Book contents
- The Cambridge Handbook of Social Problems
- The Cambridge Handbook of Social Problems
- Copyright page
- Contents
- About the Contributors
- Introduction
- Part I Problems Related to Health, Safety, and Security
- Chapter 1 Illness and Health Care
- Chapter 2 Mental Illness and Social Problems
- Chapter 3 Substance Abuse
- Chapter 4 Epidemics, Pandemics, and Outbreaks
- Chapter 5 Disaster as Social Problem and Social Construct
- Chapter 6 Surveillance
- Chapter 7 Domestic Spying: A Historical-Comparative Perspective
- Chapter 8 Computer Hacking as a Social Problem
- Chapter 9 War and Militarism
- Chapter 10 The Social Problem of Terrorism
- Chapter 11 Genocide
- Part II Problems Related to Crime and Violence
- Part III Problems of Global Impact
- Index
- References
Chapter 1 - Illness and Health Care
from Part I - Problems Related to Health, Safety, and Security
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 March 2018
- The Cambridge Handbook of Social Problems
- The Cambridge Handbook of Social Problems
- Copyright page
- Contents
- About the Contributors
- Introduction
- Part I Problems Related to Health, Safety, and Security
- Chapter 1 Illness and Health Care
- Chapter 2 Mental Illness and Social Problems
- Chapter 3 Substance Abuse
- Chapter 4 Epidemics, Pandemics, and Outbreaks
- Chapter 5 Disaster as Social Problem and Social Construct
- Chapter 6 Surveillance
- Chapter 7 Domestic Spying: A Historical-Comparative Perspective
- Chapter 8 Computer Hacking as a Social Problem
- Chapter 9 War and Militarism
- Chapter 10 The Social Problem of Terrorism
- Chapter 11 Genocide
- Part II Problems Related to Crime and Violence
- Part III Problems of Global Impact
- Index
- References
Summary
This chapter introduces several health-related social problems. The first is that there are health disparities by socioeconomic status and racial group. These disparities are long standing and persistent, despite overall improvements in health. Three models are used to explain health disparities: health behaviors, health care, and the physical and social environment. Next, we discuss the dauntingly complicated US health care system. We focus on two problematic aspects: the high costs of health care and lack of access to health care. We examine this both before and after the 2010 enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and find it will not significantly improve costs in the short run. It may not reduce health disparities given that the Medicaid expansion piece is voluntary. We conclude that there is much work to be done to create a fair and equitable health care system.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Cambridge Handbook of Social Problems , pp. 3 - 22Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2018