Reference no: EM133196488
Assignment - Watch one movie and write one reflection (200- 300 words) and two responses (100 words each)
Movie name - In Sickness and in Wealth
1. What struck you about this video? Describe a particular component as well as how and why it affected you.
2. Describe parts of this video that challenged your previous understanding about race and how Social Construction might have influenced this.
3. Choose one thing you learned and how it might be applied in your daily life.
Response 1- I felt a bit forlorn after this episode knowing that this country's policymakers ignore compelling data which indicates poverty is linked with and contributes to poor health. In the Louisville Council Districts study, it was determined that the averages life expectancy rate correlates directly with the income levels. The two studies that linked susceptibility of the common cold to high cortisol levels from stress also had correlations to income level and household stability (measured with the length of time the test subject's parents own a home during their developmental years). The fact that homeownership is an indicator in this last study reaffirmed the message in last week's module about race and the housing act after WWII.
It is upsetting to see that health and wealth are linked on a scale and you can determine where your own projected health outcome falls on this scale. It is also disconcerting that I recognize my own tendency to judge other's food choices. I always forget about food deserts and the time it takes to prepare fresh vegetables. I live on a tight food budget and prepare all my meals at home. I have the privilege of having the time to do so. I need to stop judging people who are sick with my first reaction which is "well they don't take care of themselves", but instead remember it is not that simple.
Power and privilege are not black and white terms, no pun intended. It is not as simple as those with and those without. The amount of power and control a person has over their life is a gradient with many levels in between the powerful/privileged and subordinate/ unprivileged. There are higher levels of cortisol found in individuals with less control over their life, becaues there is more stress. Life is stressful when you do not have the option to choose your work environment or living conditions When there is not a garuntee about your household stability/security and access to goods/services. These factors have been found to contribute to poor health and disease. I think this quote from the end of the episode sums this issue up well, "economic policy is health policy, and when we improve economics circumstances and narrow the gap, we improve the health" (Williams).
Response 2 - 1. What thing that struck me in this video was that it mentioned that whites were the majority in poverty and that just really surprised me. I guess it had to do with my subconscious stigmas I had/have around poverty. I always kind have thought that it was POC as the majority of poverty but not because of who they are but how society has molded them to fit into this category as well as make it difficult for them to escape poverty.
2. Although this isn't a current challenge, it did challenge my past believes that I now do not believe. I used to believe when I was younger that poverty was an issue because people did not have the drive to become successful. I used think the reason people experienced poverty was because they were lazy. I now know this is not the case. In fact, those in poverty are from lazy. At times they work 2-3 jobs just to be able to make it. I also used to believe that health was correlated to how you took care of yourself but I also know that this is a factor, those with low SES can't always control what is available to them, leading to more health issues and comorbidities.
3. One thing I learned was that men often have jobs that they do not have much control over leading to high stress. The reason I chose this as something to apply to my life is because in just about 2 years I will be working in a hospital around employees who will be cleaning the rooms and bathrooms and can realize when something is not done, that to not blame the employee, rather try to understand and to take some stress off. Another way I can apply this is to try to advocate for those who have these low status and low control jobs and help educate others so that the levels of stress can be reduced in these populations.