The Asthma Trap: A Product of Social Forces? Essay Example

Introduction

The current state of medical research provides a wealth of information about asthma, its effects on human health, and strategies to reduce the negative effects of asthma on human wellbeing. However, even the most advanced treatment options do not improve the asthma situation. On the contrary, the past years have been marked with a rapid increase in the number of asthma patients in the U.S. Obviously, asthma is not a product of solely health and medical factors. Rather, it is a broad social problem and the result of numerous social issues that impact the quality of life in America. Employment constraints and poor living conditions, air pollution, misbalanced insurance coverage and the lack of physical activity contribute to the development of asthma risks in children and adults. In its turn, asthma produces a variety of negative effects on children and turns into a serious barrier in their way to meet the basic life needs.

Whether asthma is a product of medical, health or social forces had long been the subject of scholarly debate. That advanced treatment solutions do not help to reduce the scope of the asthma issue implies that macro-social forces impact the incidence and prevalence of asthma in different population groups. Numerous social factors from employment constraints to the lack of physical activity and problematic neighborhoods contribute to the development of asthma risks in children and adults. Here, poor living conditions, the lack of health insurance and air pollution are, probably, the most important issues. “Air pollution is clearly a factor – in urban areas, it has been shown that children living along bus routes have higher rates of asthma than those who don’t” (Corbett). The lack of health insurance is a problem, too: not all parents can afford purchasing the amount of medications needed to maintain their children’s health. Even insurance coverage does not guarantee that children obtain necessary medications and treatment (Corbett). Ultimately, poor living conditions and employment constraints do not let parents administer daily medications regularly and on time: the current employment situation exemplifies one of the most serious social forces that are responsible for the expansion of asthma across different population layers. The lack of physical activity, the lack of parental awareness, and poor neighborhoods add complexity to the asthma issues and leave no chance to resolve them in the nearest future.

It should be noted, that asthma is not just a product of multiple macro-social forces but also the source of various social influences. According to Corbett, parents miss work because of their sick children and scramble financial resources to pay healthcare bills. Meanwhile, children’s grades fall off because of their absence and the failure to cope with the basic curriculum requirements. Many children with asthma report feeling isolated from their peers (Corbett). Obviously, asthma is a social problem and encompasses a range of social factors, influences, and implications. Medical solutions alone cannot reduce the scope of asthma risks in society. A complex approach is needed to address the macro-forces that are responsible for the rapid increase in asthma patients in the U.S. Until then, asthma will plague the American society, throwing thousands of American people into a social abyss.

Conclusion

A wealth of literature has been written about asthma, its effects on human health, and strategies to reduce the negative effects of asthma on children. However, asthma is hardly a product of solely medical factors; rather, it is a broad social problem and the result of numerous macro-forces that impact the quality of life in America. Numerous social factors, from poor living conditions and employment constraints to the lack of physical activity and air pollution contribute to the development of asthma risks. Asthma itself produces variousinfluences on the social structures in America. Health and medical strategies alone cannot reduce the scope of asthma issues in society. A complex social approach is needed to address the macro-forces responsible for the rapid increase in asthma patients in the U.S.

Works Cited

Corbett, S. “The Asthma Trap.” Mother Jones, 2005. Web. 03 October 2010.