Getting What We Deserve: Health and Medical Care in America (review)

The United States . . . Land of the Free Home of the Brave . . . how free are we when it comes to health care? Are we brave enough to attack the issues? Dr. Alfred Sommer very bluntly addresses some of the major issues affecting the health of the American people while providing information that will allow individuals that will enable us to free ourselves from the bonds of habits that bind us to an unhealthy status.

Getting What We Deserve: Health and Medical Care in America reviews life expectancy, death rates, common diseases, and behaviors characteristics of populations from centuries past before tackling the problems we face in the present day. He discusses the relationship between social class and health status, consequences of behavior, and outlines a path for choosing a healthier lifestyle.

An ophthalmologist and public health scholar at Johns Hopkins, Sommer discusses numerous specific areas of contemporary concern, including immunization and autism. He addresses the relationships among obesity, poverty, poor dietary habits, and informed decisions. Sommer dedicates a chapter to the United States health care system, providing a critical overview of policy, insurance issues, pharmaceutical interests, funding, clinical practices, and much more.

Sommer wraps up this work by tackling the tough issue of health disparities and social equality. While some social factors such as poverty, cultural practices, and religious beliefs that contribute to disparities can be understood, many elude analysis. He advises that if we cannot remove innate risks, we can minimize their impact through more effective health care programs. This should be the focus as we move forward to improve the health and well being of our communities, society, and the entire population of America.

Getting What We Deserve, will prove interesting to health care professionals, patients, and anyone with an interest in learning more about issues related to health care and related issues. While addressing issues of utmost concern, Sommer does it in a manner that is easy to understand, and relate to with a sense of humor.