A.P Writ 150 Blog

     One of the sources I found was from the Kaiser Family Foundation. I found this source from searching keywords such as "healthcare" "disparities" and "asian" in the google search bar while filtering the search to provide only scholarly sources. This source gives statistics on health coverage of asians, socioeconomic differences between different asian groups, and statistics on asian discrimination that affects healthcare quality and access. This source notes that "one in four said they or a household family member decided not to apply for or stopped participating in a government program to help pay for health care, food, or housing in the past year due to immigration-related fears" (KFF) showing statistics on how social and economic conditions can affect overall access to healthcare and physical health. This source was extremely helpful in providing statistics on how Asian American health has been effected by socioeconomic conditions. However...

       The discrimination against Asian Americans during the covid-19 pandemic disproportionately affected asian communities. Stereotypes spreading throughout the country characterized covid-19 as "Kung Flu" or "the Chinese Virus" stigmatizing asian communities as disease ridden and detrimental to society. This lead to a decrease in quality medical care for asians along with creating barriers to receiving medical care. Not only were asians struggling against the pandemic and its social implications, an increase in anti-asian violence spread fear throughout asian communities. To support these claims, I would need to find statistics on asian-violence, covid-19 infection rates and death rates (based on ethnicity), along with any supporting research on the barriers to seeking medical help.

From my research on this topic I have learned more about the procedures involved in PAS. Patients opting for PAS need to go through extensive levels of mental health screenings and approval processes in order to opt for PAS. Due to the importance of mental health screenings and approval, I am leaning towards allowing PAS. In cases where a patient is facing a terminal illness, it should be allowed as it is the patient's right to autonomy. While families have a right to involvement in the decision, in cases where the patient is sane and capable of making medical decisions, the patient's decision should be prioritized. While PAS may go against a physician's duty to do no harm (maleficence) in the case where a patient is terminally ill, a physician refusing to perform the procedure only delays the inevitable in a sense causing harm to the patient. Without the option of PAS a patient is forced to suffer for a longer period of time causing more harm for the patient. 

 In the medical field, medical professionals face ethical dilemmas where any of the four pillars (autonomy, justice, beneficence, and non-maleficence) can conflict between organizational, personal, and patient goals. One example of an ethical dilemma professionals face deals with physician assisted suicide (PAS). Different from euthanasia, PAS deals with patients that are conscious and aware of their situations and surroundings making the distinctive decision to end their lives. In the case of euthanasia, the patient being euthanized has no knowledge or contribution to the decision being made. PAS is an ethical dilemma because it goes against the pillar of non-maleficence but opposition to PAS could cause more nonconsensual pain and suffering for a patient to possibly lead to the same ending, death of the patient. This removal of the patient's choice of death conflicts with the pillar of autonomy and could also conflict with the patient's justice. In a case where the patient ha...

The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act that was implemented during the Obama Administration caused conflict between parents, the public school system, and the government. Where parents opposed the dictation of health and nutrition to their children and public school systems opposed the costly structural changes to school lunch. Governmental stance to this opposition placed children's health over feelings of autonomy and the expenses associated with large structural change.  Despite the select feelings of discontent, Government intervention in Public Health is necessary to contribute to the health of children. Backed by medical professionals, the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act advocated to fight childhood obesity. This act ensured that public schools were following healthy nutritional standards for children. With childhood obesity rates skyrocketing, the government stepping in to contribute to the overall health of the youth was justified. Changing public school system meals was within the ...

Paternalism in public health is historically a controversial topic. From the public feelings of distrust towards the government and questions about the government's involvement in everyday life, society has commonly pit governmental power against personal freedom. The Healthy - Hunger Free Kids Act is another example of government intervention in the daily lives of citizens' along with the controversy surrounding it. Supporters of this act claim that childhood obesity rates are skyrocketing due to public school lunch menus. Claiming that because lunch menus that are funded by the government, it is the government's responsibility to protect and encourage healthy eating habits. Supported by public health officials and the general public, most argue that this act is for the improvement of the overall health of children. This act introduces the necessary food groups and nutrition into children's lunches promoting long term healthy eating habits. Dissenters of this act argue...