The Cult and Science of Public Health

The Cult and Science of Public Health
Author: Kevin Dew
Publisher: Berghahn Books
Total Pages: 188
Release: 2012-02-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0857453408

In contemporary manifestations of public health rituals and events, people are being increasingly united around what they hold in common—their material being and humanity. As a cult of humanity, public health provides a moral force in society that replaces ‘traditional’ religions in times of great diversity or heterogeneity of peoples, activities and desires. This is in contrast to public health’s foundation in science, particularly the science of epidemiology. The rigid rules of ‘scientific evidence’ used to determine the cause of illness and disease can work against the most vulnerable in society by putting sectors of the population, such as underrepresented workers, at a disadvantage. This study focuses on this tension between traditional science and the changing vision articulated within public health (and across many disciplines) that calls for a collective response to uncontrolled capitalism and unremitting globalization, and to the way in which health inequalities and their association with social inequalities provides a political rhetoric that calls for a new redistributive social programme. Drawing on decades of research, the author argues that public health is both a cult and a science of contemporary society.

The Future of the Public's Health in the 21st Century

The Future of the Public's Health in the 21st Century
Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 536
Release: 2003-02-01
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0309133181

The anthrax incidents following the 9/11 terrorist attacks put the spotlight on the nation's public health agencies, placing it under an unprecedented scrutiny that added new dimensions to the complex issues considered in this report. The Future of the Public's Health in the 21st Century reaffirms the vision of Healthy People 2010, and outlines a systems approach to assuring the nation's health in practice, research, and policy. This approach focuses on joining the unique resources and perspectives of diverse sectors and entities and challenges these groups to work in a concerted, strategic way to promote and protect the public's health. Focusing on diverse partnerships as the framework for public health, the book discusses: The need for a shift from an individual to a population-based approach in practice, research, policy, and community engagement. The status of the governmental public health infrastructure and what needs to be improved, including its interface with the health care delivery system. The roles nongovernment actors, such as academia, business, local communities and the media can play in creating a healthy nation. Providing an accessible analysis, this book will be important to public health policy-makers and practitioners, business and community leaders, health advocates, educators and journalists.

Public Health

Public Health
Author: Pranee Liamputtong
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 457
Release: 2022-08-10
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1009052861

Public Health: Local and Global Perspectives presents a comprehensive introduction to public health issues and concepts in the Australian and international contexts. It provides students with fundamental knowledge of the public health field, including frameworks, theories, key organisations and contemporary issues. The third edition features a new chapter on the public health workforce and the importance of advocacy in the profession and a thorough update that includes current research and case studies. Discussion of the COVID-19 pandemic and other contemporary public health issues offers students the opportunity to apply theory to familiar examples. Each chapter contextualises key concepts with spotlights and vignettes, reflective questions, tutorial exercises and suggestions for further reading. Written by an expert team of public health professionals, Public Health is an essential resource for public health students.

Social, Political and Cultural Dimensions of Health

Social, Political and Cultural Dimensions of Health
Author: Kevin Dew
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 251
Release: 2016-05-09
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 3319315080

This book comprehensively explores social, political and cultural dimensions of health in contemporary society. It addresses many issues and pertinent questions, including the following: Are we over diagnosed and over medicated? How can patients participate in their own care? Do pharmaceutical companies coerce us into medication regimes? What drives inequalities in health outcomes? What is the experience of health care for indigenous communities? Why do different countries have such different health care systems? How do we respond to life-changing conditions? Can we achieve a ‘good death’? How do new genetics shape our identities? Is public health a force of liberation or disempowerment? The book incorporates the range of levels of influence on health, covering individual patient experiences, the health professions, multinational corporations, the state, global organisations as well as examining trends in social organisation, cultural expression and technological developments. It volume provides an accessible, yet in-depth, overview and discussion of the sociology of health. The chapters include an illustrative case study and further readings relating to the topic.

Handbook of Social Sciences and Global Public Health

Handbook of Social Sciences and Global Public Health
Author: Pranee Liamputtong
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 2224
Release: 2023-09-09
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 3031251105

