Technology, Environment and Society Essay Example

Technology, Environment and Society Paper Technological innovation Creative. Feasible ideas Practical application Diffusion through society Environment Environment is defined as the immediate surroundings which supports life ND sustains various human activities. The surroundings comprises of Biotic or living things: plants, animals, microorganisms Biotic or non-living things: land, water, air etc. Society Society is people living together in communities. Chapter 1 . Brief History of Technology Beginnings (from beginning to BBC) universe: Evolution theory: Big bang theory, 10 to 20 billion years ago Solar system: Sun at the centre and eight planets, age of sun: about 5 billion years Earth and life: some facts Third planet that orbit the sun Formed from cloud of dust and gas drifting through space about 4. 6 billion years ago. First primitive life: algae and bacteria appeared around 3. 4 billion years ago. Human being Separation of human lineage from primates: about 2 million years ago. Modern human (homeostasis) appeared in Africa around 100,000 years ago. Beginning of human civilization: about 5000 years ago Stone Age Age prior to the beginning of civilized society (up to BBC) Tools: stone, wood, animal bone, horn No use of metal tools Potters wheel (around BBC) Nomadic culture: Humans moved from one place to another place searching for the foods At the end, more settled 1. 1 Civilizations between BBC to 1 660 AD . We will write a custom essay sample on Technology, Environment and Society specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Technology, Environment and Society specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Technology, Environment and Society specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer First civilizations (3000 Facto 1100 BC) Bronze Age Cupper: First discovered metal Bronze (Mixture Of Cue and Tin): Second discovered metal Sequences By BBC, quasi-civilized society in Egypt and Mesopotamia Around 3000 BC: human civilization began. Civilizations a. Egyptian civilization: in the valley of Nile b. Sumerian civilization: in plain of Tigris and Euphrates in Southern Mesopotamia c. Assyrian civilization: in upper Tigris d. Maya civilization: in Peru e. Civilizations in China f. Civilizations in India: Flourishing of Hindu religion in India, Veda and Punished g. First Babylonian empire Semitic (dark white or brownish people from Syria and Arabia) people conquered Sumerian by BBC, made Babylon the capital Hamburg: 6th king of Babylonian, made code of laws, which is first written code of laws h. Jews (Hebrews) Semitic people settled in Judea long before 1 000 B. C. Hebrew Bible (Old testament) around 1000 BC Prophets of Jews: Abraham, Mosses Solomon: king of Hebrew Monarchy, builder of the first temple in Jerusalem I. Spreading of Aryans Tribes of fair and blue eyed Nordic race Spread from central Europe to Asia Inventions/ Developments during Bronze age Discovery of bronze, Metal working, Glass working Invention of Potato in Peru Animal domestication: cattle, sheep, goats and asses Cultivation Navigation technology Techniques of Yoga and meditation Invention of first writing system (wage-shaped) by Sumerians Invention of picture writing system by Egyptians Invention of Semitic writing system by Hebrews by mixing Sumerian and Egyptian writing All other major languages, e. G. Sanskrit, Latin, Greek, French, Arabic etc. Derived from Semitic Construction of cities, temples, tombs, systematic irrigation, war chariots b. Iron Age (1100 BC to 500 AD) First use of iron for implements and weapons. Historical sequences in Iron Age a. Augusta Buddha (nearly 550 BC) b. Confucius and Ala TTS in China (around 6th century BC) c. Emperor Osaka in India: spread Buddhism to Kashmir, Persia, Ceylon, China and Alexandria (capital of Roman empire) d. Jesus Christ e. Victory of Aryan: from 900 to 600 BC over the whole ancient world: Semitic, Egyptian, Greek, India except China f. Greek civilization Greek people: trades, travelers, enthusiastic Greek Philosophers Thales, Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Ptolemy, Euclid, Archimedes Plato, Aristotle: most prominent Plato (400 BC): Mathematics and Astronomy Plato published a book named Utopia which deals with the plan to form a different and better than the existing one. Utopian society defines the process of development in three steps: plan, public, and law. Aristotle (BBC) Gathering information, analyzing and solving the problem in a systematic way (beginner of science). Father of history and founder of political science g. Roman civilization Autocratic Roman empire in Europe (from 200 BC) No scientific development Focus of Romans on health and well being h. Spreading of Mongolias all over the world by two century BC. Inventions/technological development during iron age Prosperous China: Construction of great wall, invention of paper, tea, wood block printing Development of Iron technology Literature: around 200 BC c. The middle ages (500 to 1450) Sequences Of middle age a. Prophet Muhammad (DADA) Dictated a book, Koran, which he declared was communicated to him from God Beginning of Islam religion b. Arabs supremacy Powerful Arabian empire: Arabians were Masters, Europeans pupils Stretched from Spain to China Learnt paper and printing from China Came in touch with Indian Mathematics Translated Greek literature . Mongolias conquest Jennings Khan (1200 AD): conquered China, Transmitted, Persia, Armenia, part of India down to Lahore, South Russia and Hungary Tioga Khan: completed the conquest of whole China and all Russia (former Soviet Union) Other emperors: Mango