Reflection Essay
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The essay will examine factors that influence the vulnerability of individuals as well as the community levels. The video ‘Not Just a Paycheck’ examines how the job employment policy and insecurity affect an individual’s heath. Films are essential tools to disseminate health information, promoting health as well as constructing health-related narratives. On the other hand, ‘Place Matters’ video indicates that an individual’s geographical area is a good predictor of someone’s health. Place matter is a designed national wide initiative to improve health outcomes by engaging communities primarily through learning experiences. Its main purpose is to advance the Flair Health Movement in one community at a time.
Not Just a Paycheck is a video showing how the residents living in western Michigan struggled against domestic violence, depression, diabetes, and heart diseases. The struggle started after the Electrolux Corporation shut down the country’s largest refrigerator factory, which later moved to Juarez, Mexico. Closing the local manufacturing plant turned the lives of Greenville, Michigan workers upside down. In my view, Greenville residents’ health deteriorated because these people had gotten used to a good middle-class life. Unfortunately, the plant’s shutting down made most of the workers scrap severance pay, live under unemployment benefits and health plan that ended in a year. The situation made the hospitals in the area flood with depression patients, domestic abuse, and alcoholism. However, the situation in Vastervik, Sweden, was different compared to that of Greenville, Michigan. The health of Vastervik residents remained steady as workers who had lost their jobs got 80% of their salary as unemployment benefits. This amount of funds would now help them train for other jobs as the Electrolux plant paid more than 3 million dollars to stimulate new businesses’ construction. In my opinion, since workers in America are left to fend for themselves and pay the prices for both wealth and health, most people are prone to diseases as a result of stress. On the other hand, citizens of Sweden live a better life as the government provides a safety net for its citizens.
An individual’s residential location is essential when health factors are considered. Many factors should be considered when selecting a place where to settle in. Factors such as lack of access to employment, segregation, nutritious food, and affordable, well-built housing have been considered harmful to long-time black Americans’ health. In my perspective, the zip code and street address are essential in the United States and are good predictors of health in a population. This is because the economic, social, and physical surroundings where people live strongly shape the chances and wellbeing of life either for better or worse. The Place Matters video examines the relationships between races and ethnicity, places, and the health conditions of residents in Richmond, California.
Nonetheless, as social conditions of both a community and an individual worsen, so does the health of a person. In my opinion, living in a polluted environment, not able to access fresh food, may result in chronic stress, high risks for heart diseases, and lower life expectancy. Furthermore, the street address is an essential predictor of a person’s health, as it shows that living in a disadvantaged neighborhood is bad for your health. The Place Matters video outlines that after Gwai Boonkeut moved into urban areas that were neglected by black Americans, their health gets eroded due to the environmental pollution from the petrochemical companies.
The two videos have outlined an overarching theme that shows that the events affected everyone. For instance, video Place Matters depicts three themes that have been observed. One of the themes expressed here is the neighborhood conditions where they can have an indirect effect on health. The neighborhood condition makes healthy choices difficult, east, or even impossible. The second theme is whereby the private investment resolution and public policy alternatives have shaped the neighborhood conditions.
Moreover, working with the public health department and the Seattle Housing Authority have seen the neighborhood community having won the federal grants to reconstruct High Point. Lastly, the social environment and built spaces have a direct effect on the resident’s health conditions. Polluting industries in Richmond are concentrated where the poor and back Americans live, which should not be the case. In my view, improving the quality of life for people in society directly impacts their health. Thus, neighborhood policy improvement is as well as health policies.
On the other hand, the Not Just a Paycheck video depicts three themes as well. Unemployment, layoffs, and insecurity of jobs have a negative impact on health. From the discussions above, high rates of unemployment are associated with diseases such as heart attack, kidney diseases, homicide, alcohol abuse, and suicide. Secondly, a society that supports one another in times of difficulties has a better health outcome than those that do not. Finally, public policies that support the social welfare net can prevent unemployed workers from uncertainties that affect their health.
Sudden loss of jobs can trigger severe illnesses of an individual and can as well lead to the death of individuals. The study shows the social, physical, emotional, and economic vulnerabilities that affect a person and a community at large from the discussions above. These factors may affect an individual’s health, and hence the ability to withstand the impacts of a hostile environment has also been outlined. Authoritative agencies should ensure that more measures are put in place on matters regarding health issues without biasness.