In a context of imperfect risk protection, households may protect against the impact of a health shock by employing various financial and non-financial coping mechanisms, such as foregoing or reducing needed medical care, labor substitution, consumption reduction, borrowing money, dissaving, and selling assets. However, leveraging certain coping mechanisms may reduce future productivity, potentially trapping households in chronic or persistent poverty. Resources and risk are not necessarily shared equitably within a household; the ability and willingness of the household to (...) leverage coping mechanisms, or the choice of coping mechanism may depend on the social protection policy context, household socioeconomic status, and type of intrahousehold risk sharing. Vietnam has been making policy changes aimed towards achieving Universal Health Coverage for the past several decades, culminating in a 2015 change mandating universal insurance coverage. This can potentially influence both providers in making decisions around service delivery and households around financing care. This research aims to contribute to the literature exploring the relationships among direct and indirect health care costs, potentially maladaptive coping mechanisms, and household living standards, within the particular health financing and social protection environment in Vietnam. (shrink)

As climate change amplifies the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, understanding how individuals adapt to environmental shocks becomes increasingly vital [2,3]. A recent study by Nguyen and Mitrou [4] explores the behavioral consequences of tropical cyclones in Australia—specifically, whether such disasters influence the uptake of private health insurance (PHI) in a country already covered by a universal public healthcare system.

The results revealed that students who remained in China experienced challenges which included anxiety, closure of campuses, lockdown, their parents’ concern regarding health issues, and not being able to meet with friends. On the other hand, students who had left China during the pandemic were confined to their home countries. This group of students experienced more severe problems than the students who remained in China. Since the transition to home countries was “unplanned,” they were not ready to readjust to (...) their native culture and were vulnerable to severe reverse culture shock. Upon returning to their home countries, international students faced a number of challenges, including readjustment to their home countries and changes in their lives in host and home countries. In addition, they lost social and academic resources, such as the disruption of study environment, losing important group memberships, financial constraints, visa expiry, graduation delay, and academic suspension. (shrink)

This study explores the challenges facing Ateneo de Davao University Senior High School learners from rural origins as they experience an urban shift concerning their mental health and academic performance. In addition, interventions to support the adaptation of such learners are recommended. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used, including in-depth semi-structured interviews with 15 Grade 11 STEM Pre-Science learners. The rural-to-urban transition presents quite a challenge in the lives of these students as they face culture shock, new learning (...) modalities, environmental discomfort, schedule adjustment, and loneliness in living away from family members. These issues lead to stress and alienation, thus challenging academic and personal adjustment. The study calls for focused interventions, such as intensified AdDU- SHS Wellness and Testing Center support, structured orientation programs, and mental health services. Future research should be conducted to determine this transition's long-term academic and psychological effects. (shrink)

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of challenges to the globalized world. Globally, it has decimated over six million lives. Since 2019, it has shook the world in many respects, especially, it disrupted economies and societies and halted the majority of human endeavor. Commentaries and reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the media showed an alarming situation that could be damning in low and middle income countries. Economic pundits and global public health experts also anticipated (...) doom and gloom for African countries. However, in terms of mortality, the Americas, Europe and Asia have suffered more losses. Irrespective of these loses in Europe, Africa’s case needs better appreciation within our contemporary historical discourse. The burgeoning challenge of the COVID disease and mortalities arising thereby, among other things, necessitated the introduction of policies based on the WHO’s historical understanding of how the world has dealt with pandemics in the past. Some of the strategies that were deployed to fight the pandemic included hand washing under running water with soap, the use of alcohol based hand sanitizers, the wearing of nose masks, social distancing, self isolation as well as partial and complete lockdowns of states and communities. The major economic disruption really came about as a result of many lockdown policies that were implemented by several countries in Africa without proper reference to their own societal contexts. These issues notwithstanding, it is important to emphasize that the extent of the impact on different communities differed to a large extent, even though there were similar levels of the nature of the infection and the general economic outlook among the global community. This current contribution on the COVID-19 discourse used political economy and economic shock as bases to highlight the extent of the impact of the disease by highlighting examples from respective countries in Africa, namely, Ghana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Algeria and South Africa. In particular, the impact of policies like lock-down on some of these African countries are highlighted for further discussions in future empirical research. The study relied on contemporary historical evidence from multidisciplinary sources on health, economics, policy, and other related studies on epidemiology, public health, health education and promotion, reports and sources from the World Health Organization (WHO). Specifically, the authors have used published research in Lancet, the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, BMJ Global Health, Frontiers in Public Health and the Pan African Medical Journal. The others were African Development Review, Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, Africa Spectrum and International Journal of Financial Research including several other empirical research. In attempting a social and economic interpretation based on contemporary historical sense, the findings of this present study suggest that African political actors or leaders should make persistent or steady efforts to strengthen the economies of their states to lessen economic shocks and social costs that come about as a result of pandemics such as the COVID-19. It also identified the fact that within the globalized space, application of policies from other countries including international organizations should not be devoid of context. (shrink)

