Sociological Transition Essay

Epidemiological transition theory is the idea that there are complex changes in patterns of health and disease in relation with demographic and technologic transitions. The original three phases include the age of pestilence and famine, the age of receding pandemics, and the age of degenerative and man-made diseases (Omran, 2005). The age of pestilence and famine is characterized by high mortality due to war, famine, and epidemic outbreaks (Omran, 2005). Very few countries are in this phase as average life expectancy has increased globally. However, in Africa, ongoing conflict and famine continue to plague many populations. In the age of receding pandemics, average life expectancy increases and infectious disease outbreaks become fewer in frequency

All four countries are undergoing an epidemiologic transition as treatment and control of infectious diseases continues to improve. However, the major issues that affect each country and how the country has responded to their problems are vastly different. It is funny, but in the midst of writing this reflection, I somehow found myself in a conversation with someone who was horrified by the quality of healthcare in “third world” countries. This assumption that poor countries have horrendous quality of healthcare is not uncommon. Fortunately, these assumptions are wrong. Though developing countries are facing the unique problem of operating a healthcare system in an environment with inadequate resources and public health infrastructures, they have managed to develop incredible solutions. In Latin America and the Caribbean, a combination international and national interventions has been so successful that these countries have the highest percentage of ART coverage in any low-to-middle-income countries (Garcia et al., 2014). Cuba’s WHO health ranking is 39, approximately the same as the U.S. and achieved at a fraction of the price. As countries shift into the third epidemiologic transition, many of the basic systems for obtaining medications and seeing health care professionals are already in place. These four have taken the first important step and declared that healthcare is a right for all, something that even the U.S. has failed to do. Though they must continue building upon their current infrastructure, they have the advantage of hindsight and seeing what has worked in other countries. As we have seen during our study of the U.S. and other OECD countries, there is no one perfect health system. However, I am confident that the health systems that emerge from these developing countries will be one that works for the