#GEA 1: Assignment 2 Diversity and Health CareProfessional BlogAssignment steps:Step 1: Prewriting (due Sunday, February 24, submitted to the Prewriting and Peer Review (2) assignments) Step 2: Pee
Prewriting
Thank you for taking your time to review my work. I would welcome your suggestions on the concerns that I have.
Questions for Peers
Question 1: I am researching the similarities and differences between maternal health care in the United States and Germany. Is it a wide topic?
Question 2: Do you think there is enough data and information available online for the purpose of this assignment?
Question 3: What do you think about my thesis? Is it objective enough?
Working Title: Similarities and Difference between Maternal Care in the United States and in Germany
Health Care System Choice:
Germany Health Care System: Maternal Health
Focus: The paper focus on effectiveness, cost, affordability and accessibility of health care in United States compared to Germany.
Comparative Element: I will use the infant mortality as the comparative element in the research paper. Infant mortality is a perfect indicator of the effectiveness, cost, affordability and accessibility of maternal care. When infant mortality is high, it signifies poor outcome of maternal care.
Outline:
Resources for Young Mothers:
How does the difference in resources available in both countries for Young Mothers affect infant mortality?
General Purpose: To compare
Specific Purpose: To compare maternal care in USA and Germany
Thesis Statement: Maternal health care is better in Germany compared to United States because it has a lower infant mortality rate, low maternal deaths and better healthcare costs.
Introduction
Overall, while both countries, the United States and Germany both provide expecting mothers with extensive health support systems United States has more resources available for families with lower income. The United States has been increasing the budget allocated to the health sector meaning that as time goes by there will be more resources available not only for expecting mother but every single patient of the United States.
One of the differences in United States which I think is worth noting and also think is more beneficial than harmful even though it is mandatory and takes a away our freedom of choice is that mothers in United States are required to have basic medical insurance to access maternal care unlike in Germany.
Thesis Statement: Maternal health care is better in Germany compared to United States because it has a lower infant mortality rate, low maternal deaths and better healthcare costs.
Body
Main Point 1: Germany has a low infant mortality rate
Infant mortality can be defined as the death of children within the first year of birth. This is a widely used indicator of the health of a population.
The infant mortality rate in the United States stands at 5.8 per 1,000 births compared to Germany which has 3.2 per 1,000 births
This is an indicator Germany has better maternal care than USA
The main causes of increased infant mortality include neonatal infection, term birth complications and birth asphyxia.
Therefore, providing better services during prenatal and postnatal greatly reduces these deaths.
However, the reasons why the numbers are high in United States could include the reduced access to health services by the pregnant mothers, increased infant mortality among some ethnic groups and inefficient measures in combating infant mortality.
Useful sources to support this point
Maternal/women’s health, HRSA Maternal & Child Health (2018, June 01). Health Resources & Services Administration
Obama, B. (2016). United States Health Care reform: Progress to Date and Next Steps. JAMA, 316(5), 525-32
Main Point 2: Germany has low maternal deaths
Health costs are the major determinant of the ability of the mothers and their children to seek medical care.
The United States has its maternal health services coordinated by the National Health Insurance System.
Germany on the other hand lacks a system that controls the administration of the health services but rather has autonomous bodies and organizations that are responsible for the same.
One such body is the Statutory Health Insurance System.
It is expected that such an arrangement should result to better care and enhanced mother-child care.
Even with the systematic monitoring of health services in the United States, the cost of maternal health care is high.
This is one of the major factors that contribute to poor maternal health care because the mothers cannot afford.
The insurance available does not cover every person and this can be seen by the rising numbers of people enrolling in Medicare and Medicaid each time.
As a result, the high cost of maternal health care coupled with reduced insurance results to poor maternal health care.
Useful sources to support this point
Maternal/women’s health, HRSA Maternal & Child Health (2018, June 01). Health Resources & Services Administration
Obama, B. (2016). United States Health Care reform: Progress to Date and Next Steps. JAMA, 316(5), 525-32
Main Point 3: Germany has lower healthcare costs
Germany on the other hand is characterized by reduced cost of maternal health care.
This increases the accessibility of such services as prenatal care as well as postnatal care for the mothers and the newborns.
The SHI system also ensures that all the people in the country who are permanent residents are insured
This includes those earning low incomes and cannot be able to afford insurance.
The maternal health is accessible and affordable in Germany as compared to United States.
Useful sources to support this point
Maternal/women’s health, HRSA Maternal & Child Health (2018, June 01). Health Resources & Services Administration
Thomson, R. Osborn, D. Squires, and S. J. Reed, International Profiles of Health Care Systems, 2011, The Commonwealth Fund, November 2011
Conclusion
Germany has been documented as one of the best countries when it comes to maternal health care. United States on the other hand has had huge budgets that are geared towards improving health care but this has not resulted to improved maternal care.
Bibliography
Maternal/Women's Health, HRSA Maternal & Child Health (2018, June 01). Health Resources & Services Administration.
In this article, the HRSA (Maternal and Child Health) association provides a list of goals this institution has to aid in advancing services to improve women’s health, especially in one of the most fragile moments of their lives: maternity. Following it with a statement of some of the MCHB programs they support in order to accomplish the previously mentioned goals. They mention how these programs focuses in providing care to women with maternal early warning signs, or who suffer from hemorrhage hypertension in pregnancy, venous thromboembolism. Providing Postpartum Care Basics for Maternal Safety, Obstetric Care for Opioid Dependent Women, and supporting Intended vaginal births, in order to reduce child and mother mortality rates due to complications pre- or post-partum.
Cheng, C. Y., Fowles, E. R., & Walker, L. O. (2006). Continuing education module: postpartum maternal health care in the United States: a critical review. The Journal of perinatal education, 15(3), 34-42. (National Institutes of Health)
This source assess the quality of postpartum maternal health care in the USA. The authors argue that postpartum care is neglected in America regarding women's health care. As a result of this neglect, there is limited national health objectives for postpartum maternal health. The scope of routine postpartum care has thus been hugely undermined by the poor postpartum health. The article articulates how maternal needs are not adequately met. The article thus helps underline how poor maternal health care is in the United States.
Thomson, R. Osborn, D. Squires, and S. J. Reed, International Profiles of Health Care Systems, 2011, The Commonwealth Fund, November 2011. (The Commonwealth Fund)
This source provides a concrete overview of the health care system. This source compares health care costs in USA to those on other developed countries including America. This source shows maternal health care expensive in America than Germany.
What my classmates told me I should focus on improving:
Thesis Statement:
Instead of having a direct comparison and telling the audience what is better in the thesis you can hide the comparison a bit by saying something like (unlike the United states Germany’s low infant mortality rate, low maternal death rate, and lower healthcare costs contribute to it having one of the best maternal health rates among developed countries) the comparison is hidden a bit but your argument and stance is still clear
Focus:
The focus is spot on, using effectiveness cost, and accessibility to compare which maternal health system is better.
Comparative Element:
Great comparative element, you could also tie in the death rate of mothers during labor
Source Review and Formatting:
Sources are credible and follow the correct formatting.
Outline Completeness and Formatting:
All the elements required for the outline are present and the formatting is correct
Visual Elements:
No visual elements yet, I would add charts of the death rates for infant and mothers in both countries and well as related costs
Responses to Questions:
Question 1: it may too wide, but to is possible if you choose the right “how/what” answer the question (how is this system better) or (what makes this system better) and use that answer as your focus and main comparative element
Question 2: Yes most definitely, especially if you focus in on infant/maternal death rates
Question 3: its too explanatory and not argumentative. Its like you’re stating facts and not taking a stance on what your going to try to convince people.
