SOC409: Week Four

      Continuing on the topic of "Universal Health Care" a question was brought up. Professor asked us to answer the following, "What can we take from the Roman approach to improve our health?" We have officially been citizens of Italy for five weeks now, and it it clear they have a completely different lifestyle. Aside from the aspect of universal health care that the country of Italy provides to all of it's citizens, I find it interesting to look at their personal lifestlye choices.
      Food and transportation are two huge choices that pop up in my mind. Food is such a major part of everyday life and very important to the Italian culture; however, you don't see many obese people walking around the streets of Rome. Besides the gelato and the numerous delicious pastry shops that are at every corner, Italians eat healthier overall than Americans. The only fast food resturants are McDonald's, Burger King, and the two Subways that are in Rome. Even though they are considered fast food, the menus are healthier. I recently went to one of the Subway's and it was clear it is somewhat healthier. There were not as many options. No fatty Ranch dressing or the other 20 dressings American Subways offer; just oil, vinegar, and light mayonaise. These places are so abundent in America, and so many people rely on them for food. The slower paced lifestyle in Italy makes it easier as well, people are not as rushed and only have time for "fast food". If you really want great food, you have to take the time to sit down and eat it. Italy doesn't offer and glorify cheap, unhealthy food like America does.       
      Not only food, but transportation as well. After being here five weeks, I can count on one hand how many large cars and SUV's I've seen. No one drives that here (besides Sandro). Public transportation, mopeds, smart cars, and most importantly walking are what make up "Italian transportation". I can't even name one person that I personally know that drives a smart car. People rely so heavily on big cars and SUV's in America. Taking the cause and effect look shows that because we are so reliant on cars, the effect is that we have more pollution. The air quality we intake also influces our health. On a downside, however, the thousands of people who smoke in public makes up for the lack of pollution from the cars.
      I don't want to sit here and bash American lifestyles, because not everyone lives like this back home. I actually feel I eat healthier at home. I have more access to more choices, and eat more organic and healthy food. Not being able to read the labels here as definatly affected my "healthy lifestyle". Yes, we walk everywhere but how much gelato is too much? Although American's are known to be more overweight and unhealthy in large numbers, not everything about our health care system is bad.
     As John C. Goodman argues, "...the American health care system has plenty of problems. But it is not inferior to other developed countries' systems-". I completely agree. People travel from all over the world, including Italy to go to the Cleveland Clinic. They are ahead in prevenative care and technology. We have access to more technology and To say that American's have a failing health care system would be inaccurate. Health and money are two different things. More statistics should be looked at besides life expectancy and mortality rate to decide whether a country is "healthy". What about cancer surviving rates and treatments? The numbers in America are much higher than in other countries. The choices that one makes directly correlates to their health. It is hard to compare the two, because the factors going in are completely different. Looking at Italians, they appear healthier overall but this does not mean American's are inferior.
     Taking a break from the health care conversations we visited two museums this week. The National History Museum of the Medical Arts and the Museum of the Mind. Both were extremely interesting, and not just because I am a nursing major. The National History Museum of the Medical Arts gave us an insight to how students just like us were learning hundreds of years ago. The wax models, fetus' and tools used back then were so interesting to look at and learn about. It makes me realize why I want to be a nurse so bad. Looking at how they used to treat things (without anestethics) and comparing them to today is amazing. the progress in technology and education is amazing. The Museum of the Mind was also just as intersting. It was cool to do some of the hands on things and watch videos from real patients and nurses. Overall it is sad that most of the people in these instituions had nothing wrong with them. The one man got in a fight and was brought to the facility and later "diagnosed" with a mental illness. It's sad to see these people that had nothing wrong with them actually go crazy because of the prisoned lifestyle they were forced into.
     Overall this past week was extremely intersting learning about the history of Italian health care, and comparing it to our past system and current system.