Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!usc!ucla-cs!Steve.Carpenter@f14.n105.z1.fidonet.org
From: Steve.Carpenter@f14.n105.z1.fidonet.org (Steve Carpenter)
Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: Re: public health
Message-ID: <29368@shemp.CS.UCLA.EDU>
Date: 20 Nov 89 19:47:39 GMT
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Approved: aids@cs.ucla.edu
Archive-number: 1495

You remember when diseases were HEALTH PROBLEMS and not social issues? 
 
Epidemics have a number of trickle-down factors -- increased health insurance  
costs, narrower scope of coverage for people either entering the workforce or  
switching jobs, changes in the complexion of the workforce, economic  
redistribution of assets to either combat the disease or deal with the people  
afflicted with the disease.  These just name a few of the decidedly SOCIAL  
impacts that steal from widespread HEALTH problems. 
 
I think attempting to separate the social aspects from the health aspects  
ignores a vital factor in the AIDS crisis in this country.  Mind you, one might  
just as easily substitute "polio," "Alzheimer's Disease," or even "pregnancy"  
for AIDS in that last sentence.
 
I've stated this in terms of economic issues, primarily, and while those are  
indeed social, there are the human aspects to consider, too. 

 The loss of loved ones, the changes in lifestyle and quality of life, 
the grieving, the fear...  Don't try and understate the problem by relegating  
it to a safe little "health issue" category.  It doesn't work, regardless of  
the health problem you're talking about.
 
--  
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