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Welcome to my blog page 📔
Welcome to my blog page 📔
Find all my blog post related to health disciplines and current health studies in Canada
Find all my blog post related to health disciplines and current health studies in Canada
Where Do We Go from Here?
Where Do We Go from Here?
In the early stages of MHST 601 - Critical Foundations in Health Disciplines, we were asked to define the term health – what it meant to us as individuals, what it meant in literature, and how it has been delivered to the public. From previous knowledge, I knew that health had a plethora of definitions tied to it, but through modernization of health and as more research about health has been done, the World Health Organization added to their initial definition that not only is health being in a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, but also, to be free of disease or infirmity (WHO, 2005). Health is truly an umbrella term for so many things that fall under it; the social determinants of health, the spheres of influence on health and applying models and frameworks on health issues, chronic disease, and the promotion of health in marginalized communities. As someone who is an aspiring health promoter and researcher, the topics discussed throughout the course has allowed me to apply the literature to current ongoing health issues such as access to health care for marginalize communities and the disadvantages of intersectionality. After acknowledging the information surrounding health in Canada, where do we go from here? What is the future of healthcare in Canada, for the general and marginalize communities.
Click here for full blog post
Click here for full blog post
The videos below give some insight on the blog post presented above; discussing marginalized communities, the redevelopment of Regent Park in Toronto, Canada, and Indigenous health.
The Future of Healthcare in Canada
11-28-23The Future of Healthcare in Canada
In 2001, Steven Lewis, Cam Donaldson, Craig Mitton, and Gillian Currie conceptualized an article about the Future of HealthCare in Canada, with the main talking points being about publicly funded healthcare, privatisation, and healthcare reform. Slightly over 2 decades ago, the healthcare system was seemingly concerned about the public to private transition as it meant a plethora of potential issues for the population. At the time, 70% of healthcare in Canada was publicly funded, however almost all of it is privately provided – majority if not all the hospitals were non-profit private societies or corporations (Lewis & Donaldson & Mitton & Currie, 2001). The worry of this ‘new’ development of privatizing healthcare was looking like the end of commitment to the substantive principles of Medicare, which was healthcare for all Canadians. As a poll was taken, it was evident that Canadians were not okay with this new concept as they felt there was no morality or values intertwined.Click here for full blog post
Chronic Disease
11-5-23Chronic Disease
The term chronic disease has been widely used through academic literature and in policy discussions surrounding a variation of diseases. It is important to know that this term is an umbrella for diseases; as disease has to be present in order for it to be chronic (Barnell & Howard, 2016). Different fields and departments used this term to outline what is a chronic disease and what isn’t. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) classifies chronic diseases as heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and arthritis (CDC, 2016). However, the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services have a much more extensive list that includes neurological disorders and mental illnesses.
Click here for full blog postSocioecological Model and Its Intervention in High School Related Sports Death
10-25-23Click here for full blog post
Social Determinants of Health
10-15-2023Social Determinants of Health
The Social Determinants of Health were first outlined in 1999 by Michael Marmot and Richard Wilkinson in a book titled, “Social Determinants of Health”(Osmik & Wilson, 2020). In their book, they were able to shape different views based on scientific evidence which were;· Health disparities amongst individuals is caused by characteristics in society, not the difference in health care· A change in environment, can change ones risk of disease· The gradient of health is a problem across the entire socioeconomic spectrum – the lower the social hierarchy, the shorter the life expectancy and higher the mortality rates· With the involvement of interventions, the health gradient can quickly change· Social position determines healthIn 2007, Michael Marmot led the WHO’s global commission on the Social Determinants of Health and in 2010, the WHO provided a “Conceptual Framework for Action on the Social Determinants of Health”. This framework outlines the upstream attributes which outputs the downstream effects (Osmik & Wilson, 2020). The framework developed has specified the foundational focus on governance and social and public policies as critical to changing the health of populations by promoting health equity (Osmik & Wilson, 2020).Click here for full blog post
What is Health? - Part Two
10-4-2023The World Health Organization developed a term for health in 1948 that reads, “being in a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being”. It was later added that the individual claiming health must also be free of disease or infirmity (WHO, 2005). To further define, we need to deconstruct the meaning of ‘well-being’. In terms of well-being, there have been two definitions conceptualized that juxtapose one another; subjective, and objective well-being (Dodge and Daly, 2012). Subjective well-being is outlined as the fulfilment you gain as an individual through eudaemonic well-being and hedonic well-being (Martin-Maria, 2017 and Steptoe, 2015), Eudaemonic well-being consist of finding the meaning of life and understanding the journey of self-growth. Hedonic well-being is the satisfaction of one’s own life (Martin-Maria, 2017 and Steptoe, 2015). To compare, objectively, well-being is defined as quality-of-life indicators in relation to material resources, such as; income, food, housing, education, political voice, health, social networks, and connections (Western, 2016). Objective well-being has similar concepts to the Social Determinants of Health – which include, economic stability, environment, education, food, community support and health care accessibility. To relate back to the 1948 WHO definition of health, the term well-being can be broken down into two aspects, meaning the WHO definition needs to be modernized. To add, it has been 75 years since the WHO has defined health – so much research has been developed surrounding health since then that the WHO needs to consider.Click here for full blog post
What is Health? - Part One
What is Health? - Part One
Check out the Youtube video below on what is Healthy Lifestyle!
