DNP 825 Compare prominent health concerns in developed countries with prominent health concerns in underdeveloped countries, and explain how factors such as the economy, politics, and natural resources contribute to global health disparities

In both developed and underdeveloped countries there are health concerns unique to each and those that overlap. However, influences can increase or decrease the population’s health including environmental influences, access to health care, economic stability of health organizations, technology and medical equipment all play a role. In developed countries prominent health concerns include heart disease, cancer, stroke, accidents, and chronic respiratory disease (CDC, 2023). Some overlap with developing countries such as COID-19 and cardiovascular disease. Other causes of death more common in developing countries include perinatal conditions, HIV/Aids, Malaria, typhoid fever, and Tuberculosis.

Globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the top global causes of death, “in order of total number of lives lost, are associated with three broad topics: cardiovascular (ischemic heart disease, stroke), respiratory (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lower respiratory infections) and neonatal conditions – which include birth asphyxia and birth trauma, neonatal sepsis and infections, and preterm birth complications” (WHO, 2023). Economy plays a role in healthcare through access to medications, treatments, preventive care, and technological advancements for diagnosis and interventions. Poverty impacts healthcare access and resources negatively. Political influences have a way of shaping healthcare reform, rights, bills, and policies relating to healthcare, insurance coverage, and access to high quality healthcare. Jacques & Noel (2022) suggest public health investments have been overlooked by economists, political scientists, and health policy analysts. The authors discuss the importance of preventive care over curative measures in relation to health impact. They discovered in their study public health programs are particularly vulnerable to fiscal austerity, and prevention expenditures are not influenced by government partisanship since parties cannot attract votes with such low visibility, long term investments.

The authors used a dataset covering 25 OECD countries from 1970 to 2018 to demonstrate that fiscal consolidations are negatively associated with the absolute level of preventive care and with its proportion relative to curative care. The results of their study indicated that left-wing governments are not more likely to invest in public health than right-wing governments. Finally, contributing to the literature on comparative health care systems, we show that National Health Services systems maintain higher preventive care investments than Social Health Insurance systems (Jacques & Noel, 2022). Natural resources are a huge variable to wellness and healthcare. Fresh water, clean foods, and toxin free living in home and work are critical for health development. Toxic chemicals found in industrial workplaces, pesticides, and agriculture can lead to cancers, developmental delays, respiratory diseases, and neurological problems.

As a DNP educated nurse there are many avenues to take to help reduce global health disparities. Getting involved and having a strong foundational understanding of the designated area of impact is essential. Joining organizations that address global healthcare concerns such as the World Health Organization. Being an advocate for partnerships of healthcare and initiatives like doctors without borders and the Peace Corp. Acting locally to bring awareness to concerns that exists to bring aid and resources to those areas. Supporting policy change that offers outreach to undeveloped areas. Joining environmental protection groups and fight for improved air quality and water conditions locally and globally. Scholarship and research development for problem solving health concerns. For example, Trautman et al. (2018) suggest nurses prepared at the doctoral level must serve as stewards of the profession with a responsibility to develop and disseminate scholarship. DNP nurses can also promote health literacy through campaigns and translational research.

References

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2023) Leading causes of death FastStats – Leading Causes of Death (cdc.gov)

Jacques, O., & Noël, A. (2022). The politics of public health investments. Social Science & Medicine, 309, 1–9. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115272

Trautman, D. E., Idzik, S., Hammersla, M., & Rosseter, R. (2018). Advancing Scholarship through Translational Research: The Role of PhD and DNP Prepared Nurses. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(2), 1. Order Now