Question

Do you agree that shifting the burden of disease and death from the young to the old is a successful public health outcome? Differentiate between how elders are treated in another culture and the typical US culture? What are your thoughts about these differences? How does this impact global health outcomes?

Answer 1

- The goal of public health is not to prevent death, because everyone will eventually die of something.

- The goal of public health is to prevent premature death, and to promote long and healthy lives.

- By this standard, shifting the burden of disease from children and young adults to older adults is a good outcome, and that is what happens during the epidemiologic transition.

- The burden of disease in pre-transition populations falls heavily on the young,while the burden of disease in post-transition populations falls mostly on the elderly.

- Health disparities are preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or in opportunities to achieve optimal health experienced by socially disadvantaged racial, ethnic, and other population groups, and communities.

- Health disparities exist in all age groups, including many believe it is our culture's negative depiction of aging. In many other cultures, however, old age is revered.

- The elderly are highly valued, and the process of aging is embraced. Below are some examples of how cultural attitudes toward aging in non-US countries affect the life experiences of their inhabitants adults.

Indian

Traditionally, most Indians live in family units in which the seniors act as the head of the household. This, Diamond said, is in direct contrast to many families in the United States, “where routinely, old people do not live with their children and it’s a big hassle to take care of your parents even if you want to do it.” Achyut Bihani said that disrespecting seniors or placing them in a living facility is looked down upon in India, and that seniors are valued for their wisdom. “Advice is always sought from them on a range of issues, from investment of family money to nitty-gritties of traditional wedding rituals and intra-family conflicts. And this is not just passive advice; their word is final in settling disputes,” Bihani said. “The elderly are often the most religious and charitable members of the family.”

Native American

While contemporary American culture places a stigma of fear on death, Native American cultures accept death as a natural way of life and do not fear it. In these communities, it is expected that the elders pass on wisdom and life experiences to the younger family members, according to a study by the University of Missouri, Kansas City.

Mediterranean and Latin

As with the Indian culture, it is very common for multiple generations of Mediterranean and Latin families to live under one roof. The main priority is on family, and seniors share in the duties of the household. In a contemporary version of this, the oldest family members will often take care of younger children while the adult children and others work outside home to support the family. This allows the seniors to be fully involved and integrated in society even in old age.