A Comprehensive Analysis of the Rice Tariffication Law: Economic, Political, and Social Perspectives -/- Introduction -/- The Rice Tariffication Law (Republic Act No. 11203), signed into law in 2019, represents one of the most significant agricultural reforms in the Philippines in recent decades. Spearheaded by Senator Cynthia Villar, the legislation sought to liberalize rice importation, replacing quantitative restrictions with tariffs, while establishing mechanisms to enhance the competitiveness of local rice farmers. While the law has garnered praise for its structural reforms (...) and market-oriented approach, it has also faced criticism for its immediate adverse effects on the local farming sector. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the Rice Tariffication Law, examining its economic, political, and social implications, as well as its long-term consequences. -/- Economic Analysis -/- Advantages -/- One of the key economic benefits of the Rice Tariffication Law is the stabilization and reduction of rice prices, which directly benefits millions of Filipino consumers. By allowing private traders to import rice with a 35% tariff for ASEAN countries, the market became more competitive, contributing to lower inflation and greater food affordability. -/- Additionally, the law established the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), which allocates a minimum of PHP 10 billion annually to support the local rice industry. These funds are used for farm mechanization, development and distribution of high-yielding seeds, credit access, and farmer education and training. Furthermore, the reform has helped align the Philippines with its World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments, promoting a rules-based and liberalized trade regime. -/- Disadvantages -/- Despite these advantages, the law has led to significant economic challenges, particularly for small-scale rice farmers. The influx of cheaper imported rice has depressed local farmgate prices, reducing the income and profitability of Filipino rice producers. Moreover, the implementation of RCEF has been marred by delays and inefficiencies, with many farmers yet to receive the intended support. Another economic risk is the increasing dependence on rice imports, which could jeopardize national food security in times of global supply disruptions. -/- Political Analysis -/- Advantages -/- Politically, the Rice Tariffication Law represents a move towards compliance with international trade agreements, fulfilling longstanding WTO obligations. It also positions the government as committed to structural reforms that aim to improve efficiency and reduce corruption and fiscal burden associated with the National Food Authority (NFA). -/- Disadvantages -/- However, the law has been criticized for favoring large agribusinesses and rice importers over smallholder farmers. Allegations of conflict of interest and political favoritism have surfaced, particularly against lawmakers with business ties to agriculture. The resulting backlash from farmer groups and advocacy organizations has created political challenges, casting doubts on the government’s commitment to inclusive development. -/- Social Analysis -/- Advantages -/- From a social perspective, the reduction in rice prices benefits low-income households who spend a substantial portion of their income on food. The RCEF, if effectively implemented, has the potential to transform rural communities by providing farmers with tools and knowledge to increase productivity and resilience. -/- Disadvantages -/- Conversely, the law has contributed to increased rural poverty and distress among farmers who are unable to compete with imported rice. Reports of worsening livelihoods, farmer displacement, and even mental health issues have raised serious concerns about the law’s social impact. Moreover, the erosion of traditional farming practices and community cohesion threatens the cultural fabric of agricultural societies. -/- Long-Term Implications -/- In the long term, the Rice Tariffication Law could lead to a more competitive and modernized rice industry, provided that RCEF is effectively managed and equitably distributed. However, if current issues persist, the Philippines may face a decline in domestic rice production, overdependence on imports, and increased vulnerability to external shocks. -/- Comprehensive Solution -/- To address the multifaceted challenges posed by the Rice Tariffication Law, a comprehensive and integrated solution must be pursued: -/- 1. Immediate Economic Relief for Farmers -/- Provide direct cash assistance to rice farmers affected by the decline in farmgate prices. -/- Implement a guaranteed minimum support price to stabilize farmers’ income during periods of import surges. -/- 2. Accelerated and Transparent RCEF Implementation -/- Establish a public monitoring and evaluation system to track fund disbursement and project outcomes. -/- Ensure equitable distribution of farm equipment, seeds, and training by prioritizing marginalized and smallholder farmers. -/- 3. Strategic Import Management -/- Introduce flexible tariff mechanisms that adjust based on local supply and global price volatility. -/- Maintain a buffer stock policy through a restructured and reformed NFA that purchases directly from local farmers. -/- 4. Agricultural Modernization and Sustainability -/- Promote climate-resilient and sustainable rice farming techniques to improve yields. -/- Increase investments in research and development tailored to Filipino rice varieties and local conditions. -/- 5. Institutional and Legal Reforms -/- Amend the law to include safeguards against the adverse impacts of liberalization. -/- Strengthen farmer cooperatives and institutions to enhance collective bargaining and market access. -/- 6. Social Protection and Capacity Building -/- Expand access to affordable credit, insurance, and health services in rural areas. -/- Integrate financial literacy and entrepreneurial training into agricultural extension programs. -/- 7. Balanced Policy Governance -/- Involve farmer organizations, local governments, and civil society in policymaking and monitoring. -/- Promote transparency and accountability to restore trust in agricultural governance. -/- Conclusion -/- The Rice Tariffication Law is a complex and multifaceted policy with both commendable goals and serious drawbacks. While it has succeeded in lowering rice prices and initiating structural reforms, its uneven implementation and negative impact on small farmers highlight the need for continuous policy adjustments. A balanced approach that supports both consumer welfare and farmer sustainability is essential to ensure that the law fulfills its intended objectives without compromising national food security or social equity. The proposed comprehensive solution aims to reconcile these competing priorities and foster a more inclusive and resilient agricultural system in the Philippines. -/- . (shrink)

-/- The Influence of Global Events and Economic Policies on the Philippine Peso -/- The value of the Philippine peso (PHP) is shaped by both domestic and international factors. As a small, open economy, the Philippines is highly susceptible to global economic conditions. From changes in interest rates by major central banks to global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, the peso’s value fluctuates in response to these external shocks. Moreover, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), as (...) the country’s central monetary authority, plays a significant role in managing the peso’s stability through policy interventions. In this essay, we will explore the impact of several global events on the Philippine peso and analyze how the BSP has responded to these challenges. -/- 1. The US Federal Reserve’s Interest Rate Hikes (2022-2023) -/- The US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) decision to raise interest rates in 2022 and 2023 was one of the most influential events affecting global currencies, including the Philippine peso. The Fed’s interest rate hikes were implemented to combat rising inflation in the US. As a result, investors flocked to the US dollar, seeking higher returns on US assets, which led to an increased demand for the dollar. This made the US dollar stronger, thereby weakening other currencies like the peso. From around 50 pesos per US dollar in 2022, the peso depreciated to approximately 58 pesos per dollar by mid-2023. -/- The depreciation of the peso was compounded by higher import costs, particularly for oil, which made goods and services more expensive in the Philippines. In response to this, the BSP raised interest rates in a bid to curb inflation and attract investment. By making investments in the Philippines more attractive, the BSP hoped to support the peso and contain the inflationary pressures caused by the stronger US dollar. -/- 2. The COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-2021) -/- The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 created a global economic shock that severely impacted the Philippines. During the early months of the pandemic, the economy contracted due to lockdowns, business closures, and disruptions in global supply chains. Additionally, the decline in remittances from Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) due to reduced international labor demand also weakened the peso. The currency weakened to about 52-53 pesos per dollar in 2020, reflecting the uncertainty of the global and local economy. -/- To mitigate the economic downturn, the BSP cut interest rates to historically low levels (down to 2% in 2020) in an effort to stimulate demand and support economic activity. The government also introduced fiscal stimulus packages aimed at boosting domestic consumption and helping businesses weather the crisis. While these measures helped stabilize the economy in the medium term, the peso continued to face pressure due to global economic uncertainty. -/- 3. The 2008 Global Financial Crisis -/- The 2008 global financial crisis, triggered by the collapse of major banks and financial institutions in the US, also had a significant impact on the Philippine peso. During this crisis, the US dollar strengthened as investors sought safe-haven assets. This global flight to safety led to a depreciation of the peso, which fell to around 48-50 pesos per dollar as capital flowed out of emerging markets, including the Philippines. -/- In response to this crisis, the BSP lowered interest rates to increase liquidity in the financial system and reduce the cost of borrowing. At the same time, the Philippine government implemented fiscal stimulus measures, including government spending programs, to support the economy. Despite the global economic turmoil, the Philippines was able to recover relatively quickly, aided by strong remittance inflows and a resilient domestic economy. -/- 4. The Russia-Ukraine War (2022-Present) -/- The Russia-Ukraine war, which began in early 2022, created major disruptions in global markets, particularly in oil prices and supply chains. The conflict caused global energy prices to spike, which severely impacted countries like the Philippines that are net importers of oil. The rise in oil prices led to an increase in the country’s import bill, which exacerbated the trade deficit and created downward pressure on the peso. -/- The peso weakened further, reaching record lows against the US dollar in 2022-2023, as investors grew more risk-averse and shifted their capital into the US dollar. The geopolitical instability and higher global energy prices also led to inflationary pressures in the Philippines, further straining the economy. -/- To counter these effects, the BSP raised interest rates to stabilize the peso and attract foreign investment. The Philippine government also explored alternative sources of energy to reduce reliance on volatile oil markets. Despite these efforts, the peso continued to face challenges due to the broader geopolitical instability and global economic disruptions caused by the war. -/- 5. Oil Price Shocks -/- Historically, oil price shocks have played a major role in influencing the value of the peso. As a net importer of oil, the Philippines is particularly vulnerable to increases in global oil prices. When oil prices rise significantly, the Philippines experiences higher import costs, which puts pressure on the country’s trade balance and leads to a weakening of the peso. This effect was particularly evident during the 2008 and 2011 oil price surges, when the peso weakened significantly as the country’s import bill surged. -/- During these periods, the BSP typically raised interest rates to curb inflation and stabilize the currency. Additionally, the government sought to reduce its dependence on oil imports by promoting energy diversification and increasing energy efficiency. These efforts aimed to mitigate the long-term impact of oil price fluctuations on the Philippine economy and the peso. -/- BSP Responses to Global Economic Pressures -/- Throughout these global events, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has taken a variety of steps to stabilize the peso and manage inflationary pressures. Some of the key responses include: -/- Raising interest rates to attract foreign capital and increase demand for the peso. -/- Selling foreign exchange reserves to stabilize the currency during periods of excessive volatility. -/- Lowering interest rates during economic downturns to stimulate domestic demand and support economic growth. -/- Intervening in the foreign exchange market to smooth out large fluctuations in the value of the peso. -/- Managing fiscal policy, including government spending and borrowing, to ensure long-term economic stability. -/- Through these interventions, the BSP has played a crucial role in maintaining the stability of the Philippine peso, ensuring that it remains resilient in the face of global economic shocks. -/- Conclusion -/- In conclusion, the value of the Philippine peso is shaped by a complex interplay of global economic events and domestic policy responses. Events like the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes, the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2008 global financial crisis, the Russia-Ukraine war, and oil price shocks have all contributed to fluctuations in the peso’s value. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has played an essential role in stabilizing the peso through interest rate adjustments, foreign exchange interventions, and fiscal management. Despite facing significant challenges, the peso has shown resilience, thanks to the BSP’s active role in managing both domestic and external economic pressures. -/- As global events continue to influence the value of currencies, the BSP’s ability to respond effectively will remain crucial in maintaining the peso’s stability and ensuring the long-term health of the Philippine economy. -/- . (shrink)

