Week 2: Political, Ethical, and Economical
Influences on Health

As you examined in Week 1, the disparity of available health care staffing is varied throughout the world. Often, countries with the greatest disease burden have the fewest health care professionals available to care for their populations. This week extends the premise further to analyze the influence of politics, ethics, economics, environment, and culture on the public’s health in the global arena. Through health care policy and advocacy efforts, nurses act as change agents to improve the quality of care and quality of life for poor and disenfranchised populations.

Ethics in nursing practice and health care is a vitally important issue on the global health care front. A nurse’s responsibility toward a patient or a population can be viewed as an act that supports the preservation of human rights, dignity, and social justice. Nurses can address these needs in several ways, such as through political avenues, and by educating the community on disease prevention and proven methods to safeguard good health. By communicating a population’s vulnerability to specific ailments and diseases, nurses can be found working to promote health, prevent illness, and assist in recovery from many health problems.

This week you will examine how politics and economics influence health and health care. You will also consider ethical dilemmas when promoting health for a population.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Evaluate how politics and economics influence health and health care
• Analyze political or economic system’s influence on health
• Analyze government intervention for a health care system
• Analyze approaches for mitigating outbreaks in relation to nursing practice*

*The Assignment related to this Learning Objective is introduced this week and submitted in Week 3.

Photo Credit: [Image Source]/[Image Source]/Getty Images

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Learning Resources

Required Readings

Holtz, C. (2013). Global health care: Issues and policies (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett.

• Chapter 4, “Global Perspectives of Economics and Health Care” (pp. 91–122)
• Chapter 6, “Ethics of End-of-Life Care from a Global Perspective” (pp. 139–156)

Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2016). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

• Chapter 8, “Public Health Policy” (pp. 167–187)

Public Health Nursing: Population-Centered Health Care in the Community, 9th Ed. by Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. Copyright 2015 by Elsevier Health Science Books. Reprinted by permission of Elsevier Health Science Books via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Levine, R. (2007). Case studies in global health: Millions saved. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.

• Case 9, “Improving the Health of the Poor in Mexico” (pp. 65–72)

Required Media

Laureate Education. (Producer). (2010d). Public and global health: Political, ethical, and economical influences on health [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 11 minutes.

TED. (2015b). Why your doctor should care about social justice. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/mary_bassett_why_your_doctor_should_care_about_social_justice

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 14 minutes.

Dr. Mary Bassett (Health Commissioner of New York City) discusses why physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals should not keep silent about health care disparities, based on her insights from her work in Zimbabwe.

Writing Resources and Program Success Tools

Document: AWE Checklist (4000) (Word document)

This checklist will help you self-assess your writing to see if it meets academic writing standards for this course.

Walden University. (n.d.). Walden templates: General templates: APA course paper template with advice (6th ed.). Retrieved May 20, 2016, from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/ld.php?content_id=7980455

Dr. Mary Bassett (Health Commissioner of New York City) discusses why physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals should not keep silent about health care disparities, based on her insights from her work in Zimbabwe.

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Discussion: Nurses Working to Improve the Socioeconomic Status of Impoverished Citizens Through Government Actions

The influence of poverty on health is a problem that transcends national borders. This week’s readings discussed some of the political, economic, and ethical issues that lead to health disparities in developed and developing countries. In addition, in this week’s first media presentation, Dr. Mancuso and Dr. Huijer shared insights on working within political systems to bring about positive changes in health care. Think about the importance of nurses in addressing these needs and in bringing about change.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review the case study “Improving the Health of the Poor in Mexico.” Then, prepare your response to the following questions:
  • How do politics and economics influence health and health care?
  • What might the benefits be of awarding the mothers cash grants?
  • What social problems might be created by giving the mothers cash grants?
  • Do you think the resources were ethically distributed? (Think about stereotyping.)
  • What changes do you think should be made to the program, if any?
  • If the program were to be discontinued for any reason, what could you, as a nurse, say that might help to maintain funding?
  • Do you think a similar program might work in your community? Why or why not?

By Day 3

Post your response to the following prompts:

Explain how politics and economics may influence health and the health care system from your own perspective. Analyze whether the political and/or economic systems play a major role in your or your family’s access to health and explain why. Then, describe how government intervention might benefit a health care system. Be specific and provide examples.

Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature.

Note Initial Post: A 3-paragraph (at least 250–350 words) response. Be sure to use evidence from the readings and include in-text citations. Utilize essay-level writing practice and skills, including the use of transitional material and organizational frames. Avoid quotes; paraphrase to incorporate evidence into your own writing. A reference list is required. Use the most current evidence (usually ≤ 5 years old).