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The Importance Of Healthcare In America

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Since its inception, healthcare has grown and expanded rapidly. From beginning as a field that relied primarily on traditional beliefs and barbers, medicine has become progressively more science and technology based. The United States’ healthcare system, despite its flaws, is arguably one of the best treatment programs in the entire world. Currently, high quality care is being delivered to a good portion of the population and it appears that the overall health of society is increasing. However, a closer look reveals the fact that, although the United States has a much more advanced healthcare system, the health disparities between various socioeconomic classes within the country are growing rapidly. It is true that the efficacy and …show more content…

At first glance, one might look over the relationship between education and health as two variables that seem relatively independent of one another. Education is important, undoubtedly, but to most people, its only purpose is to ensure a stable job and income in the future. However, education has a profound impact on both individual and population health from a very young age itself. According to the Perry Preschool Project, there are critical periods during childhood in which intervention may confer long-term benefits. In other words, by teaching basic lessons on health topics, such as diet and exercise, at a younger age, the likelihood of developing diseases such as diabetes or obesity, which are a result of neglecting these factors, could significantly decrease (Adler). Research has also shown that the relative risk of being diagnosed with diabetes decreases significantly with education (Lee). By increasing health literacy amongst lower income populations, these individuals are more likely to be able to understand the importance of preventative care and advocate for their own health (Zimmerman). Another societal level factor that impacts individual health is neighborhood context, both from a social and geographical perspective. From a social context, the theory of planned behavior can be used to help explain why those of

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