-/- Redesigning the U.S. 401(k) Pension System Based on the Universal Formula of Natural Laws -/- By Angelito Malicse -/- Introduction -/- The 401(k) pension system in the United States was designed to empower individuals to save for retirement. However, through the lens of my Universal Formula—composed of three universal laws of nature—it becomes clear that this system is fundamentally flawed and in need of reform. These flaws not only endanger the individual’s future but also destabilize society at large. To (...) build a sustainable future, any pension system must align with: -/- 1. The Law of Karma (Cause and Effect + System Integrity) -/- 2. The Universal Law of Balance in Nature -/- 3. The Feedback Mechanism of Conscious Minds -/- I. System Flaws According to the Universal Formula -/- 1. Dependence on Individual Financial Literacy -/- The 401(k) system puts the responsibility of investment decisions on individuals, assuming they understand market risks, diversification, and long-term planning. -/- Violation of System Integrity: A stable system must function correctly for all its components—this includes those with limited financial education. -/- Cause and Effect: Ignorance causes poor decisions, leading to insufficient savings and long-term suffering. -/- Imbalance in Nature: Expecting uniform results from unequal starting conditions creates systemic failure. -/- 2. Exposure to Market Volatility -/- A 401(k) account’s value depends on stock market performance. -/- Violation of Balance: The natural aging process demands stability and security—not exposure to external market shocks. -/- Systemic Defect: A pension should not function like a gamble; it must protect future well-being. -/- Negative Feedback: People panic and withdraw early, worsening both personal and national economic health. -/- 3. Inequality in Access and Employer Discretion -/- Many low-income or part-time workers do not receive 401(k) benefits. -/- Violation of Natural Balance: A fair system must ensure equal access for all working individuals, not just the privileged. -/- Karmic Consequence: Social unrest, poverty, and generational inequality arise from systemic neglect. -/- Broken Feedback: Governments and corporations fail to respond adequately to the needs of marginalized workers. -/- 4. Tax Benefits Favor the Wealthy -/- High earners gain more from tax deferrals, while low earners receive minimal benefits. -/- Unbalanced Cause and Effect: When benefit flows primarily to the rich, the system breeds resentment and social imbalance. -/- Systemic Design Flaw: A pension system should redistribute wealth to promote harmony, not concentrate it. -/- 5. Retirement Insecurity and Extended Work Life -/- Millions of Americans cannot afford to retire at a healthy age. -/- Violation of Homeostasis: Humans need rest and reflection in old age, not prolonged labor. -/- Karmic Debt of Society: A system that drains the elderly fails to function as a nurturing whole. -/- II. Redesigning the System: A Holistic Model Based on Natural Laws -/- 1. Universal Access and Basic Pension Guarantee -/- All working individuals should automatically be enrolled in a basic pension program. -/- Funded through a national trust integrating contributions from employers, employees, and government. -/-  Balance Restored: Security becomes a right, not a gamble. System Integrity Ensured: No one is left behind. -/- 2. Stable Public Fund with Optional Private Layer -/- Create a national, low-risk fund that guarantees basic returns. -/- Allow optional private investments only after basic needs are secured. -/-  Protects the System from Instability Honors Natural Law of Aging and Stability -/- 4. Educational Integration and Transparent Feedback -/- Mandatory financial literacy education in schools and workplaces. -/- Regular feedback loops: workers receive understandable, transparent updates. -/-  Conscious Feedback Strengthened Corrects Ignorance = Prevents Future Harm -/- 5. Balanced Redistribution Through Tax Incentives -/- Redirect tax advantages to favor low- and middle-income workers. -/- Cap benefits for high earners to ensure equity. -/-  Cause-Effect Harmonized with Justice Corrective Balance Mechanism Built In -/- III. The Ethical and Spiritual Dimension -/- This redesign is not merely technical—it reflects the moral responsibility of a society to care for all its members. A pension system that honors the Universal Law of Balance nurtures both the body and the mind, and prevents suffering caused by man-made system errors. -/-  A pension system aligned with natural laws becomes not only functional—but ethical, holistic, and humane. -/- Conclusion -/- The U.S. 401(k) system, when analyzed through the universal formula, shows signs of systemic imbalance, unjust cause-effect relationships, and broken feedback loops. If we are to prevent future suffering and build a society that truly serves all, we must redesign our systems according to the laws that govern all life—not just economic theories. -/- . (shrink)