10-2-2023 Modernizing the Canadian Health Act
09-27-2023 Modernizing the Canadian Health Act
To begin, explanations surrounding what the Canadian Health Act, how it was constructed, what does it consist of, and how to modernize it are necessary for further enlightenment. In 1960, the health care system was hypothesized in a way that evidently needed modernization. In 1984, the CHA was adopted and replaced the known health care system conceptualized in 1960. Unfortunately, universal healthcare under this act is stressed to ‘medically necessary’ hospital and physician services only (Flood & Thomas, 2016). The exclusion of outpatient pharmaceuticals, dental care, long-term care, and many mental health services is outlined in the CHA (Flood & Thomas, 2016). The aging population has highlighted these inequities within the system and these causes have dropped the Canadian Health System in international rankings (Flood & Thomas, 2016). Accountability is the top priority to ensuring a successful health care system and every major health system review done in Canada has concluded a call for more accountability (Jackman, 2010). Thus, there is more to modernizing the CHA then just simply allowing more coverage for the population (Jackman, 2010). The process of evaluation to determine health goods and services is inadequate and outdated – the Canadian governments tool to defining the Medicare basket is opaque and minimally evidence driven (Flood, 2006).Click here for full blog post
Resources on information related to Health Promotion
09-22-2023A general description of health promotion can be stated as an obligation to attend to the challenges of minimizing inequities, advancing the view of preventative measures, and assisting individuals to cope with their environment. By constructing a health promotion framework, it contributes to community participation and strength, as well as synchronizing healthy public policy. As a health promoter, your duty is to help formulate frameworks that will combat day-to-day health issues. Click here for full blog post
My role as a Health Promoter in Canadian Health Systems
09-20-2023 My role as a Health Promoter in Canadian Health Systems
As of right now, my role in the Canadian Health Systems is minimal – I am a Research and Graduate Studies assistant at the institutional level. A small fraction of what I do is contributing to the well-being of others through evidence-based practice, as well as contribute to new research being developed at the institution. I would consider this a good foundation for my future goal – which is to be a health promoter. The goal is to work with marginalized communities to promote optimal health and well-being by planning, creating, implementing, and analyzing health promotion programs that leads positive behaviour change.
Professionalism and Social Media
9-29-2023Professionalism and Social Media
The link between professionalism and social media is no longer something that is new. For the most part, social media is central in the lives of most today (Soubra, 2022), including healthcare professionals. When Covid-19 shut the world down, many professions had to revert to online platforms to continue working – some of those platforms included social media. Considering the growth of social media presence amongst health care professionals, Cain and Romanelli (Cain, 2009) have developed a term for “e-professionalism” – “attitudes and behaviours (some of which may occur in private settings) reflecting traditional professionalism paradigms that are manifested through digital media”. Seeing as there is a relationship between health professionals and social media, this term has also been identified as online professionalism or digital professionalism (Greysen, 2010). As an individual who would be entering the healthcare world as a researcher or physician, social media presence can be helpful but also have a negative impact if used incorrectly.Click here for full blog post
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