Question

What are some ways that privilege is perpetuated in health? How does healthcare maintain the status quo of privilege? Can you think of ways to begin addressing this status quo?

Answer 1

A privilege is a status granted by other people apart from a right. The denying or sublimating of racial or other privileges will provide an altruistic feeling to some patients. The social hierarchies like race, ethnicity, positions etc. will affect the healthcare privileges. The overly emphasized institutional structure also support healthcare privileges. Social and positional privileges will be a factor considered by the physician in determining the patient’s behaviour and the treatment decisions also will be affected by it.

Affordable healthcare was also considered as a privilege as it is based on the employment status of the benefitted person. The right and privileges must be balanced in healthcare for a smooth delivery of it. A privilege is a special right or advantage, available only to a particular set of people. The group specified advantages are considered as privileges.

As the healthcare is a service industry the privileged groups will be enjoying more advantages than other. The efforts to include more individuals in the privileged group will be effective in providing equitable healthcare services. The status quo will be maintained by allowing the people to determine to accept or reject the privileges.