http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09581596.2015.1096914\\Abstract
The individualization of health has been extensively discussed in the last few decades. Empirical work, however, has mainly had its origins within neoliberal societies. Norway, as a social democratic welfare state based on universal social rights and egalitarianism is thus of interest in understanding how people’s talk reflects national policies. Through a series of 18 in-depth interviews with a heterogeneous group of middle-aged and elderly men in rural Norway, this paper explores lay men’s understandings of individuals’ responsibility for health vis-à-vis the state’s. The men in this study expressed complex but shared notions of the state’s and the individual’s responsibility for health. The individual’s main responsibility was to act in specific ways in order to maintain good health. However, little blame was placed on those who did not act in the expected way. The state’s main responsibilities were to facilitate the healthy lifestyle of individuals and act as a safety net for those in need. The state was also viewed as being responsible for providing universal health care free of charge, regardless of the reason for the need. We argue that the political and societal values of Norway are reflected in the men’s talk about responsibility for health, alongside neoliberal ideas found in other Western societies. Importantly, however, we conclude that a social democratic welfare state system supports and facilitates agency with regard to health, lifestyle and one’s life more broadly.
Get a free copy of Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts at http://thecanadianfacts.orgDennis Raphael, PhDProfessor of Health Policy and ManagementGraduate Program Director, Health Policy and EquityYork University4700 Keele StreetRoom 418, HNES BuildingToronto, Ontario M3J 1P3416-736-2100, ext. 22134email: [log in to unmask]Website: http://health.info.yorku.ca/health-profiles/index.php?mid=162284Of interest:Tackling Health Inequalities: Lessons from International ExperiencesForeword by Alex Scott-Samuelhttp://www.cspi.org/books/tackling_health_inequalitiesPoverty in Canada, 2nd edition,Forewords by Rob Ranier and Jack Laytonhttp://www.cspi.org/books/poverty_canadaAbout Canada: Health and Illnesshttp://tinyurl.com/2c2tm6lHealth Promotion and Quality of Life in Canada: Essential Readingshttp://tinyurl.com/3C8zteuSocial Determinants of Health: Canadian Perspectives, 2nd edition, Forewords by Carolyn Bennett and Roy Romanowhttp://tinyurl.com/3fkbr8uStaying Alive: Critical Perspectives on Health, Illness, and Health Care, 2nd edition Foreword by Gary Teeplehttp://tinyurl.com/4xlu4upSee a presentation! The Political Economy of Health Inequalities.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NCTYqAub8gAlso, presentation at the University of Toronto on how Canada stacks up again other nations in providing citizens with economic and social security.http://vimeo.com/33346501 See what Jack Layton had to say about my books!http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/04/10/cv-election-ndp-layton-platform.htmlat 27:20