Health Impairing Behaviours

Anthropology and Health Care: Formula Feeding Vs. Breast Feeding Anthropologists believe that raising and teaching children is integral to the survival and stability of our culture.

Domestic-Scale Cultures: Typically breast feed- it is easier for babies to digest; contains nutrients and antibodies that help prevent allergies and prevent diseases. Evidence shows that babies benefit psychologically from being breast fed. Scientists agree that breast milk is the best food for babies up to 12 months.

Formula: 1st created by the Nestle Company in 1865- most woman breast fed at the time so the company and all who followed had to convince mothers that formula was more nutritious. Companies promoted their product especially in countries where mothers are undernourished.

Studies have shown that formula fed babies have more asthma, allergies, eczema, colitis, diabetes and childhood cancers than breast fed babies. In developing countries mothers often mix formula with unclean water and the babies get diarrhea Formula is usually given free to mothers who experience difficulty breast feeding at the hospital, but when they leave formula can cost as much as ½ the family’s income.

Clinical Psychology and Health Care: Elderly and Alone Clinical psychologists agree that a number of personality variables help to predict if a person will become ill. A person with neurosis will for example react more negatively to stress in their life.

20% of non-institutionalized elderly are depressed. 10-20% of widows and widowers experienced significant depression after the death of their spouse. Causes of depression seem to stem partly from the feeling of loss of control over their life. Subsequent withdrawal from their environment leads to physical deterioration.

Most elderly can live independently with help from nurses, social workers, house cleaners and family, but funding has been cut forcing many elderly into homes. Studies have found that elderly denied support require $4000 more health care dollars spent on them due to their deteriorating health due to psychological stresses.

Sociology and Health Care: Teenaged Smoking It is widely known that tobacco is addictive and harmful, and yet people continue to take up smoking especially in their teen years.

Why and what is being done? • Peer pressure makes teens susceptible to smoking and so does undue pressure on girls to be thin. • Teenage females are the fastest growing group of new smokers. • Restrictions have been made so teens cannot legally buy cigarettes until their 19 and advertisement has been restricted.