Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting Public Health, Essay Example

Distinct socio-cultural factors affecting public health dispensation in America and other parts of the world relate to people and the community’s acceptance of the impact modern science and technology has made on their social practices and cultural beliefs. For example, with the introduction of vaccines, which has eradicated many deadly childhood diseases such as polio, diphtheria and tetanus; some states in America are still rejecting mandatory vaccination programs instituted by public health authorities. Objections emerge from mere religious/spiritual and cultural beliefs concerning these programs (Williamson, 2007).

To the same extent health promotion programs aimed at controlling sexually transmitted diseases through use of condoms have met with subtle resistance. For example, some politicians advocating for minorities in their campaign propaganda contend that these measures by the current political administration are violationsof individual liberties. Precisely, the question of ethics in public health administrations comes under scrutiny by opposition political forces in the society. Herein lies the element of ethical dilemma becominga socio-cultural factor in itself affecting public health administration in American societies and those across the globe (Beauchamp, Walters, Kahn& Mastroianni, 2014 ).

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The truth is that while people are struggling with economic difficulties; ignorance of what it really means to be healthy and their own inaccessibility to a highly stratified health care delivery system; interest groups are using legitimate public health programs as political campaign material to further confuse the public. As such, the socio- cultural factors affecting public health dispensation in America is compounded by futile manipulations, which ultimatelycreate more difficulties in resolving the real socio-cultural issues faced by members of the community (Oliver, 2006).

References

Beauchamp, T., Walters, L., Kahn, J. P., Mastroianni, A.C. (2014). Contemporary issues in bioethics (8th ed.) Boston, MA: Wadsworth Publishing

Oliver, R. (2006).The politics of public health policy.Annu Rev Public Health, 27:195-233

Williamson, S. (2007). The vaccination controversy; the rise, reign and decline of compulsory vaccination for smallpox. Liverpool, UK: Liverpool University Press