taken care in country as they have major impact on particular individual as
well as whole population.

REFERENCES
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