Introduction
“Promoting the social value of global health research performed in low-resource settings has become a fundamental priority in global research ethics,” according to a statement from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. People’s health is prioritized because it affects everything else in a person’s life, and that effect will have a ripple effect on everything else in the world that is affected by that person. In a given community, the population’s health is viewed as having significant economic and social consequences. Examining poor population health from a global perspective clarifies why the element is ranked the least important. One of the many reasons for this ranking is that environmental factors, such as pollution, have no effect on people’s health and hence cannot pose a threat. Freshwater and air are essential for human life. Millions of people’s health could be put at risk by activities that pollute the water and air. Diet has a significant impact on health, which includes both the type and amount of food consumed. However, the population may become malnourished and hence incapable of conserving the ecosystem if human activities such as civil conflicts damage food sources.
Poor Health as a Healthcare Threat
Poor health is ranked as one of the most diminutive dangers to global environmental health due to the worldwide population’s immune system makeup. A person’s genetic markers can influence a person’s immune system. As a result, a situation where the health of the entire population is poor is rare. This means that a certain proportion of the world’s population will be in good enough health to engage in environmental conservation efforts (White et al., 2011). Certain regions in various countries have been well preserved, and population growth and the resulting threat to species have been effectively addressed. The health status of the population is different depending on who you ask. Certain diseases can be passed down via families, but others are contracted by direct contact with pathogens. People’s reactions to these illnesses can likewise vary widely. Some infections are long-term and debilitating, while others can be treated. In the event of an outbreak, health agencies worldwide have put in place necessary processes. As a result, certain parts of the population can maintain their current level of health, helping to protect the environment. In light of the considerations above, it is reasonable to infer that the poor health of the world population poses the most minor, significant threat to the environment and hence does not require immediate care. This also implies that world health and environmental sustainability will be jeopardized if the considerable risks aren’t appropriately addressed.
Privately-Funded Health Care
Protesters in British Columbia gathered with placards and banners to voice their opposition to the gradual establishment of a two-tiered health care system. It was a symbolic act aimed at drawing attention to the region’s illegal extra-billing by private clinics. As stated by the Canada Health Act, extra-billing is charging a patient who has health insurance for a medical service for which the government has already spent more than the patient has been reimbursed. The federal government has only penalized B.C. once in the last 16 years for illegal overbilling by withholding transfer payments dollar for dollar. Solutions include raising funds to expand non-physician healthcare practitioners’ areas of practice. Out-of-pocket fees or private health insurance have been suggested as ways to improve private financing of Canada’s healthcare system (Flood & Archibald, 2001). For-profit surgical clinics say others might cut down on surgical wait times by taking on more patients from publicly financed hospitals. For individuals who can’t afford private services, wait times may go up as doctors and nurses split their time between publicly and privately funded facilities, with less time spent in the latter.
Cyber Bullying and Attacks on Healthcare Workers
Governments, regulators, and social media firms have done nothing to protect Canadian healthcare employees from the alarming surge in aggressive online harassment. It is claimed that those who speak out against anti-vaxxers and other online assailants are being specifically targeted to scare and ultimately silence them. Online abuse victims believe the government must do more, law enforcement agencies, regulatory authorities, or social media firms to stop their constant attacks before they worsen (Coventry & Branley, 2018). Patients and health care employees have been protected against harassment and intimidation by a new federal law. In light of the recent uptick in threats against doctors and other healthcare professionals, both on social media and in the privacy of their own homes, these new safeguards are welcome.
Conclusion
There are multiple threats to healthcare, and this necessitates a thorough examination of all probable elements to develop effective responses. Because healthcare is an issue that affects the entire world’s population, it needs to be looked at from a global perspective. Various international stakeholders have investigated several concerns to help identify potential healthcare threats. A threat’s impact on the general population can be divided into low and high impact.
References
Coventry, L., & Branley, D. (2018). Cybersecurity in healthcare: A narrative review of trends, threats and ways forward. Maturitas, 113, 48–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2018.04.008
Flood, C. M., & Archibald, T. (2001). The illegality of private health care in Canada. CMAJ, 164(6), 825–830. https://www.cmaj.ca/content/164/6/825.short
White, H. L., Matheson, F. I., Moineddin, R., Dunn, J. R., & Glazier, R. H. (2011). Neighbourhood deprivation and regional inequalities in self-reported health among Canadians: Are we equally at risk? Health & Place, 17(1), 361–369. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.11.016
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