Khan, Kabuki Khan, Haulage Khan d. Mogul dynasty in India (Mongolia: Mogul in Urdu) Baber: Descendent of Mongolia, conquest India Kafka: completed the conquest of whole India f. Renaissance of Europe: Intellectual revival From 1 200 AD: revival of European intelligence Commercial and industrial activities boomed in northern and central Italian ties (1250) Development of cities Growth in trading Arabian literature and scientific experiments translated into common language Roger Bacon: father of modern experimental science, deserves prominence in our history second to that of Aristotle university at Paris, Oxford, Bologna and other cities Exploration: Marco Polo, Columbus, Vases De Gamma By 1500 AD, Europeans became intellectual and material leader Inventions/Developments in middle age a. From Arab world Great advances in Math, physics, Chemistry and Medical science Spreading of Arabic figure invented by Hindus, sign zero invented by Arabs Metallurgical ND technical devices made by Arabs b. From Mongolia Opening of silk road by Mongolias to link Asia and Europe for trade c. From renaissance of European Good quality paper and printing Advance in education and science Mariners compass d. Towards the modern world (1450 to 1 660) a. Period of growth for scientific knowledge Birth of many scientists: Leonardo Dad Vinci, Galileo, Keeper, Blaine Pascal, Robert Hook, Newton: Influenced the world of science b. Age of mechanical revolution Process of mechanical invention and discovery Technological development due to organized science Mechanical power and the machine doing the labor work of human and animals c. Advance in popular education throughout the Westernizes world Inventions/ Developments Invention of saw mill, microscope, telescope, clocks 1. 2 The Industrial revolution, early days (1660 to 181 5) The mechanical revolution was followed by the industrial revolution. Age of social and financial development Scientific discoveries, application of science and technology Began from England around sixties of seventeenth century after the invention of steam engine by James Watt Mass production, factory system and improved chicanery and machine tool Further advancement due to the invention of electric power By the early 19th century, industrial revolution spread to other parts of Europe Inventions/Developments Frederica Startled founded a pencil factory in Emerging, Germany. Startled Mars Gumbo Co. The oldest manufacturing companies in the world. Many books on industrial development water-powered mill Processing of iron from ore using blast furnace technique in 1 8th century Rolled iron sheet in 1 728 and rolled rods and bars in 1783. First modern steam engine by James Watt (1765) Use of steam power: cotton factory, boat, ship First locomotive by Trickier in 1 804 Electricity: Investigation of Franklin, Volta, Faraday and Galvanic Chemistry advanced American System of Manufacturing (1813) Steam powered train 1. 3 The Industrial revolution in maturity (1 815 to 1918) a. By early 1 9th century, science has come to be revolutionized. Prominent scientists e. G. Alfred Nobel, Faraday, Graham Bell, Charles Draw. in, Albert Einstein b. Age of engineering: Technological development Electric motor by Faraday (1821) First railway between Stockton and Darlington in 1825 Discovery of electric telegraph in 1835, first under seas cable laid in 1851 teen France and England Analytical engine by Charles Babbage (1 834), father of computer Steam hammer (1838) Bessemer process (1856) and open hearth process (1864) for processing of iron and steel Telephone by Alexander Graham Bell (1876) Steam turbine (1884) Petrol car by Carl Benz (1888) Internal combustion diesel engine by Rudolph Diesel (1893) Wireless telegraphy by Marion (1896) Medical science and agricultural science advanced In 1 903 testing of the first air craft by Wright brothers in the USA, availability Of airplane for humans from 1909 Book on scientific management by Taylor in 1911 Moving-assembly-line techniques for car manufacturing by Ford (1913) Project management techniques (Giant Chart -1917) Impact of industrial revolution Mechanization: Change of power source from muscle power and animal power to steam engine which was more economical, easier to handle and efficient than previous sources. Social, cultural and economical change Revolution in transport and communication Easier and more comfortable life, better health condition Advance in education, science, medicine, textile and agriculture Relocation of large portions of the population from the countryside to the towns and cities Growth in trade and business Availability of great variety of materials Rise of wealthy people Especially businessman became richer, while workers also got good wages. Start of automation replacing human operations Negative points: break up of joint family, women and child labor, gap between poor and rich Material growth and subsequent colonization Demand of raw materials and nationalist pride led colonization to produce and trade goods Dutch, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (North and South America), French, England Negative impact of colonization Conflict and internal strife in colonized countries Extraction of vast amounts of natural resources from the colonies by British Empire 1. 4 Influence of First and Second World wars on technology world war I (WWW) (1914-1918) Main Causes Beginning: Beginning of war after the assassination of Ferdinand, heir to the Status-Hungarian throne, by, a Bosnian Sere citizen of Austria-Hungary . The retaliation by Austria-Hungary against Serbia activated a series of alliances that set off a chain reaction of war declarations.