-/- Title: Understanding the Trade War Through the Lens of Angelito Malicse’s Universal Formula -/- Author: Angelito Malicse Date: April 2025 -/- Abstract -/- This essay presents a systemic analysis of trade wars using Angelito Malicse’s universal formula, which consists of the Law of Karma (System Integrity), the Law of Balance in Nature, and the Law of Feedback (Interacting Conscious Minds). By examining historical and current global trade conflicts—especially the U.S.-China trade war—this paper demonstrates how trade wars violate these natural (...) laws, leading to economic dysfunction and global instability. Real-world examples are incorporated to support each principle, and a holistic, feasible solution is proposed based on these laws. -/- I. The Law of Karma: System Integrity and the Cause-Effect Chain -/- Malicse’s Law of Karma emphasizes that all systems must be free from defects to function properly. When systemic flaws are introduced—such as tariffs or protectionist policies—they disrupt the chain of cause and effect and generate harm across the system. -/- Real-World Example: U.S. Tariffs on Chinese Goods (2018–2020) In 2018, the United States imposed tariffs on more than $350 billion worth of Chinese goods, citing intellectual property theft and trade imbalances (Bown, 2021). In retaliation, China placed tariffs on over $100 billion of American exports, including agricultural products. U.S. farmers, particularly soybean producers, saw their exports to China plummet, resulting in $28 billion in government bailouts (USDA, 2020). This chain of consequences shows a flawed trade policy triggering a cascade of effects—economic stress, rising prices, and disrupted industries—mirroring the law of karma: defects in the system create systemic suffering. -/- II. The Law of Balance in Nature -/- This law affirms that all sustainable systems maintain equilibrium. Trade wars, by introducing inequality and dominance, disrupt the natural flow of interdependent trade relationships. -/- Real-World Example: Impact on Global Supply Chains During the trade war, multinational companies like Apple and General Motors were forced to reevaluate their global supply chains. Apple considered shifting production from China to India and Vietnam to avoid tariffs, which in turn disrupted local economies and labor systems that had been finely balanced over decades (Reuters, 2019). Similarly, General Motors experienced declining profits due to higher costs on imported parts, showing that the economic ecosystem had been destabilized. The imbalance not only hurt the U.S. and China but also affected global economies dependent on trade harmony. -/- Secondary Example: Trade War and Developing Countries The trade war also diverted supply chains to other developing countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, and Mexico. While this may seem beneficial, the sudden influx of demand overwhelmed local infrastructure and labor markets, leading to short-term inflation and labor exploitation—again demonstrating how artificial economic shocks disturb natural balance. -/- III. The Law of Feedback: Interacting Conscious Minds -/- Malicse’s third law focuses on the role of feedback between conscious agents—nations, corporations, and leaders. When feedback mechanisms break down, miscommunication escalates conflict rather than resolving it. -/- Real-World Example: Breakdown in U.S.-China Diplomatic Channels Despite multiple negotiation rounds between 2018 and 2020, including talks led by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, both sides failed to reach a stable long-term agreement. Each round of talks ended in mutual distrust and further tariffs. Instead of using feedback for cooperative adjustment, both sides used it to justify further retaliation, reinforcing animosity and misunderstanding (Friedberg, 2020). -/- Secondary Example: WTO Dispute Resolution System Undermined The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Appellate Body—a global feedback mechanism for settling trade disputes—was weakened during the trade war. The U.S. blocked appointments to the panel, rendering it non-functional. Without this neutral feedback mechanism, countries were left to resolve conflicts unilaterally, often through aggressive policy instead of peaceful negotiation. -/- IV. A Feasible Solution Based on the Universal Formula -/- To resolve and prevent future trade wars, a holistic and systemic approach is needed—one aligned with the universal laws of nature. -/- 1. Systemic Economic Reforms (Law of Karma) -/- Nations must ensure that trade systems are fair, transparent, and free from systemic defects such as corruption, unfair subsidies, and non-tariff barriers. This includes revamping domestic economic policies to avoid excessive reliance on protectionism. The creation of an international audit mechanism (potentially within the WTO or IMF) could help assess the integrity of national trade policies and encourage global system health. -/- 2. Sustainable Trade Practices (Law of Balance) -/- Trade agreements should include environmental sustainability, labor rights, and technological equity to maintain balance not only among economies but also between humanity and nature. For instance, “Green Trade Agreements” could reward countries for reducing carbon footprints in manufacturing while promoting fair access to resources and innovation. -/- 3. Global Educational and Diplomatic Feedback Systems (Law of Feedback) -/- The long-term solution lies in education. Nations should incorporate systems thinking and global ethics into leadership development, embedding Malicse’s formula into academic curricula. Diplomatically, global forums like the G20, UNCTAD, and a reformed WTO must be empowered to foster transparent feedback and cooperation rather than conflict. -/- Conclusion -/- Trade wars are not isolated events—they are systemic failures arising from violations of nature’s laws. Angelito Malicse’s universal formula offers a clear framework for understanding these failures and guiding their resolution. By recognizing that economic systems are interconnected, dynamic, and governed by natural balance and feedback, leaders can move away from conflict and toward cooperation. The path forward is not protectionism but universal understanding, grounded in nature, balance, and system integrity. -/- References -/- Bown, C. P. (2021). The US-China Trade War: Tariffs, Retaliation, and the Implications for Global Trade. Peterson Institute for International Economics. -/- Friedberg, A. L. (2020). Getting China Wrong. Polity Press. -/- International Monetary Fund (IMF). (2019). World Economic Outlook, October 2019: Global Manufacturing Downturn, Rising Trade Barriers. -/- Malicse, A. (2023). The Universal Formula to Solve the Problem of Free Will. [Unpublished manuscript]. -/- Reuters. (2019). Apple considers moving iPhone production out of China. -/- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). (2020). Trade Aid Package for Farmers: Market Facilitation Program. -/- . (shrink)

The peritoneum is the largest serous membrane in the body that covers the inner side of the abdominal wall and reflects over the abdominal viscera. Though the visceral peritoneum accounts for roughly four-fifth of the total surface area of the membrane, but the parietal peritoneum is the more important for peritoneal dialysis. Between the parietal and visceral layer of peritoneum there is potential space called peritoneal cavity, contain small amount of serous fluid. If dialysates remain more or less than normal (...) in the peritoneal cavity that may cause edema or hypovolemic shock. Hence transport across the peritoneal membrane need great attention to the nephrologist during dialysis. Solute and water transport from blood to peritoneal cavity by diffusion and osmic ultra-filtration whereas absorption to the blood via lymphatic has negatively affect between these two process. Another important thing that the peritoneum is lined by mesothelium. Therefore, primary complication of peritoneal dialysis is infection due to the presence of a permanent tube in the abdominal cavity. Mortality is higher in the elderly and if present in prolonged time. Peritoneal sclerosis is a fetal complication due to growth of a thick layer of fibrin within the peritoneum, in where every chance of the bowel obstruction. The fluids contain glucose for dialysis use as a primary osmotic agent but this may lead to peritonitis. The decline of kidney and peritoneal membrane function and negative health outcome. It is important to be aware about the sex difference of peritoneal membrane during dialysis. Retrograded menstruation may occur in any women as there is continuity of peritoneal membrane with the fallopian tube. If goes undetected will cause bloody dialysate and create concern of the patients. Therefore, anatomy of peritoneal membrane and its function has great value during peritoneal dialysis and thereby effecting its therapeutic efficacy. (shrink)

