Help Yourself By Helping Others
I apologize for the political undertones of this article but the subject has been on my mind as of late. I will begin by quoting two political leaders from the past:
“...the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life; the sick, the needy and the handicapped. “~ Hubert H. Humphrey
“A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.” ~ Mahatma Ghandi
To say I have an interest in politics goes to so say I have an interest in anything that affects health. Obviously, I have a concern for the health of myself and my family. As a health professional, I have concern for the health of my patients and as a Canadian (and a taxpayer) I most definitely have concern for the health of my fellow countrymen and women, and society as a whole.
It is fair to say that political policies affect health care. The federal government sets rules on health care for the country and the provinces are left alone to figure out how to budget for the health needs of their citizens, all the while abiding by these rules. Budgetary decisions have both direct and indirect implications on societal health.
I believe that most people, when they think about health care, think about the health services the government provides. Services like doctors’ visits, treatments, tests, short and long-term care are at the heart
of Canada’s humongous medicare system. While medical services make up one of many determinants that contribute to health, it has been proven that spending more money on health services does not necessarily lead to a healthier population. More importantly, research is telling us that improving socioeconomic status (SES) within a population actually does more to improve societal health than health services themselves. The way to think about this is that front-line medical services are dealing with improving the lives of people that are already sick or hurt. Creating a healthier society is more about preventing sickness, disease and injury from happening in the first place.
Our weakest members of society tend to make poorer lifestyle choices. For example, they likely don’t exercise; their diets are not the healthiest, and smoking and drinking prevalence is greater. From an early age, these habits can lead to things like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and mental health problems. To simplify, low SES puts strain on the health of individuals and the health of a population. Improving the lives of those in need may be the best way to create a healthier society. Doing so takes time, money and commitment from those who can make a difference. The truth is, we can all make a difference. Through donating our time and money, having compassion for those who are not as fortunate and by electing the leaders with a vision for a healthy future will strengthen us all.