Health Care Evolution Table: Changes And Patterns In Western Health Care Throughout Time

Pre-historical Period

(Early Humans)

Ancient Historical Period

(in Western History)

Middle Historical Period

Recent Historical Period

(1800s and 1900s)

Contemporary Period  

(This Century in Western Culture)

Future

(2100s and 2200s)

Primary causes of death

Food shortage, infectious disease e.g. measles, small pox, leprosy and polio

Egyptians: disease

Greeks:

diseases

Romans: disease and illnesses

Middle Ages: wars caused many deaths, did not understand that infectious disease we caused by germs.

Renaissance: black death killed many people. Infectious disease eg. Polio caused death. Personal hygiene caused death too.

Colonial: epidemics and infectious diseases due to lack of sanitation.

War caused death. Travelling people brought new diseases like yellow fever. Infectious diseases like TB, malaria and cholera. Influenza, kidney disease and tuberculosis killed people too.

Non communicable diseases e.g. Cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes.

With most advanced technology, the causes of deaths today will not be seen.

Laser technology will identify abnormal proteins in cell membranes.

Life expectancy

33years.

Egyptians: 40 to 45 years.

Greeks: 28years.

Romans: 20 to 30 years.

Middle Ages: 35+ years.

Renaissance: 30yrs.

Colonial: 25 to 40 yrs.

31years.

67 years.

75+ years.

Primary prevention

Herbs, clay, spells and prescriptions.

Egyptians: isolation of people with leprosy.

Greeks: more advanced with surgeons and basic medicine.

Romans:

Middle Ages:

Renaissance:

Colonial:

Disease prevention through vaccines and advanced treatment.

Prevention of disease in early stages.

Tertiary prevention (treatment)

Herbal medicines. People thought supernatural factors caused diseases thus treatment approaches used were religious and spiritual. They also made discoveries and practical research. Geophagy and trepanning were done.

Egyptians: spirits, demons and gods caused diseases. Prayers, natural and herbal remedies were used. They also knew how to set broken bones, surgically treat tumors and treat burns.

Greeks: some amount of surgery and herbal medicine. Infectious diseases had no cure.

Romans: herbal remedies and performance of surgery where necessary.

Middle Ages: herbal medicines, incantations and spells followed the roman and Greek treatment methods.

Renaissance: medically advanced and scientific reasons were given to cure diseases. Advanced surgeries were done too. Dead body dissections.

Colonial: the focus was more on cure. They dint focus on prevention. Antibiotics were available. Housewives treated people by following family tales Indian traditions and superstitious remedies.

Invention of well researched medications. No longer considered superstitions and rituals. Use of vaccines. Anesthesia for surgeries developed. Still continued use of herbal medicine.

Treatment is available for many diseases. For those without cure preventive measures are taken to avoid their worsening.

Robots might be the new doctors. Transplants and surgery will be so popular. Initial cancer cells will be destroyed to cure cancer at its onset.

Physical environment

Primitive stick structures, caves, forests and huts.

Egyptians: deserts, populated areas along river Nile.

Greeks: villages, urban areas, mountains, villages and towns

Romans: deserts, swamps, mountains valleys and hills.

Middle Ages: farms, villages and small houses.

Renaissance: ports, villages, towns and cities.

Colonial: ports, towns, cities and farms.

Towns, cities and large metropolitan areas.

Safe surroundings and modern structures.

Sky scrapers, virtual world and homes on other planets.

Social and emotional environment

People stayed in small groups of hunters/gatherers and moved to where there was food. Believed evil spirits and demons caused diseases.

Egyptians: wealthy people afforded health care. The poor and slaves could not afford.

Greeks: warriors, poets and highly educated people in society.

Romans: infrastructure constructions, warriors and slaves.

Middle Ages: drama, arts and entertainment.

Renaissance: universities built growth and development after the plague.

Colonial:

Slavery continued until it was outlawed.

Social, political conflict and racism are still prevailed. Television and internet.

 Artificial intelligence and robots will replace human work.

Health care providers

Witch doctors, medicine men and priests.

Egyptians: priests and physicians.

Greeks: scientists and started to understand human body.

Romans: military surgeons.

Middle Ages: only available to wealthy people.

Renaissance: universities and colleges provided medical training.

Colonial: local healers, surgeons and midwives.

 Introduction of nurses and reduced death rates.

Healthcare services easily accessible even in rural areas.

 Robotic medical services and care.

Medical setting

Healthcare infrastructure was not there. The sick travelled to medical providers and vice versa.

Egyptians: public health not very defined as people lived in large groups.

Greeks: public health, medical education and many doctors.

Romans: there were built hospitals with surgeons.

Middle Ages:

Renaissance: Medicare benefited the state with the poor and native people suffering from inadequate medical services.

Colonial: colonizers neglected medical development in rural areas, missionaries provided Medicare to children and mother, arranged vaccination campaigns for the same.

 Clinics and hospitals were more common. Public health was more important

Hospitals and clinics. Telephone health provisions, e-visits and medical schools

Nanotechnology, telemedicine and medical vacations.

Payment systems

Barter systems was used where trading of goods and services was done in exchange for other goods and services as currency was not yet invented

Egyptians: initially they used barter trade system with the government. It later changed to using money.

Greeks: they used coin systems whereby each city had its own form of coins.

Romans: they also had a coin system in place

Middle Ages: they used both coins and barter trade system to do small exchanges. They also worked for the king or as soldiers as tax payment method and for political reasons

Renaissance: introduction of money and banking systems. Banks started offering loans. They were mostly for merchants.

Colonial: gold and silver coins were used. Since money wasn’t enough, barter systems were still in use.

Creation and wide use of proper money rather than silver and gold coins. This was influenced by international trade. Onset of International trade currency and currency markets. In 1800s banking systems were established. The banking ideas were born by the Romans. Churches acted as banks before then. In 1900s, merchant banks boomed.

Appropriate forms of money like coins, debit and credit cards came into use. Different countries came up with different currencies, others being stronger therefore acceptable worldwide at different exchange rates. Well known as hard currencies.

there may no longer be need for money(hard currencies). Wireless mode of payment maybe the only relevant form as technology will be very high with brain chips introduction.

Food supply

Different plants gathered and animals killed by hunting.

Egyptians: growing fruits and vegetables, killing animals.

Greeks: baking bread, agriculture and killing animals.

Romans: agriculture, animals and imports.

Middle Ages: importing luxury things, farming and killing animals.

Renaissance: trade, animal killing and agriculture.

Colonial: trade, animal slaughter and farming.

 Commercial slaughter houses, agriculture and people started food preservation by refrigeration and canning

Abundant commercial supply of food. Imports and export.

Genetically modified foods. Threats of shortages of food due to climate change will not be a problem.

Government system

Dint exist other than maybe chiefs that led people in small groups.

Egyptians: Pharaohs ruled.

Greeks: democratic system, but not for slaves.

Romans: wealthy people were allowed to rule as kings and senators. Slavery was practiced

Middle Ages: Roman catholic church, kings, lords and barons.

Renaissance: cities grew larger and kings ruled them.

Colonial: Ruled by Britain.

Democratic governments were everyone had a right to vote.

Democratic societies with states. Presidents, senators and governors heading them.

 A globalised democracy. Ensuring global security and end of nuclear proliferation. Human caused climate change will be ended.