Universal health coverage (UHC) is at the center of current efforts to strengthen health systems and improve the level and distribution of health and health services. This document is the final report of the WHO Consultative Group on Equity and Universal Health Coverage. The report addresses the key issues of fairness and equity that arise on the path to UHC. As such, the report is relevant for every actor that affects that path and governments in (...) particular, as they are in charge of overseeing and guiding the progress toward UHC. (shrink)

This paper defends an account of moral shock as an emotional response to intensely bewildering events that are also of moral significance. This theory stands in contrast to the common view that shock is a form of intense surprise. On the standard model of surprise, surprise is an emotional response to events that violated one's expectations. But I show that we can be morally shocked by events that confirm our expectations. What makes an event shocking is not that (...) it violated one's expectations, but that the content of the event is intensely bewildering. What causes moral shock is, I argue, our lack of emotional preparedness for the event. And I show that, despite the relative lack of attention to shock in the philosophical literature, the emotion is significant to moral, social, and political life. (shrink)

There are two aims of this paper: (1) to explore the affective dimensions of moral shock and how it relates to normative marginalization of those furthest from dominant society, but also, more specifically; (2) to articulate the trans experience of constantly being under moral attack because the dominant “world” normatively defines you out of existence. Toward these ends, I build on Katie Stockdale’s recent work on moral shock, arguing that moral shock needs to be contextualized to “worlds” (...) of sense to understand how marginalized people affectively experience shocking events. My focus is the trans experience of moral shock due to the way trans people are positioned outside of dominant society, creating the conditions to experience cyclical, chronic shock. These affective conditions point to a collective responsibility to ease the affective stress that the most marginalized experience. (shrink)

The definitions and conceptualizations of health, and the management of healthcare have been challenged by the current global scenarios (e.g., new diseases, new geographical distribution of diseases, effects of climate change on health, etc.) and by the ongoing scholarship in humanities and science. In this paper we question the mainstream definition of health adopted by the WHO—‘a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’ (WHO in Preamble to (...) the constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the international health conference, The World Health Organization, 1948)—and its role in providing tools to understand what health is in the contemporary context. More specifically, we argue that this context requires to take into account the role of the environment both in medical theory and in the healthcare practice. To do so, we analyse WHO documents dated 1984 and 1986 which define health as ‘coping with the environment’. We develop the idea of ‘coping with the environment’, by focusing on two cardinal concepts: adaptation in public health and adaptivity in philosophy of biology. We argue that the notions of adaptation and adaptivity can be of major benefit for the characterization of health, and have practical implications. We explore some of these implications by discussing two recent case studies of adaptivity in public health, which can be valuable to further develop adaptive strategies in the current pandemic scenario: community-centred care and microbiologically healthier buildings. (shrink)

I propose that shock can be morally significant independently of its consequences but only as part of an ongoing commitment to certain norms, in particular norms that constitute recognizing another as a person. When we witness others in agony, or being severely wronged, or when we ourselves severely wrong or mistreat others, our shock can reflect our recognition of them as persons, a recognition constituted by our commitment to certain moral norms. However, if we do not in fact (...) respond to the suffering or wrong in accordance with these norms—if, for example, we do not act to relieve their suffering or to properly address the wrong done, and do not avoid or prevent its recurrence—then our commitment to the relevant norms is undermined. When we consistently violate the norms whose violation initially shocked us, our lingering shock upon repeated violations gradually loses its significance and becomes a mere impulse—a fossil of a past commitment, so to speak—before it disappears completely. The failure to be shocked in such instances marks the failure of our moral commitments, which is the failure to recognize others as persons. (shrink)

Analytic philosophy and phenomenology represent two major movements in the study of the mind. Both developed in the twentieth century, having roots that go back well before. Even though the two schools of thought have been in dialogue in the past, they are currently at an impasse. In this paper, I examine the origin of this impasse and suggest that at a crucial point in the conversation, right when the issues were clearly articulated and there was broad agreement on the (...) key questions, analytic philosophy abruptly changed the subject. Early analytic philosophers, like Carnap and Schlick, sought to establish a sharp distinction between the objective content of one’s claims and beliefs and what is merely subjective or perspectival. Phenomenologists denied this distinction. When efforts to defend the distinction failed, analytic philosophy took the distinction to be obvious and in no need of defense. I call this a shocking non sequitur. (shrink)

Theorists of health have, to this point, focused exclusively on trying to define a state—health—that an organism might be in. I argue that they have overlooked the possibility of a comparativist theory of health, which would begin by defining a relation—healthier than—that holds between two organisms or two possible states of the same organism. I show that a comparativist approach to health has a number of attractive features, and has important implications for philosophers of medicine, bioethicists, (...) health economists, and policy makers. (shrink)

While philosophical questions about health and disease have attracted much attention in recent decades, and while opinions are divided on most issues, influential accounts seem to embrace negativism about health, according to which health is the absence of disease. Some subscribe to unrestricted negativism, which claims that negativism applies not only to the concepts of health and disease as used by healthcare professionals but also to the lay concept that underpins everyday thinking. Whether people conceptualize (...) class='Hi'>health in this manner has implications for medical care and public health, and so we set out to examine this claim in two studies. Participants were asked to assess and compare the health states of two people presented in two vignettes. We found that both lay people and medical students conceptualize health as something more than the absence of disease. We argue that our findings highlight a need to rethink unrestricted negativism and indicate a need to rethink the way the debate has traditionally focused on disease. (shrink)

What is it to be mentally healthy? In the ongoing movement to promote mental health, to reduce stigma, and to establish parity between mental and physical health, there is a clear enthusiasm about this concept and a recognition of its value in human life. However, it is often unclear what mental health means in all these efforts and whether there is a single concept underlying them. Sometimes, the initiatives for the sake of mental health are aimed (...) just at reducing mental illness, thus implicitly identifying mental health with the absence of diagnosable psychiatric disease. More ambitiously, there are high-profile proposals to adopt a positive definition, identifying mental health with psychic or even overall well-being. We argue against both: a definition of mental health as mere absence of mental illness is too thin, too undemanding, and too closely linked to psychiatric value judgments, while the definition in terms of well-being is too demanding and potentially oppressive. As a compromise, we sketch out a middle position. On this view, mental health is a primary good, that is, the psychological preconditions of pursuing any conception of the good life, including well-being, without being identical to well-being. (shrink)

Today’s everyone normal life can include a normal rate of playing computer games or video games; but what about an excessive or compulsive use of video games that impact on our life? Our kids, who usually spend a lot of time in playing video games will likely have a trouble in paying attention to their school lessons. In this paper, we introduce an expert system to help users in getting the correct diagnosis of the health problem of video game (...) addictions that range from (Musculoskeletal issues, Vision problems and Obesity). Moreover, this expert system provides information about the problem and tell us how we can solve it. SL5 Object expert system language was used to design and implement the expert system. (shrink)