Medieval Childbirth and Baptism

Medieval Childbirth and Baptism The concept of childhood in the middle ages and the importance of the child in medieval society is not to be overlooked in history. It is fairly clear from the laws designed specifically for the care of children that childhood was recognized as a distinct phase of development and that, contrary to modern folklore, children were not treated as nor expected to behave as adults. Laws regarding the rights of orphans are among the pieces of evidence we have that children had value in society, as well. It is difficult to imagine that in a society where so much value was placed on children, and so much hope was invested in a couples ability to produce children, children would regularly suffer from a lack of attention or affection. Yet this is the charge that has often been made against medieval families. While there have been- and continue to be- cases of child abuse and neglect in western society, to take individual incidents as indicative of an entire culture would be an irresponsible approach to history. Instead, let us look at how society in general regarded the treatment of children. As we take a closer look at childbirth and baptism, well see that, in most families, children were warmly and happily welcomed into the medieval world. Childbirth in the Middle Ages Because the foremost reason for marriage at any level of medieval society was to produce children, the birth of a baby was usually a cause for joy. Yet there was also an element of anxiety. While the childbirth mortality rate is probably not as high as folklore would have it,   there was still a possibility of complications, including birth defects or a breech birth, as well as the death of mother or child or both. And even under the best of circumstances, there was no effective anesthetic to eradicate the pain. The lying-in room was almost exclusively the province of women; a male physician would only be called in when surgery was necessary.  Under ordinary circumstances, the mother- be she peasant, town-dweller, or noblewoman- would be attended by midwives. A midwife would usually have more than a decade of experience, and she would be accompanied by assistants whom she was training. In addition, female relatives and friends of the mother would frequently be present in the birthing room, offering support and good will, while the father was left outside with little more to do but pray for a safe delivery. The presence of so many bodies could raise the temperature of a room already made warm by the presence of a fire, which was used to heat water for bathing both mother and child. In the homes of the nobility, gentry, and wealthy townspeople, the birthing room would usually be freshly-swept and provided with clean rushes; the best coverlets were put on the bed and the place was turned out for display. Sources indicate that some mothers may have given birth in a sitting or squatting position.  To ease the pain and to hasten the process of childbirth, the midwife might rub the mothers belly with ointment. Birth was usually expected within 20 contractions; if it took longer, everyone in the household might try to help it along by opening cupboards and drawers, unlocking chests, untying knots, or even shooting an arrow into the air. All of these acts were symbolic of opening the womb. If all went well, the midwife would tie off and cut the umbilical cord and help the baby take its first breath, clearing its mouth and throat of any mucus. She would then bathe the child in warm water or, in more affluent homes, in milk or wine;  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹she might also use salt, olive oil, or rose petals. Trotula of Salerno, a 12th-century female physician, recommended washing the tongue with hot water to assure the child would speak properly.  It was not uncommon to rub honey on the palate to give the baby an appetite. The infant would then be swaddled snugly in linen strips so that his limbs might grow straight and strong, and laid in a cradle in a dark corner, where his eyes would be protected from bright light. It would soon be time for the next phase in his very young life: Baptism. Medieval Baptism The primary purpose of  baptism  was to wash away original sin and drive all evil from the newborn child. So important was this  sacrament  to the Catholic Church that the usual opposition to women performing sacerdotal duties was overcome for fear an infant might die unbaptized. Midwives were authorized to perform the rite if the child was unlikely to survive and there was no man nearby to do it. If the mother died in childbirth, the midwife was supposed to cut her open and extract the baby so that she could baptize it. Baptism had another significance: it welcomed a new Christian soul into the community. The rite conferred a name on the infant that would identify him throughout his life, however short it might be. The official ceremony in the church would establish lifelong ties to his godparents, who were not supposed to be related to their godchild through any blood or marriage link. Thus, from the very beginning of his life, the medieval child had a relationship to the community beyond that defined by kinship. The role of godparents was mainly spiritual: they were to teach their godchild his prayers and instruct him in faith and morals. The relationship was considered as close as a blood link, and marriage to ones godchild was prohibited.  