The disease burden in developed countries differs massively from that in developing countries. It may be quite difficult to believe that those with sufficient food availability would go on to develop a disease associated with overconsumption, whilst some in other countries do not have enough food to survive.
However, the reasons behind the obesity epidemic are complex and often misunderstood, and require a deep understanding of social issues and inequalities within developed countries. It is no coincidence that those living in deprived areas are more likely to suffer from obesity and diabetes.
You should be aware of the importance of looking at trends within countries, as well as between countries. Making a misinterpretation about individuals within a group, based on the average of the group to which they belong, is called ecological fallacy.
It is hoped that reduced need for loans and smaller debts after graduating will open up opportunities for graduates to seek a variety of training posts without limiting themselves by fear of insufficient salary.
What can we learn from this?
The UK healthcare system is also struggling to attract medics towards certain specialities which are currently understaffed. In particular, General Practice is struggling to recruit trainees, particularly in certain rural areas. There have been several initiatives attempting to address this shortage.
This comes after several studies note a link between opting for GP training and high-quality GP placements during medical school. Another initiative is the targeted enhanced recruitment scheme whereby doctors who undertake their GP training in certain areas receive a £20,000 salary boost as incentive.
Opt-out organ donation may not be as successful as initially predicted
Recently, plans were made to introduce an “opt-out” organ donation scheme for England by 2020. This would mean that everyone is automatically on the register, unless they decide otherwise. There was some controversy surrounding this, with some arguing that many would not realise that their name was on the register.
Often, what seem to be a great idea in theory, does not actually work in practice. One way to test a proposition for change is to test it with as many varying scenarios as possible. This may raise issues that you had previously not considered – but it is difficult to predict all eventualities.
Belgium, Austria and Singapore all had rises in donation rates after introducing an opt-out system – however, Wales have had this system in place since 2015, with no rise in the number of organ donors. If asked to give your opinion on an ethical dilemma, try to consider all the implications of your decisions in a variety of circumstances, which will allow you to better analyse the situation.