Abstract

The World Health Organization declared in 1948 that the enjoyment of the highest individual attainment of health for any person is a fundamental human right. Australia, the U.K. and the United States all legally ratified this declaration as becoming signatories to their founding treatise with the United Nations. Despite this, there are many conspicuous examples of inequities of public health as found within these nations. One of the more disparate and outrageous examples of inequities in public health has been an insidious trend towards criminalizing mental illness, and the largely unjust treatment of many mentally ill persons. This change has resulted in untold numbers of mentally ill persons being over-represented within the criminal justice system, experiencing higher morbidity, co-morbidity and mortality rates, and having difficulty in surviving in a society frequently dealing with their illness in a persecutory manner. Questions must be raised: that although over the passage of time medical science and technology has changed, but has western societies' attitudes to health equity kept pace?

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.