Because godparents were expected to bestow gifts on their godchild, there was some temptation to designate many godparents, so the number had been limited by the Church to three: a godmother and two godfathers for a son; a godfather and two godmothers for a daughter. Great care was taken when selecting prospective godparents; they might be chosen from among the parents employers, guild members, friends, neighbors, or lay clergy. No one from a family that the parents hoped or planned to marry the child into would be asked. Generally, at least one of the godparents would be of a higher social status than the parent. A child was usually baptized on the day he was born. The mother would stay at home, not only to recuperate, but because the Church generally followed the Jewish custom of keeping women from holy places for several weeks after giving birth. The father would assemble the godparents, and together with the midwife they would all bring the child to the church. This procession would frequently include friends and relatives, and could be quite festive. The priest would meet the baptismal party at the church door. Here he would ask if the child had been baptized yet and whether it was a boy or a girl. Next he would bless the baby, put salt in its mouth to represent the reception of wisdom, and exorcise any demons. Then he would test the godparents knowledge of the prayers they were expected to teach the child: the  Pater Noster,  Credo, and  Ave Maria. Now the party entered the church and proceeded to the  baptismal font. The priest would anoint the child, immerse him in the font, and name him. One of the godparents would raise the baby up from the water and wrap him in a christening gown. The gown, or crysom, was made of white linen and might be decorated with seed pearls; less wealthy families might use a borrowed one. The last part of the ceremony took place at the altar, where the godparents made the profession of faith for the child. The participants would then all return to the parents house for a feast. The entire procedure of baptism mustnt have been a pleasant one for the newborn. Removed from the comfort of its home (not to mention its mothers breast) and carried out into the cold, cruel world, having salt shoved into its mouth, immersed in water that could be dangerously cold in winter all this must have been a jarring experience. But for the family, the godparents, friends, and even the community at large, the ceremony heralded the arrival of a new member of society. From the trappings that went with it, it was an occasion that appears to have been a welcome one. Sources: Hanawalt, Barbara,  Growing Up in Medieval London  (Oxford University Press, 1993). Gies, Frances, and Gies, Joseph,  Marriage and the Family in the Middle Ages  (Harper Row, 1987). Hanawalt, Barbara, The Ties that Bound: Peasant Families in Medieval England (Oxford University Press, 1986).

4 Successful Review Writers That Students Have to Look up to

4 Successful Review Writers That Students Have to Look up to 4 Successful Review Writers That Students Have to Look up to Throughout our lives, we find people who inspire us. Some of them help us work harder, some inspire us to make wise choices, and there are even some people who can inspire us to become better writers. Some of the best review writers are among those exalted few, and their works make us want to improve ourselves by bettering our writing abilities. Here are some of the best essay writers of all times and why they can make you want to become more amazing writers too. 1. Joan Didion Didion began her writing career when she was only five years old reminding us that we are never too young to begin. If you are new to Didion, a Year of Magical Thinking is a particularly good choice. If you have ever dismayed by the decay of morality and the decadence of culture, Didion knows what you’re thinking, and she’s written it down in sharp prose that pierces to the very heart. She once famously said â€Å"The willingness to accept responsibility for ones own life is the source from which self-respect springs.† Don’t make excuses for not moving forward with becoming a stronger writer; Didion wouldn’t approve. 2. Annie Dillard They have said, â€Å"write what you know† and Annie Dillard is a flawless example who follows that advice. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author is famous for her collected essays in Pilgrim at Tinker Creek in which she explores the beauty and horror of the natural world near her home in Roanoke, Virginia. She conveys a sense of unhurried wonder and discovery, which is difficult for experienced writers to maintain. If you have found yourself feeling jaded and struggling for the words to come, try to take a look at her essays and gain your own set of fresh eyes to view the world. 3. David Foster Wallace If you’re a bibliophile, it is possible that you already know and love David Foster Wallace. He’s fighting back against mental illness every day to keep writing down what’s the most important for him. He called writing both â€Å"nourishing and redemptive,† and although Wallace ultimately committed a suicide. His work lives on in his most famous 1000+ page stream-of-consciousness novel Infinite Jest. The chief book critic once said of him, â€Å"He can do sad, funny, silly, heartbreaking and absurd with equal ease; he can even do them all at once.† It is hard to come up with excuses about how a certain style of writing just does not suit you when you consider the odds, which Wallace was dealing with every day, and how he bravely overcame them. 4. Brian Doyle If you’ve never read the essayist Brian Doyle before, you’re in for a real treat. No other essayist so deftly can bring tears to your eyes or smiles to your faces. He is one moment dryly hysterical; next, he is delving into the beauty and tragedy of deepest sorrow. Perhaps, it is unrealistic to imagine that any of us could reach into someone’s heart and yank it right out of their chest with his piercing and perfect command of language, but it is certainly worth a lifetime of trying to get there. As we can see, there are a lot of review writers who had a lot of troubles to tackle, but still they coped with them. Thus, remember that there is nothing impossible, just believe and make some efforts.

