Question Asked By
"How do you think healthcare affects culture? Or how it affects society’s views of the sick and going to the doctor? Try comparing"
Response
I think that the overall view of Americans on health care in the United States is varied. In 2005, about two thirds of Americans voted their healthcare as having good or better coverage while the other third of Americans voted their healthcare as having fair or poor coverage (Blendon, Robert J, et al). In the following year, about three quarters of Americans believed that hospitals were taking good care of their patients (Blendon, Robert J, et al). It is clear to see in the early 2000s the majority of people would say they feel comfortable or positive about health care. How the majority feel now, I cannot say. The varying views on healthcare may from own personal beliefs and a persons social economic status. Different religions, experiences, and fears are reasons why an individual may look negatively on healthcare or completely avoid it. I think the fear of healthcare comes down to trust. It is understandable for an individual to be weary about medicine due trusting a single doctors on telling them what is best and trusting in science. A persons social economical status can have an effect on their view of healthcare due to the previous experiences and level of treatment they are going to get. Those in a lower social economic class may not have had any previous experiences with healthcare and for that reason may look negatively upon it. Additionally, those of a lower social economic class may not have insurance with as much coverage as those in a higher social economic class.
The first thing that comes to mind my when I think of healthcare and insurance is cost. I would think the majority of Americans think of the same thing when prompted the word insurance. This initial instinct to worry about cost when deciding medical care affects when and where a person is going to go to a doctor. The cost of medical care affects which company a person would go to, where is there insurance is accepted, and if they are going to go at all. Sometimes when insurance would not cover a medical expense, individuals will opt out of protecting their health in efforts to protect their wallet.
Work Cited
Blendon, Robert J, et al. “Americans' Views of Health Care Costs, Access, and Quality.” The Milbank Quarterly, Blackwell Publishing Inc, 2006, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2690297/.