Case Studies

Chapter 4, Global Health: A Community Perspective

Case Study # 1

You are visiting a family in rural Costa Rica who were referred to your organization because of their significant health challenges. The family consists of a 54-year-old grandfather who is addicted to alcohol and cigarettes and spends significant time securing funds to finance these behaviors. His 48-year-old wife, the mother of eight children (three of whom are still living at home), maintains their 10’ ´ 12’ dirt-floored, mud-walled home and cooks their one meal per day in the fire pit in the corner of their home. They walk a half-mile to get water from the community’s well if there isn’t water in the barrel in which they gather rain water. While their three daughters are out earning their living as prostitutes, the grandmother cares for their six children, all younger than 8 years of age, who are in varying stages of undress and who have skin, hair, and intestinal parasites. (Learning Objectives: 2, 3, 4)

a.       What data can you gather based on available client information?

b.       Which behaviors are risk factors for disease burden?

c.       How do these risk factors impact the family’s overall health?

Case Study # 2

Marianne, who is 90 years of age, deaf, and blind, has severe dementia and hypertension, for which she takes no medications. She lives in an assisted living facility run by the local Catholic church. Her daughters placed her here for safety and assistance with activities of daily living. She continues to play cards with the staff and other residents in the home despite her blindness. She is not a member of this Catholic church. All of the residents of this assisted living center are Italian. She is from France. (Learning Objective: 1)

a.       In the global context, what does it mean to be healthy? Is Marianne considered healthy or unhealthy according to the global definition of health?

b.       Smith identifies four models of health. What are they? According to Smith’s model, how would you define Marianne’s health?

c.       Regardless of what country Marianne is receiving care in, does she have the right to good health and sense of well-being? How is this going to occur in a global society?