Engendering Health Equity and Communicable Diseases

Discussion Questions
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Discussion Questions
Week 2
Question 1
In their chapter “Engendering health equity: A review of research and policy,” Sen et al. (2002) indicate that gender inequalities in health and related perceptions have remained dominant in diverse social contexts. The authors use different examples to demonstrate that the perceptions existing in many societies about women’s vulnerabilities are contingent on social and communal contexts rather than having a direct link to biology. This aspect exposes different viewpoints as misleading and illustrates gaps in conventional practices that have continued to disadvantage women due to being categorized as vulnerable. Such elements lead to their exclusion from many activities as their input remains limited to light work. In this context, Sen et al. (2002) indicate that other factors significantly contribute to the differences between genders. These include social elements, as demonstrated by the fact that poor women emerge more susceptible to malaria than their wealthier counterparts due to diminished access to appropriate health care services and sufficient nutrition. Thus, this raises the question of how should stakeholders address the social determinants that worsen biological vulnerabilities?
Question 2
In her article, “Putting gender into health and globalization debates: new perspectives and old challenges,” Doyal (2010) argues that the continued distancing of globalization debate with women and their role in this concept is outdated. The author indicates that the minimization of gender and its place in the globalization discourse has for years sidelined women by making men the dominant players in the sector. As a result, the shifting perspective is that researchers and organizations have started exploring the linkage between the two concepts, focusing on women’s progress through the decades. Concentrating on this plan seeks to recognize that women have unique or special needs despite facing similar health challenges to their male counterparts. As a result, this aspect leads to the question, what structural and contextual changes are required to ensure women achieve their potential health?
Week 3
Question 1
In the chapter “Communicable diseases: Outstanding commitments to gender and poverty,” Hartigan et al. (2002) wonders why the world continues to grapple with the persistent burden of infectious diseases. While trying to find answers to this seemingly never-ending problem, the authors uncover a groundbreaking truth about the intricate relationship between poverty and these illnesses. One directly affects the other, with the former increasing the chances of the latter rising their prevalence and vice-versa. However, the complex scenario is that many people overlook the gender link, which is fundamental to addressing the challenge (Hartigan et al., 2002). How does gender relate to infectious diseases? Considering that women comprise about 70% of the deprived, does it mean empowering women would eliminate a fundamental risk factor for contagious disease prevalence? Would this approac...