BINDURA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE

EDUCATION
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK

GLOBALISATION AND HEALTH

GROUP 5 PRESENTATION

GROUP PRESENTERS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

SAVADYE LILLIAN T. B1441174

BARE PRIVILEGE B1439943
MABAMBA PHILLIMON B1439911
POSVO SITHABISO B1439884
QUEDANI ZINZI A. B1439870
CHIKONO PETRONELLA B1441010
MAREKE PENINA F. B1440892
CHATIZA CHRISTINE T. B1439960
CHIKWENJE PATIENCE B1440825
POTE CHIEDZA B1441115
CHISENWA ZVIKOMBOREROB1439786

DEFINITIONS HEALTH & GLOBALIZATION

According to WHO(1946) good health is a state of complete physical,

mental and social wellbeing and not only absence of diseases or infirmity.
Cocherham (2012) postulates that health is a functional or metabolic
efficiency of a living organism.
According to Shaffer (2008) globalization refers to the increasing
integration and interdependence of communities.
Bradby (2012) defines globalization as an intensification of cross
national ,cultural, economic, political, social and technological interaction
that lead to the establishment of transnational structures and the global
integration of cultural, economic, environmental, political and social
processes on global, national, regional and local levels.

PRESENTATION FOCUS
HIGHLIGHT KEY SOCIOLOGICAL ISSUES IN
GLOBALIZATION AND HEALTH
The
health
impacts
of
globalisation
aresimultaneouslypositive
and
negative,
varying
according
to
factors
such
as
geographical location, sex, age, ethnic origin,
education level, and socioeconomic status
Globalisation is not an unstoppable force. Our
key challenge is to create socially and
environmentally
sustainable
forms
of
globalisation that provide the greatest benefits
and least costs, shared more equitably than is
currently the case.

THE CONCEPT OF GLOBALISATION

SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES
CONFLICT-T: is an approach to analysing society that stresses the differences in
power among social groups; it explains global inequality in all aspects (particularly
health iequalities)
FUNCTIONALIST-T: Explains the interdependence and interconnectedness of global
society; argue that social change must contribute to societys stability
INTERACTIONIST-T: Social(global) construction of illness (medicalization);
homosexuality, alcoholism etc. e.g. pharmaceutical companies, bio-medical model.
FEMINISM-T: feminist approaches to globalization seek to provide frameworks for
understanding the gender injustices associated with globalization. more recent
feminist analyses of globalization tend to understand the outcomes of globalization
not as disparate or contingent phenomena, but rather as a result of systematic,
structural injustices on a global scale. Indeed, some contend that the global basic
structure itself is implicitly biased against women.
Out of these major sociological perspectives stems global theories: modernisation,
world systems & dependency theories

IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY & HEALTH

Easy improved communication- especially through internet

Efficient and effective medical equipment e.g. Telediagnostic and
teleradiology
Medical consultation through electronic channels e.g. Eco health
Sharing of medical information e.g. health tips
Linking health problems with scientifically proven medical solutions
and discoveries
Internet has proved a vital tool in health sector as it has promoted
international health researches, publication of health researches and
easy corporation of health professionals so that thy share new ideas
and new developments.

IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY & HEALTH

HOWEVER: The dichotomy between the rich and the

poor has been widened through technology
Technology, is being used by western countries to
manipulate, exploit and control developing countries
for their personal gains
Some websites contains information with misleading
and harmful information on medical solutions

MCDONALDIZATION & UNIVERSAL POPULAR

BEVERAGES

McDonaldization- a term coined by sociologists George Ritzer to

refer to the spread of fast foods restaurant from UK around the
world.
Globalisation has seen many people and societies undermining
and substituting their traditional health food for fast foods.
Fast foods has led to diseases/ health problems such as obesity,
diabetes mellitus, heart problems etc.
Also spread of diseases through infected poultry and meat.
The spread of universal brand names of popular beverages is also
having negative health impacts, e.g. Coca-cola, Pepsi, KFC etc.

MIGRATION

Health Professionals: are migrating seeking for job prospects across the
world, especially to better off countries. E.g. United Kingdom now recruiting
nurses from developing countries.
It has promoted the training high training of medical personnel thus being
functional.
However, this has led to brain drain in developing countries.
Also migration of specialist doctors from developed countries to developing
countries, establishing private hospitals and clinics and providing better
health facilities.
However, their services are not accessible to everyone since they are more
expensive thereby promoting health inequalities.
Health Consumers: to access better health facilities and medication.
Migration of general people to better off countries leading to spread of
various diseases e.g. HIV, EBOLA

GLOBAL CORPORATION (ACTION)

Global governance structures are gaining more and more

importance in formulating health related policies. According
to Dodgson , the most important organisations in global
health governance are the World Health Organization (WHO)
and the World Bank (WB).
The WB also influenced health(-related) policies together with
the International Monetary Funds (IMF) through the Structural
Adjustment Programmes (SAPs).
In addition, the policies of the World Trade Organization
(WTO) are also increasingly influencing population health
The Global Fund has proved a ground breaking experiment in
pooled funding and decision making for resource allocation in

TRADE RULES VS. PUBLIC HEALTH RIGHT TO REGULATE

Trade rules threaten to pre-empt a range of laws, regulations, policies and programs
designed to prevent disease and promote health.
Public health officials may regulation as necessary but trade officials may view thee
same regulation as unnecessary barrier to trade

Enforcing Trade Rules: WTO Dispute Resolution

They can impose economic sanctions on losing country

These rules challenge domestic sovereignty to regulate and protect health and access to
vital human services
RIGHT TO REGULATE VS CORPORATE RIGHT TO SUE
Bilatera & regional agreement like NAFTA provide a unique investors right mechanism.
Foreign corporations can directly challenge national government actions on the grounds
that the loss of current of future profit, even if caused by a government agency,
prohibiting the use of toxic substance
Eg. Issue of Canada popases plain packaging for cigarettes and American tobacco
companies threaten NAFTA suit for expropriation of their intellectual property their
trademarks

REFERENCE.

Bradby, H. (2012). Medical Sociology: An introduction. London: Sage Publications

Cockerham, W., C. (2007). Social causes of health and illness. UK: Cambridge Polity
Cockerham, W., C. (2012). Medical sociology, 12th ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson
Education.
Henry, D., & Lexchin, J. (2002). The pharmaceutical industry as a medicines provider.
Lancet
Schaeffar, R. (2008). Sociology, 11th ed. New York: McGraw Hill

Internet Sources
Murray et al. (2012). Globalization and Health. Retrieved 19/10/15, 08.30 from http://
www.globalizationandhealth.com/content/8/1/30
Woodward, D., Drager, N., Beaglehole, R., & Lipson, D. (2001)Globalization and health: a
framework for analysis and action. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 79:875-881.