This paper argues that we have a moral obligation to implement certain health technologies even if we have limited or incomplete evidence of their effectiveness. The focus is on technologies used in non-emergency settings, as opposed to “exceptional cases” such as compassionate use and emergency approvals during public health emergencies. A broadly plausible moral principle – the Ecumenical Principle – is introduced and applied to a test case: the use of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis in mammographic screening. The paper (...) concludes by exploring the implications of the Ecumenical Principle for the adoption of other new health technologies. (shrink)

There are a number of important links and similarities between public health and safety. In this extended essay, Gregg D. Caruso defends and expands his public health-quarantine model, which is a non-retributive alternative for addressing criminal behavior that draws on the public health framework and prioritizes prevention and social justice. In developing his account, he explores the relationship between public health and safety, focusing on how social inequalities and systemic injustices affect health outcomes and crime (...) rates, how poverty affects brain development, how offenders often have pre-existing medical conditions (especially mental health issues), how involvement in the criminal justice system itself can lead to or worsen health and cognitive problems, how treatment and rehabilitation methods can best be employed to reduce recidivism and reintegrate offenders back into society, and how a public health approach could be successfully applied within the criminal justice system. Caruso's approach draws on research from the health sciences, social sciences, public policy, law, psychiatry, medical ethics, neuroscience, and philosophy, and he delivers a set of ethically defensible and practically workable proposals for implementing the public health-quarantine model. The essay begins by discussing recent empirical findings in psychology, neuroscience, and the social sciences that provide us with an increased understanding of the social and neurological determinants of health and criminal behavior. It then turns to Caruso's public health-quarantine model and argues that the model provides the most justified, humane, and effective approach for addressing criminal behavior. Caruso concludes by proposing a capability approach to social justice grounded in six key features of human well-being. He argues that we cannot successfully address concerns over public health and safety without simultaneously addressing issues of social justice—including the social determinants of health (SDH) and the social determinants of criminal behavior (SDCB)—and he recommends eight general policy proposals consistent with his model. (shrink)

Much academic work (in philosophy, economics, law, etc.), as well as common sense, assumes that ill health reduces well-being. It is bad for a person to become sick, injured, disabled, etc. Empirical research, however, shows that people living with health problems report surprisingly high levels of well-being - in some cases as high as the self-reported well-being of healthy people. In this chapter, I explore the relationship between health and well-being. I argue that although we have good (...) reason to believe that health problems causing pain and death typically do reduce well-being, health problems that limit capabilities probably don't reduce well-being nearly as much as most people suppose. I then briefly explore the consequences of this conclusion for political philosophy and ethics. If many health problems don't significantly reduce well-being, why should governments go to great expense to prevent or treat them? Why should parents be obliged to ensure the health of their children? (shrink)

The goal of this programmatic paper is to highlight a close connection between the core problem in the philosophy of medicine, i.e. the concept of health, and the core problem of the philosophy of mind, i.e. the concept of consciousness. I show when we look at these phenomena together, taking the evolutionary perspective of modern state-based behavioural and life-history theory used as the teleonomic tool to Darwinize the agent- and subject-side of organisms, we will be in a better position (...) to make sense of them both as natural phenomena. (shrink)

Despite extensive evidence for its effectiveness, ECT remains the subject of fierce opposition from those contesting its benefits and claiming extreme harms. Alongside some reflections on my experiences of this treatment, I examine the case against ECT, and find that it appears to rest primarily on unsubstantiated claims about major ethical violations, rather than clinical factors such as effectiveness and risk.

This paper examines the lack of philosophical/moral clarity at the root of speciesism. Focusing on the many reasons animal rights deserves a closer look, it investigates such issues as animal experimentation, human diet, and what should be the foundation of our moral reasoning when dealing with human and nonhuman animal relationships.

Christopher Boorse’s Biostatistical Theory of Health has been the main contender among naturalistic accounts of health for the last 40 years. Yet, a recent criticism of this theory, presented by Elselijn Kingma, identifies a dilemma resulting from the BST’s conceptual linking of health and statistical typicality. Kingma argues that the BST either cannot accommodate the situation- specificity of many normal functions or cannot account for many situation-specific diseases. In this article, we expand upon with Daniel Hausman’s response (...) to Kingma’s dilemma. We propose that recalling Boorse’s specification that health is an intrinsic property of its bearers and explicating this intrinsic property in relation to the concept of homeostasis can illuminate how proponents of naturalistic accounts of health should deal with the situation- specificity of normal functions. We argue that beyond what Boorse and Hausman have delineated, the situation- specificity of normal function cannot be fully captured in a simple dichotomy between normal and abnormal environment or between relevant and irrelevant situations. By bringing homeostasis to the fore of the analysis of health, we set out a richer picture of what the various situations that affect living organisms’ functional performance can be. Accordingly, we provide a broader classification of these various situations which, we contend, better accounts for the main intuitions that philosophers of medicine have sought to accommodate than previous naturalistic theories of health. (shrink)

The purpose of this article is to explore the concept and scope of public health and to argue that particularly in low-income contexts, where social injustice and poverty often impact significantly on the overall health of the population, the link between public health and social justice should be a very firm one. Furthermore, social justice in these contexts must be understood as not simply a matter for local communities and nation-states, but in so far as public (...) class='Hi'>health is concerned, as a matter of global concern and responsibility. The interpretation of the scope of public health by any particular nation is I believe contingent on the current socio-political context and the conception of social or distributive justice that underpins this context. Furthermore I will argue here that the link between public health and social justice ought to be founded on a conception of social justice that adequately addresses issues of social injustice, and patterns of systematic disadvantage, that contribute to ill health and that so commonly prevail in many low- and middle-income social contexts. (shrink)

Mental health generally refers to an individual’s thoughts, feelings and actions, particularly when he faced with life challenges and stresses. A good mental health isn’t just the absence of mental health problems. It is the achievement and the maintenance of psychological well-being. Mental Health is the state of one’s peace of mind, happiness and harmony brought out by one’s level of adjustment with himself and his environment. In describing mental health, Anwar said, “…mental health (...) is the health of one’s mind which can prove a potent determinant of one’s integrated personality and balanced behavour identified on the basis of the level of his adjustment to himself, others and with the environment. A mentally healthy individual possesses a number of characteristics which influence his life positively and help him in achieving his goals of life effectively. He has adequate ability to make adjustments in the changed circumstances and situations. His intellectual powers are adequately developed. He is able to think independently and take proper decision at the proper time. He tries to accomplish his work as effectively as possible but he does not prove to be an extremist by becoming a perfectionist. Though these characteristics are expected from a mentally healthy individual, but these should be taken as essential and necessary conditions for the maintenance of proper mental health and thus absence of one or the other characteristic does not necessarily mean negation of mental health. Good mental health is not just the absence of mental problems. Being mentally healthy is much more than free of depression, anxiety or other psychological issues.”1 In this paper an attempt is made to discuss about the mental health policies and issues in India. (shrink)