This handbook highlights the relevance of the social sciences in global public health and their significantly crucial role in the explanation of health and illness in different population groups, the improvement of health, and the prevention of illnesses around the world. Knowledge generated via social science theories and research methodologies allows healthcare providers, policy-makers, and politicians to understand and appreciate the lived experience of their people, and to provide sensitive health and social care to them at a time of most need. Social sciences, such as medical sociology, medical anthropology, social psychology, and public health are the disciplines that examine the sociocultural causes and consequences of health and illness. It is evident that biomedicine cannot be the only answer to improving the health of people. What makes social sciences important in global public health is the critical role social, cultural, economic, and political factors play in determining or influencing the health of individuals, communities, and the larger society and nation. This handbook is comprehensive in its nature and contents, which range from a more disciplinary-based approach and theoretical and methodological frameworks to different aspects of global public health. It covers: Discussions of the social science disciplines and their essence, concepts, and theories relating to global public health Theoretical frameworks in social sciences that can be used to explain health and illness in populations Methodological inquiries that social science researchers can use to examine global public health issues and understand social issues relating to health in different population groups and regions Examples of social science research in global public health areas and concerns as well as population groups The Handbook of Social Sciences and Global Public Health is a useful reference for students, researchers, lecturers, practitioners, and policymakers in global health, public health, and social science disciplines; and libraries in universities and health and social care institutions. It offers readers a good understanding of the issues that can impact the health and well-being of people in society, which may lead to culturally sensitive health and social care for people that ultimately will lead to a more equitable society worldwide.

The Cult of Trump

The Cult of Trump
Author: Steven Hassan
Publisher: Free Press
Total Pages: 336
Release: 2020-09-01
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1982127341

*As featured in the streaming documentary #UNTRUTH—now with a new foreword by George Conway and an afterword by the author* A masterful and eye-opening examination of Trump and the coercive control tactics he uses to build a fanatical devotion in his supporters written by “an authority on breaking away from cults…an argument that…bears consideration as the next election cycle heats up” (Kirkus Reviews). Since the 2016 election, Donald Trump’s behavior has become both more disturbing and yet increasingly familiar. He relies on phrases like, “fake news,” “build the wall,” and continues to spread the divisive mentality of us-vs.-them. He lies constantly, has no conscience, never admits when he is wrong, and projects all of his shortcomings on to others. He has become more authoritarian, more outrageous, and yet many of his followers remain blindly devoted. Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert and a major Trump supporter, calls him one of the most persuasive people living. His need to squash alternate information and his insistence of constant ego stroking are all characteristics of other famous leaders—cult leaders. In The Cult of Trump, mind control and licensed mental health expert Steven Hassan draws parallels between our current president and people like Jim Jones, David Koresh, Ron Hubbard, and Sun Myung Moon, arguing that this presidency is in many ways like a destructive cult. He specifically details the ways in which people are influenced through an array of social psychology methods and how they become fiercely loyal and obedient. Hassan was a former “Moonie” himself, and he presents a “thoughtful and well-researched analysis of some of the most puzzling aspects of the current presidency, including the remarkable passivity of fellow Republicans [and] the gross pandering of many members of the press” (Thomas G. Gutheil, MD and professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School). The Cult of Trump is an accessible and in-depth analysis of the president, showing that under the right circumstances, even sane, rational, well-adjusted people can be persuaded to believe the most outrageous ideas. “This book is a must for anyone who wants to understand the current political climate” (Judith Stevens-Long, PhD and author of Living Well, Dying Well).

Transdisciplinary Public Health

Transdisciplinary Public Health
Author: Debra Haire-Joshu
Publisher: Jossey-Bass
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2013-05-06
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9780470621998

"This book makes a great leap in the conceptualization of transdisciplinary approaches, as well as provides concrete examples in practice, teaching, policy, and research." —From the Foreword by Edward F. Lawlor, dean and the William E. Gordon Distinguished Professor, the Brown School; and founding director, Institute for Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis The complexity of public health and social problems is becoming more challenging. Understanding and designing solutions for these problems requires perspectives from multiple disciplines and fields as well as cross-disciplinary research and practice teams. Transdisciplinary Public Health fills a void in the literature and offers a comprehensive text that introduces transdisciplinary methods as a means for providing an innovative tool set for problem-solving in public health research and practice. With contributions from leading experts, Transdisciplinary Public Health offers an understanding of interactions among the biological, behavioral, social, and public health sciences; shared disciplinary frameworks in analyzing health problems; and the integration and evaluation of transdisciplinary solutions to alleviate complex public health issues. Use of this important resource will promote transdisciplinary research and practice, resulting in novel solutions that positively impact human health.

Cultural Diversity in Health & Illness

Cultural Diversity in Health & Illness
Author: Rachel E. Spector
Publisher: McGraw-Hill/Appleton & Lange
Total Pages: 54
Release: 1996
Genre: Medical
ISBN:

Written for all health care providers, this text promotes awareness of the dimensions and complexities involved in caring for people from culturally diverse backgrounds. The author through discussions of her own experiences, shows how cultural heritage can affect delivery and acceptance of health care and how professionals, when interacting with their clients, need to be aware of these issues in order to deliver safe and professional care. Traditional and alternative health care beliefs and practices from Asian American, African American, Hispanic, and American Indian perspectives are represented.