Critical Approach
The critical approach is used to describe how politics and economics shape our health. This approach looks at social inequalities and how gender, race and social classes play a role in our healthcare systems. We can apply this approach to Alzheimer's disease by looking at how the elderly are looked at and treated throughout cultures and social classes. It is also important to discuss that Alzheimer's is much more common in women than in men. Some studies show that this is due to the effects that estrogen has on our aging bodies.
The cultural history of Alzheimer's disease is relatively new in the medical world. The disease was first described by a man named Dr. Alois Alzheimer in 1910. He noticed the symptoms of memory loss and shrinkage of the brain. In 1974 the National Institute of Aging was formed in order to promote better understanding of the process of aginng. The two main protein markers of Alzheimer's disease were discovered in 1984. Both beta-amyloid and tau may cause brain cell damage but researchers still do not know if high levels of these cause Alzheimer's or if they are just symptoms of the diesase (1). From 1993 to 2003 five drugs were approved by the Federal Drug Administration to slow the process of Alzheimer's. No drug has been found that can stop or reverse the process of this disease.
On Novmeber 4, 1994 president Ronald Reagan announced that he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at 83 years of age. This was the first well-known public figure to have the disease and this drew a lot of attention to the disease. As a society we began to understand the urgency of researching and understanding this disease. In 2004 Reagan died from complications from the disease and this pushed many fundraising efforts and research projects to the forefront of the medical community (2).
Before the disease was named and researched, many medical professionals argued that these symptoms were a natural part of aging for people over 65 years of age. In Western culture the elderly are thought to be wise but become senile, weak, and helpless as they become older. We now understand that a percentage of the elderly are actually suffering from a disease that is genetic and could be the result of other environmental factors in their lifetime. It is a positive thing that we now have a good explanation for some of the symptoms of aging however the increase of this disease now causes us to see the elderly in a burdening way. The popularity of Assissted Living Communities and Elderly care has increased dramatically over the past decade.
The medicalization of this disease has been mostly positive. All of the research that has been dedicated to this disease has allowed us to more fully understand the processes our aging bodies go through. The medical technologies that we now have allow us to detect this deterioration in a patient's brain much more quickly. Once detected, medical professionals can out the patient on one of the medications approved by the FDA to slow this process.
(1) George, Krucik. "A Brief History of Alzheimer’s Disease." Healthline. N.p., 9 Dec. 2013. Web. 15 Aug. 2014. <http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/alzheimers-history#6>.
(2) Frank, Freidel . "Ronald Reagan." The White House. The White House, n.d. Web. 14 Aug. 2014. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/president>.
Figure 1. "Alois Alzheimer." The Global Voice on Dementia. Alzheimer's Disease International, 15 July 2010. Web. 15 Aug. 2014. <http://www.alz.co.uk/alois-alzheimer>.
Figure 2. Frank, Freidel . "Ronald Reagan." The White House. The White House, n.d. Web. 14 Aug. 2014. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/president>.
Before the disease was named and researched, many medical professionals argued that these symptoms were a natural part of aging for people over 65 years of age. In Western culture the elderly are thought to be wise but become senile, weak, and helpless as they become older. We now understand that a percentage of the elderly are actually suffering from a disease that is genetic and could be the result of other environmental factors in their lifetime. It is a positive thing that we now have a good explanation for some of the symptoms of aging however the increase of this disease now causes us to see the elderly in a burdening way. The popularity of Assissted Living Communities and Elderly care has increased dramatically over the past decade.
The medicalization of this disease has been mostly positive. All of the research that has been dedicated to this disease has allowed us to more fully understand the processes our aging bodies go through. The medical technologies that we now have allow us to detect this deterioration in a patient's brain much more quickly. Once detected, medical professionals can out the patient on one of the medications approved by the FDA to slow this process.
(1) George, Krucik. "A Brief History of Alzheimer’s Disease." Healthline. N.p., 9 Dec. 2013. Web. 15 Aug. 2014. <http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/alzheimers-history#6>.
(2) Frank, Freidel . "Ronald Reagan." The White House. The White House, n.d. Web. 14 Aug. 2014. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/president>.
Figure 1. "Alois Alzheimer." The Global Voice on Dementia. Alzheimer's Disease International, 15 July 2010. Web. 15 Aug. 2014. <http://www.alz.co.uk/alois-alzheimer>.
Figure 2. Frank, Freidel . "Ronald Reagan." The White House. The White House, n.d. Web. 14 Aug. 2014. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/president>.