This paper defends a distinctly liberal approach to public health ethics and replies to possible objections. In particular, I look at a set of recent proposals aiming to revise and expand liberalism in light of public health's rationale and epidemiological findings. I argue that they fail to provide a sociologically informed version of liberalism. Instead, they rest on an implicit normative premise about the value of health, which I show to be invalid. I then make explicit the (...) unobvious, republican background of these proposals. Finally, I expand on the liberal understanding of freedom as non-interference and show its advantages over the republican alternative of freedom as non-domination within the context of public health. The views of freedom I discuss in the paper do not overlap with the classical distinction between negative and positive freedom. In addition, my account differentiates the concepts of freedom and autonomy and does not rule out substantive accounts of the latter. Nor does it confine political liberalism to an essentially procedural form. (shrink)

This study investigates the relationship between mental health and emotional intelligence among senior high school students in a public school. Thus, the study employed a correlational design to measure the relationship between mental health and emotional intelligence among 152 Grade 12 senior high school students in a public school. Hence, to measure the study’s variables - Mental Health Inventory and Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) were utilized. Based on the inferential statistics, the r coefficient of 0.32 indicates a (...) low positive correlation between the variables and a p-value of 0.00, indicating a significant relationship between the respondents' mental health and emotional intelligence. Implications and recommendations were discussed in the study. (shrink)

In addressing the question of what mental health is we might proceed as if there is a single phenomenon – mental health – denoted by a single overarching concept. The task, then, is to provide an informative analysis of this concept which applies to all and only instances of mental health, and which illuminates what it is to be mentally healthy. In contrast, mental health pluralism is the idea that there are multiple mental health phenomena (...) denoted by multiple concepts of mental health. Analysis and illumination of mental health may still be possible, but there isn’t a single phenomenon or concept to be analysed in addressing the question of what mental health is. The question of pluralism has been overlooked in the philosophy of mental health. The discussion to follow is an attempt to get us to take mental health pluralism seriously. To that end, in this essay I have three primary goals: (1) to give a precise account of what mental health pluralism is, (2) to show that the question of pluralism should not be neglected in debate about what mental health is, and (3) to argue for mental health pluralism. I also draw out some implications of this discussion for philosophy, science, and psychotherapy. (shrink)

Public health is concerned with increasing the health of the community at whole. Insofar as health is a ‘good’ and the community constitutes a ‘public’, public health by definition promotes a ‘public good’. But ‘public good’ has a particular and much more narrow meaning in the economics literature, and some commentators have tried to limit the scope of public health to this more narrow meaning of a ‘public good’. While such a move makes the content (...) of public health less controversial, it also strips important goals from the realm of public health, goals that traditionally have been, and morally should be, a part of it. Instead, I will argue, while public health should be defined by public goods, it should be defined by a broader conception of public goods that I shall call ‘normative public goods’, goods that ought to be treated as if they were public goods in the more narrow sense. (shrink)

One branch of bioethics assumes that mainly agents of the state are responsible for public health. Following Susan Sherwin’s relational ethics, we suggest moving away from a “state-centered” approach toward a more thoroughly relational approach. Indeed, certain agents must be reconstituted in and through shifting relations with others, complicating discussions of responsibility for public health. Drawing on two case studies—the health politics and activism of the Black Panther Party and the work of the Common Ground Collective in (...) post-Katrina New Orleans—we argue for the need to attend more carefully to the limitations of states and state-driven public health programs. (shrink)

This study investigates the significant relationship between mental health and academic motivation among graduating students. Thus, the study employed a correlational design to determine if there is a significant relationship between mental health and academic motivation among 150 graduating college students. Hence, the Mental Health Inventory 38 (MHI-38) and Academic Motivation Scale (AMS-C28) were employed to measure the study variables. Moreover, statistical analysis reveals that the r coefficient of 0.35 indicates a low positive correlation between the variables. (...) The p-value of 0.00, which is less than 0.05, leads to the decision to reject the null hypothesis. (shrink)

Public funders of health research have been widely criticized on the grounds that their allocations of funding for disease-specific research do not reflect the relative burdens imposed by different diseases. For example, the US National Institutes of Health spends a much greater fraction of its budget on HIV/AIDS research and a much smaller fraction on migraine research than their relative contribution to the US burden of disease would suggest. Implicit in this criticism is a normative claim: Insofar as (...) the scientific opportunities are equal, each patient merits research into their condition proportional to the burden of disease for which that condition is responsible. This claim—the proportional view—is widely accepted but has never been fully specified or defended. In this paper, I explain what is required to specify the view, attempt to do so in the most charitable way, and then critically evaluate its normative underpinnings. I conclude that a severity-weighted proportional view is defensible. I close by drawing out five key lessons of my analysis for health research priority-setting. (shrink)

I outline and defend two egalitarian theories, which yield distinctive and, I argue, complementary answers to why health-related inequalities matter: a brute luck egalitarian view, according to which inequalities due to unchosen, differential luck are bad because unfair, and a social egalitarian view, according to which inequalities are bad when and because they undermine people’s status as equal citizens. These views identify different objects of egalitarian concern: the brute luck egalitarian view directs attention to health-related well-being, while social (...) egalitarianism focuses on health-related capabilities that are central to a person’s status as a citizen. I argue that both views are correct and should jointly guide priority-setting in health. (shrink)

Researchers and practitioners are increasingly using machine‐generated synthetic data as a tool for advancing health science and practice, by expanding access to health data while—potentially—mitigating privacy and related ethical concerns around data sharing. While using synthetic data in this way holds promise, we argue that it also raises significant ethical, legal, and policy concerns, including persistent privacy and security problems, accuracy and reliability issues, worries about fairness and bias, and new regulatory challenges. The virtue of synthetic data is (...) often understood to be its detachment from the data subjects whose measurement data is used to generate it. However, we argue that addressing the ethical issues synthetic data raises might require bringing data subjects back into the picture, finding ways that researchers and data subjects can be more meaningfully engaged in the construction and evaluation of datasets and in the creation of institutional safeguards that promote responsible use. (shrink)

This article proposes that, in line with moral-cosmopolitan theorists, affluent nations have an obligation, founded in justice and not merely altruism or beneficence, to share the responsibility of the burden of public health implementation in low-income contexts. The current Ebola epidemic highlights the fact that countries with under-developed health systems and limited resources cannot cope with a significant and sudden health threat. The link between burden of disease, adverse factors in the social environment and poverty is well (...) established and confirmed by the 2008 World Health Organization (WHO)’s Social Determinants of Health Commission report. Well-resourced nations generally consider that they have some humanitarian obligation to assist where possible, but this obligation is limited. The following questions are considered: Is reliance on the principle of beneficence to address the global disparities in the social determinants of health and life expectancy at birth good enough? Do well-resourced nations have some obligation from justice, which is stronger than from beneficence, and which cannot be as easily cast aside or diminished, to address these issues? In a globalised world, shaped by centuries of historical injustice and where first-world economies are now so intertwined and reliant on third-world labour, beneficence is not a strong enough principle on which to base an obligation to achieve the WHO vision of ‘health equity through action on the social determinants of health’. (shrink)

