Looking at events using historical lenses can be beneficial for gaining an in-depth understanding of issues. Currently, one of the central wellness problems discussed in the media is the COVID-19 pandemic. While the central problem today is to find a cure or a vaccine for the disease, it is also crucial to analyze the issue to ensure prompt reactions to similar events in the future. On November 6, CIDRAP news reported 121,888 new COVID-19 cases in the US, with 1,210 deaths (Dall, 2020). While these numbers may seem horrifying, they become even more dreadful if compared to the news story about the first occurrences of the COVID-19 cases. On January 5, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO, 2020) reported 44 patients with pneumonia of unknown cause. This implies that, in ten months, the disease that seemed distant and harmless became a real threat that kills more than a thousand people in the US daily. Using the historical lens to look at this wellness issue helps to understand that globalization does not allow us to disregard even the smallest distant threats to health, as diseases can travel very fast.
In healthcare administration, looking at wellness using historical and cultural viewpoints is crucial. Patients often have diverse backgrounds, which may influence their understanding of wellness. Healthcare professionals need to understand these differences to meet the needs of patients. Looking at events through the historical lens helps to follow the principles of patient-centered care. Thus, I believe that it is crucial for care providers to compare events to their historical counterparts.
References
Dall, C. (2020). US COVID-19 cases keep climbing, with no end in sight. CIDRAP.
World Health Organization. (2020). Pneumonia of unknown cause – China.