Assignment 1 & 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

1 & 2 - Assignment Example Major organizations have established public relation department which focuses on how to impress the society. As much as strategies are usually applied to improve the public relation, ethics and company policies are the major influences. For example, if a child loses their life in a school compound, the public reaction towards the school would be very negative. The society will view the institution as an enemy to the community. With years the public relations are becoming difficult to improve. The society’s priorities towards organizations and institutions are increasing. This may be attributed to increased business ventures and the exposure to information. In schools the situation is the same. In the modern century school’s public relations should also be improved (Kowalski, 2010). 1. The implementation of PR is faced by several shortcomings. These shortcomings are based on understanding, accepting and acting. These barriers tend not to help in the influencing of the public’s perception towards the institution. Barriers to accepting are the barriers that prevent the public from accepting the PR implementation policies. According to Kowalski (2010) this barrier may be influenced by both internal and external factors. On internal factors, the institution may by having problems in influencing an ethical environment. The internal causes are mostly influenced by the conduct of the staff and administrators. If the institution has an appropriate PR implementation strategies and the conduct of the administrators is unethical, the public may find it difficult to accept the PR implementation policies. External factors are based on the fact that the public is exposed to many similar competitors. The institutions incentives may be not good enough to fulfill the pr iorities of the public hence they fail to accept any PR offering. A barrier to acting is the barrier that prevents the public from fulfilling their part as

Organizational Intelligence Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Organizational Intelligence Policy - Essay Example To remain competitive and afloat in such a business environment, computer and information technology organizations must embark on the search for revolutionary and forward-looking techniques not only for creating but also for collecting, storing, capturing, organizing, managing, and distributing data/knowledge through its structure. Importantly, these techniques should allow for the easy and effective retrieval of needed information at the convenient moments (Ali et al., 2007). Organizations must however appreciate the level and nature of skills and competence required to develop and apply such knowledge and data management practices and techniques. Besides the need for IT and computer system executives, managers, systems analysts to be skilled and possess the competitive edge to perform the above functions and realize their data-related objectives, it is important that effective and elaborate Intelligence Organization policies are developed to ensure processes related to data collect ion, database systems’ security measures, data storage, diverse knowledge availability, information update, data-based decision-making processes, and data management training are not only relevant but also effective and support the attainment of organizational and personal growth among employees (Ali et al., 2007). ... Organizational intelligence Policy Organizational Intelligence refers to the capacity and the ability of an organization to utilize various methodologies, concepts, techniques, and tools to achieve information or knowledge-related functions and processes, including data collection, database systems’ security measures, data storage, diverse knowledge availability, information update, data-based decision-making processes, and data management training (James, 1999). A sound Organizational Intelligence policy should, of most importance, outline the purposes for which the OI has been developed. First, an Organizational Intelligence policy should ensure that an organization comprehends and makes productive conclusions from all the knowledge/information relevant to its operations and objectives (James, 1999). Second, an IO should outline an organization’s abilities to use knowledge, data/information to create sense out of complex business situations, prompting employees and ma nagers to act appropriately, maximizing on the opportunities presented by immediate or past circumstances. Third, an OI policy should be helpful in highlighting an organization’s ability not only to interpret but also to act on relevant circumstances, signals, or events in its environment. Fourth, an Organization Intelligence policy should promote the development, sharing, and usage of all information and knowledge relevant to an organization’s purposes by the promotion of learning by experiences and exposures. Gathering Competition Intelligence As the IT and computer industry develops, it becomes necessary that organizations develop an OI policy that would ensure the above functions are developed towards the building of a stronger, more relevant, and equally competitive Organizational

Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Essay -- American Literature, Biography

Shirley Jackson is said to be one of the most â€Å"brilliant and influential authors of the twentieth century.† â€Å"Her fiction writing is some of the most important to come out of the American literary canon.† (http://shirleyjackson.org/Reviews.html) Jackson wrote many short stories and even some books. They are more on the dark, witchlike side, however. Kelleher explains that Jackson stated in some interviews that she practiced magic. No one really knows if she was serious while practicing witchcraft or not, but it ended up helping her write her stories http://www.literarytraveler.com/literary_articles/shirley_jackson_bennington.aspx). A major story that throws people for a loop is â€Å"The Lottery†. This was Jackson’s first short story and many people did not know how to take the story. Your everyday person may be offended by it,but an everyday writer may think it is a work of art. Even though Jackson seemed like a normal person, she enjoyed writing about the dark side of things; hence, â€Å"The Lottery† was written. Shirley Jackson was born December 14, 1919, in San Francisco. She spent all of her childhood in Burlingame, California, and started her writing, as well. Then when she turned seventeen, her and her family moved east, where she enrolled in the University of Rochester. After only a year in the university, she left and decided to pursue writing. Another year passed and she attended Syracuse University. There she published her first story, â€Å"Janice† and also won a poetry contest. After winning the contest, she met Stanley Edgar Hyman. They got acquainted and founded a magazine together called: The Spectre. Later in life they ended up getting married. Together they had four children and moved around so Hyman could have a job with... ..." Study Guides & Essay Editing | GradeSaver. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. . Chopin, Kate. â€Å"The Story of an Hour.† An Introduction to Literature. Eds. Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, and William E. Cain. 15th ed. New York: Longman, 2008. 193-199 Kelleher, Katy. "Shirley Jackson in Bennington Vermont, Shirley Jackson Ebooks, Shirley Jackson First Editions, Shirley Jackson Tours LiteraryTraveler.com." Literary Traveler, Literary Tours, Travel Writing, Travel Literature, Ereaders, EBooks, Travel, HemingwayLiteraryTraveler.com. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. . "Literary Analysis: The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson - by Amelia Tibbett - Page 2 - Helium." Helium - Where Knowledge Rules. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. . "Shirley Jackson - Biography of Shirley Jackson - English 101." Simple Writers Student Papers and Essays. 2006. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. . Shirley Jackson's Bio. 2009. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. .

Comparing Health Care Systems: The United States and Cuba Essay

For many years, the health care in the United constituted the best that any country had to offer (University of Maine, 2001). But as the facts would tend to display, it is slowly becoming one of the most inefficient in the world (Maine, 2001). The United States health care system may tout itself of being in the category of being the most expensive in the world, meaning a dearth of resources for the care it delivers (Reed Abelson, 2008). But the disparity in the amount that the people spend and the quality of the service attached to that cost is seemingly not parallel to each other (Abelson, 2008). A report released on the United States health care system shows that the country is spending about twice the amount on the health care needs of its citizens is compared to that of the expenditures of other developed nations (Abelson, 2008). But if the prices of health care in the United States, the country is listed at the bottom of countries that in the mortality of people if treated with efficient medical care (Abelson, 2008). This is a growing concern across the social spectrum of the United States (Meena Seshamani, Jeanne Ambrew & Joseph Antos, 2008). The amount that the United States spends annually on health care is truly staggering. In 2006, the United States spent $2. 1 trillion on health care services alone, double what the country allotted a decade back and about half of that is targeted in nine years time (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). The United States currently ranks as the third largest nation in the world, with a population of around 294 million (Samuel Uretsky, 2008). Of this number, it is believed that approximately 75 million Americans have inadequate medical insurance or do not have insurance altogether (Abelson, 2008). It was also found that the quality and the attendants cost of health care greatly varies across the societal spectrum (Abelson, 2008). These costs drain the finances of American businesses, which in turn contribute a quarter of the capital for health care needs (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). The costs to employers in terms of contribution to the health care fund increased by a staggering 98 percent in the span of seven years- from 2000 to last year, which outstripped the increases in wages by four to one (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). In 2007, the cost of employee-based insurance cost about $12,000, nearly matching the wages for minimum wage employment (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). Adding to the burden of high insurance payments is the fact that these have to be paid with higher service and deductions (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). This issue also has an impact on the senior citizens of the United States (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). Elderly Americans, in the current scenario, have to accumulate about $300,000 dollars in non-Medicare covered health costs (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). These costs have contributed to the access of health care by many Americans (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). Citizens who are covered by employer-based health insurance in 2006 fell five percent, from 66 percent to about 61 percent in the six-year period preceding 2006 (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). But how is health insurance in the United States given? The United States offers a variety of avenues of health insurance coverage both from public funds and from the private sector (Uretsky, 2008). In a report released by the United States Census Bureau in 2003, it found that about 6 out of every 10 Americans were covered by employer-based health insurance, about 3 of the 10 from the government, and the remainder with no insurance (Uretsky, 2008). In 2001, it was found that the United States spent more of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) than any other developed nation in the world (Uretsky, 2008). For that period, America spent more than 13. 9 percent of its GDP, compared to Japan, which spent about 7. 8 percent; Canada, 9. 4 percent and the United Kingdom, 7. 6 percent (Uretsky, 2008). It should be interesting to note that even if the United States outpaced Japan in terms of health care spending, the United States ranks just 24th in the world for life expectancy (Uretsky, 2008). Life expectancy in the United States is about 70 years old, while the valedictorian on the list, Japan, comes in at about 74. 5 years for its citizens (Uretsky, 2008). Memberships in life insurance and access to adequate health care have been shown to work together (Devi Sridhar, 2005). The availability of health insurance is essential to instances and times that people would be able to rely on medical care in relation to the overall health of the person (Sridhar, 2005). Lack of available health insurance will take a toll on a person’s physical well-being (Sridhar, 2005). The individual will not be able to go to medical facilities for preventive medical treatment, fill out prescriptions, and will likely be receiving that medical treatment in the latter stages of a disease (Sridhar, 2005). Unlike the United States, Cuba, on the other hand, is not prone to the failures of the private and public fund problems found in the United States (Harvard Public Health Review, 2002). Cuban authorities exercise complete administrative, budgetary, and operational responsibility for the delivery of health care services for all its citizens (Harvard, 2002). The Cuban health care model is purely derived from the government, defining it as a public health care system seeking to provide universal health care coverage for all Cubans (Oxford Journals, 2008). It has been seen as a model of matching few available resources with the needs of the people in getting adequate medical care, often getting extremely high marks (Oxford, 2008). Compared to other developed nations, the United States has the distinction of being the only one that does not provide the availability of universal health care to its citizens (John Battista and Justine McCabe, 1999). In the developed world, it is found that 28 of the industrialized nations practice a â€Å"single- payer system, while Germany practices a multi-payer system akin to the proposed system of the President Clinton (Battista, McCabe, 1999). This would lead most observers to take a second look at the health care system of the United States (Battista, McCabe, 1999). In the analysis of the American health system, it is good to debunk some of the fallacies and errors that have been around the effective and quality of the United States system of health (Battista, McCabe, 1999). The United States, though having one of the best health professionals and an exceptional system of delivery and technology, still lags behind some of the industrial world’s health system (Battista, McCabe, 1999). In fact, if several factors in health care statistics are considered, the report card for the United States is a dismal failure (Battista, McCabe, 1999). Several of these factors would evidence how the system of health care in the United States has failed to give an improving system to its citizens. In 1960, America ranked 12th in terms of infant mortality (Battista, McCabe, 1999). In 1990, the United States ranked 21st in the world, settling at 23rd in recent times (Battista, McCabe, 1999). A central issue in the United States health system is the issue of universal health care. A current misconception of arguing against the consideration of universal health care is the prohibitive costs associated with it (Battista, McCabe, 1999). The opponents for the policy of a single payer system are of the belief that institutionalizing the policy avers that the country might end up paying too much (Battista, McCabe, 1999). In fact, the United States is already paying about 40 percent more than any other country in health care spending per capita (Battista, McCabe, 1999). Two of the top priorities currently in the area of health care are the ever increasing costs in the provision of health and the decreasing