De Proost & Grey criticize Nickel et al.’s article “Justice and empowerment through digital health: ethical challenges and opportunities,” arguing that it should have embraced relational autonomy and capability approaches. We distinguish two variants of this critique, one saying that a view of digital health empowerment should welcome these approaches, and one saying that a view of digital health empowerment should essentially be defined in terms of these approaches. We are somewhat open to the first variant: relational (...) autonomy and the capability approach are promising ways of spelling out the ethical values behind digital health empowerment, even if they are not completely unproblematic and uncontroversial. However, there are reasons to reject the second variant. A view that leaves the exact normative commitments of digital health empowerment open is persuasive to a wider audience, and more amenable to different constructs of autonomy, capability, and empowerment across disciplines. (shrink)

Over the last few years, personal health monitoring wearable devices have emerged as innovative applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the healthcare industry as they help in real time analysis and prediction of health standardized check-ups and health management. To navigate through the current trends, new technologies and developments, the prospects are as follows: The article also gives a logical look at the state of the art of such devices, enumerating the advantages and drawbacks, as well as (...) outlining the main ethical issues. In terms of method, it also discusses different AI approaches, data acquisition procedures, and those integrating systems used in the context of health monitoring. The finding and implication section discusses the findings of the current trend and the possibility of improvement in application and user acceptance. The last section provides a prognosis on what the area of personal health monitoring might look like in the future, as well as the position of AI in the optimisation of patient experience. (shrink)

Home gardens serve as dynamic interfaces between environmental sustainability and human health, providing active, immersive engagement with nature. This review examines the extensive biological and psychological benefits of gardening, positioning it as more than a leisure activity but a transformative health practice. Biologically, home gardens reconnect individuals with soil microbiota, enhancing immune function, regulating endocrine responses, and improving air quality. Psychologically, gardening fosters mindfulness, emotional stability, cognitive function, and social cohesion, reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. These findings suggest (...) that human care for nature reciprocally enhances personal health and community resilience. Thus, integrating gardening into public health policy through urban planning, healthcare prescriptions, and community initiatives could yield significant benefits for human well-being. Future research should explore optimal engagement levels, long-term health effects, and technological advancements that enhance accessibility. As evidence grows, it strengthens the case for home gardening as a key public health and sustainability strategy, demonstrating that tending to nature at home fosters both personal well-being and environmental enrichment. (shrink)

This study evaluates the relationship between mental health and academic motivation among third-year college TES grantees. Thus, correlational design was employed to determine if there is a significant relationship between mental health and academic motivation among 150 third-year TES grantees. Statistical findings reveal that the r coefficient of 0.52 indicates a moderate positive correlation between the variables. The p-value of 0.00, which is less than 0.05, leads to rejecting the null hypothesis. Hence, a significant relationship exists between mental (...) health and academic motivation of third-year college TES grantees. Implications were discussed in the study. (shrink)

This discussion revises and extends Jonny Anomaly's ‘public goods’ account of public health ethics in light of recent criticism from Richard Dees. Public goods are goods that are both non-rival and non-excludable. What is significant about such goods is that they are not always provided efficiently by the market. Indeed, the state can sometimes realize efficiency gains either by supplying such goods directly or by compelling private purchase. But public goods are not the only goods that the market may (...) fail to provide efficiently. This point to a way of broadening the public goods account of public health to accommodate Dees' counterexamples, without abandoning its distinctive appeal. On the market failures approach to public health ethics, the role of public health is to correct public health-related market failures of all kinds, so far as possible. The underlying moral commitment is to economic efficiency in the sense of Pareto: if we can re-allocate resources in the economy so as to raise the welfare of some without lowering the welfare of any other, we ought to do so. (shrink)

We argue that while digital health technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, smartphones, and virtual reality) present significant opportunities for improving the delivery of healthcare, key concepts that are used to evaluate and understand their impact can obscure significant ethical issues related to patient engagement and experience. Specifically, we focus on the concept of empowerment and ask whether it is adequate for addressing some significant ethical concerns that relate to digital health technologies for mental healthcare. We frame these concerns using (...) five key ethical principles for AI ethics (i.e. autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and explicability), which have their roots in the bioethical literature, in order to critically evaluate the role that digital health technologies will have in the future of digital healthcare. (shrink)

We have two goals in this paper: first, to provide a diagnosis of global health and underline some of its blockages; second, to offer an alternative interpretation of what the demands for those in global health may be. The assumption that health is a good that requires no further explanation, and that per se it can serve as an actual modus operandi, lays the foundations of the problem. Related blockages ensue and are described using HIV prevention with (...) a focus on vaginal microbicides as a case study. Taking health as a self-evident, and self-explanatory “good” limits other possible goods; and prevents inquiry into the actual practices of creating good. We propose that to create conditions under which global health could be reconstructed, problematization be taken up as a practice, around a series of questions asked in conjunction with those ever-urgent ones of how to ameliorate the condition of living beings. (shrink)

In this article we argue that the social value of health research should be conceptualized as a function of both the expected benefits of the research and the priority that the beneficiaries deserve. People deserve greater priority the worse off they are. This conception of social value can be applied for at least two important purposes: in health research priority setting when research funders, policy-makers, or researchers decide between alternative research projects; and in evaluating the ethics of proposed (...) research proposals when research ethics committees assess whether the social value of the research is sufficient to justify the risks and burdens to research participants and others. In assessing how far a proposed research project will advance the interests of people who are more disadvantaged, research priority setters and RECs should examine the diseases that the research targets and the type of research. Just as certain diseases impose a greater burden on people who are more disadvantaged, so certain types of intervention and forms of research are more likely to benefit people who are more disadvantaged. We outline which populations are likely to be representative of the global worst off and identify what types of health research, and which disease categories, are priorities for these populations. (shrink)

This paper considers phenomenological descriptions of health in Gadamer, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and Svenaeus. In these phenomenologies of health, health is understood as a tacit, background state that permits not only normal functioning but also philosophical reflection. Nietzsche’s model of health as a state of intensity that is intimately connected to illness and suffering is then offered as a rejoinder. Nietzsche’s model includes a more complex view of suffering and pain as integrally tied to health, and (...) its language opens up the possibility of many ‘healths,’ providing important theoretical support to phenomenological accounts of the diversity and complexity of health and illness. (shrink)

Rather than eliminate the terms "mental health and illness" because of the grave moral consequences of psychiatric labeling, conservative definitions are proposed and defended. Mental health is rational autonomy, and mental illness is the sustained loss of such. Key terms are explained, advantages are explored, and alternative concepts are criticized. The value and descriptive components of all such definitions are consciously acknowledged. Where rational autonomy is intact, mental hospitals and psychotherapists should not think of themselves as treating an (...) illness. Instead, they are functioning as applied axiologists, moral educators, spiritual mentors, etc. They deal with what Szasz has called "personal, social, and ethical problems in living." But mental illness is real. (shrink)