Why do some people have more diseases? Let's talk about health disparities

Have you ever wondered why people in some regions, in some families, get sick more often than others? Why do some people age faster than others, or develop serious illnesses? Is this simply because of a problem with their genes? Or is it because of their behavior? In fact, the reason is much deeper than that. We are talking about this important topic today.

What are these health disparities?

Simply put, health disparities are preventable differences in health between groups in society. For example, some diseases are more common among those who are economically disadvantaged than those who are better off. Also, some ethnic groups have worse health outcomes than others.

This is not anyone's fault, nor is it due to bad genes. It is caused by social and economic factors such as a person's social identity, the environment they live in, and the opportunities they have. The health gaps that arise from these are what we call health disparities.

How does this affect our country and our family?

These health disparities cost the country and the family a lot. Let's see how that works.

• Premature Death: Imagine a family caregiver who dies of a heart attack at the age of 55 due to uncontrolled high blood pressure . That death could have been prevented. With that person's death, the contribution and ability to work that he or she could have made to the family and the country is lost.

• Loss of ability to work: If someone has a stroke at the age of 60 due to uncontrolled diabetes , they will not be able to work as well as they used to. They could have worked well for another 5 or 10 years. This is also a big loss.

• Additional health costs : If a person's kidneys fail, they will have to undergo dialysis for the rest of their lives or undergo a kidney transplant. This costs a lot of money. However, if they had taken the right medicine at the right time, seen the right doctor, and followed his instructions, they could have prevented this condition or postponed it by 10-15 years. The cost of treatment is always higher than the cost of prevention.

What is the relationship between biology and society?

Many people believe that genes are the main cause of disease. While there is some truth to that, it is not the whole truth. There is no scientifically precise biological formula for race. It is often a socially constructed thing.

However, there are some genetic predispositions. For example, why don't all overweight people develop diabetes ? The reason is that some people may have a genetic predisposition to diabetes.

We've all heard of the BRCA genes, which increase the risk of breast cancer. But did you know that researchers have even discovered a gene that protects against breast cancer , found only in Latin American indigenous women? This shows that there is a complex relationship between genes and a person's genetic background.

How the environment changes our genes: Social Epigenomics in a nutshell

This is a somewhat complex, but very important concept. ``Social Epigenomics`` is the field that studies how things in our environment, especially things like stress , affect the way our genes function.

This shows that our early experiences in life can determine our future health. Things like poor housing, lack of nutritious food, and lack of parental affection can have both short-term and long-term effects.

Behavior, stress, and illness

When stress increases, some people turn to unhealthy ways to cope. Smoking, drinking alcohol, and eating unhealthy foods are among the most common. Some research has found some very interesting facts.

For example, studies of certain groups in the United States have shown that when chronic stress occurs, some people are more likely to engage in harmful behaviors rather than become depressed. But this pattern is different for other groups. This shows that even the way we respond to stress can vary depending on our cultural and social background.

Why do doctors and patients need to be aware of this?

To provide the best healthcare, it is important for a doctor to understand not only the patient's illness, but also their social background . However, due to the busy nature of our healthcare system, there are times when there is not enough time for this.

As a doctor, it's worth considering the patient's age and gender, as well as these things:

• Education level: Knowing the patient's education level can simplify or complicate the way you explain the illness and medication. Asking "How much school did you go to?" is not threatening the patient, but rather helping them understand the facts better.
• Socioeconomic status: Having a rough understanding of the patient's economic status, employment, and family situation helps to understand how well they can adapt to the treatments provided.
• Area of ​​residence and migration history: Where the patient was born, raised, and currently lives can sometimes be important. There may be health problems and dietary patterns specific to that area.

As a patient, discuss this kind of information openly with your doctor.Don't worry. That information will help him give you the best treatment.