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The Medical Journal of Australia states that Globalisation is most accurately defined in terms of 3 changes: spatial, temporal and cognitive changes.
According to the MJA, spatial change affects how we view and experience physical or territorial space. Over time, national borders have come to be rendered irrelevant, as drug-trafficking, cigarette smuggling and global climate change begin to challenge the capacity of governments to effectively regulate them. In terms of health, spatial change leads to a rise in the number of migrants throughout the world. It would be overly simplistic and inaccurate to describe globalisation as either “good” or “bad” for health. In nations with high income, the debate surrounding globalisation and health tends to focus on the perceived threat, from low- and middle-income countries, of acquiring certain acute and epidemic infections, such as AIDS and SARS. They also fear the potential financial burden of unhealthy populations migrating from the developing world. High-income countries may also export to other parts of the world products like tobacco and fast food, indirectly affecting foreign direct investment and debt burdens.
Temporal change affects how we perceive and experience time. Social interaction is speeding up through modern communication and transportation technologies. We are hooked on speed, wanting to do everything quickly. However, our lives are slowed down by modern complexities. It affects the spread of disease. The speed of modern transportation systems means that infections can potentially move around the world within a few hours (take the SARS outbreak in 2002–03 for example). However, also due to the increase in speed, modern technology potentially enables us to respond more quickly to such emergencies. Some leaders of the global healthy community are the World Health Organization (WHO) who, according the
website, is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.
Cognitive change is influencing how we see ourselves and the world around us. The main changes here occur in the mass media, the advertising industry, consultancy firms, research institutions, political parties, religious groups and other institutions seeking to win people's “hearts and minds”. In the process, our cultures, wants and needs, and other aspirations are being changed. The MJA states that cognitive changes have facilitated the global spread of “lifestyle” diseases (for example, obesity) in certain populations within low- and middle-income countries. The spread of health sector reform can also be seen as a form of cognitive globalisation in terms of transferring policies about health service provision and financing across the world.
One has to understand that the impacts of Globalisation on health can be both positive and negative, depending on the factors, some of which are geographical location, sex, age, ethnic origin, education and consequently socioeconomic status.
I propose that in order to maximize Globalisation and put it to use in the best way possible, scientists and researches keep up the good work with the research on vaccines and possible cures for diseases which can spread worldwide, so as to avoid further catastrophe, like the SARS outbreak 4-5 years ago.
Labels: Eadelin Chantelle Y Dizon