levels of access to health care (Sridhar, 2005). This fact is continuing to drive a wedge between those that can afford to provide for their health care needs and those that can ill-afford to purchase or do not have the means and the opportunity to be covered by insurance (Sridhar, 2005). This problem of individuals not covered by the health care system in the United States is expected to expand also to affect the insured patients (Sridhar, 2005). The issue seems to be in how the universal system of health care would operate (Sridhar, 2005). Many opponents of the policy are criticizing the system as an added layer of the bureaucracy and might result in the centralization of the health care system (Sridhar, 2005). But the current practice of Americans in purchasing their health-care needs might be more expensive than the provision for universal health care (Sridhar, 2005). At present, and as mentioned earlier, Americans are covered by health insurance in three ways: it is a benefit to workers and retirees, through government programs and the purchase of non-government insurance (Uretsky, 2008). But is the opposition to the universal, or single-payer, heath insurance system justified? The main opposition as again mentioned is the cost of the system (Battista, McCabe, 1999). In addition to the seeming â€Å"overspending† of Americans on health care, the institutionalization of the single payer system could means savings (Battista, McCabe, 1999). According to studies done by the Congressional Budget Office and the General Accounting office, it shows that with the practice of the single-payer system, the United States can accumulate $100 to $200 billion a year in health care savings, with the coverage expanding to cover uninsured individuals and improving the quality of services offered (Battista, McCabe, 1999). The Cuban Health System: Making do with less, and then some As mentioned earlier, the health care system of Cuba is completely run and operated by the government (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). This health care system provides not only diagnostic procedures, but also preventive, therapeutic and ameliorative treatments for the people of Cuba (Harvard, 2002). The Cuban health system is also distinguished as the one possessing the highest ratio in terms of people to doctors (The London School of Economics and Political Science, 2003). These health practitioners are trained in the country’s 21 medical educational facilities (London, 2003). In turn, the family physicians, as they are called, 20,000 of them, are tasked to administer the health care system of the Cuban government, one family physician to about 600 people (London, 2003). It should also be noted that these achievements in the field of health acre by the government in Havana have been done in the presence of an economic embargo imposed by the United States since 1961 (Harvard, 2002). The embargo put severe restrictions on the ability of Cuba to source out funding for its health car initiatives (Harvard, 2002). Since these sanctions covered even the importation and food items and medical supplies, the Cuban government practiced a system of preventive cure as a means to cushion the impact of the embargo (Harvard, 2002). In essence, the family physicians, at least in epidemiological terms, serve their fellow Cubans in the best way that they know how (London, 2003). Not only do the family physicians provide excellent preventive care, they also make it a point to provide treatment and diagnostics to prevent the onset of diseases upon the people (London, 2003). These family physicians are usually stationed in the nation’s consultorios, or small clinics situated in small neighbourhoods that they are assigned to. These doctors usually reside in the space above the clinic or just nearby (The Social Medicine Portal, 2006). These physicians attend to the patients who come in the morning to the clinic, then set out in the afternoon for home visitation for patients who are unable to come to the clinic (Social Medicine, 2006). For complicated and more delicate cases, the people can go a facility called a â€Å"polyclinic† (Social Medicine, 2006). These polyclinics, numbering about 400 scattered throughout the nation, function similar to a hospital’s outpatient department (Social Medicine, 2006). Some outpatient procedures are administered here in the polyclinic, but the facility is mainly geared for consultation sessions with specialists (Social Medicine, 2006). Also, acupuncture, physical therapy sessions and ultrasound procedures are conducted in the facility (Social Medicine, 2006). This is the first level of health care in the island nation; the second tier of care being administered by local and regional health care facilities (Social Medicine, 2006). The Cuban health system is one that can be characterized as an undivided, cohesive and devolved system that caters to the health and well-being of the people (Francisco Rojas Ochoa & Leticia Artiles Visbal, 2007). Also, the right to universal health care is guaranteed as a responsibility of the government under existing Cuban jurisprudence (London, 2003). In stark contrast to the Cuban guarantee of the right to free and adequate health care for its citizens, the United States does not obligate the government to deliver universal health care to is people as one of their rights as citizens of the United States (Battista, McCabe, 1999). This resiliency and dedication of Cuba to provide for its citizens was also seen as one of the reasons that health care delivery was not too affected by the economic crisis in the 1990’s (Oxford, 2008).