health, I ask students “Why do people
end up in the hospital?” Many of them
give the usual answers—“They need surgery,”
“They get in accidents,” and the
like. Then I tell them the Story of Jason:
“Why is Jason in the hospital? (Because he has a
bad infection in his leg.)
But why does he have an infection? (Because he
has a cut on his leg and it got infected.) But why does
he have a cut on his leg? (Because he was playing in
the junkyard next to his apartment building and there
was some sharp, jagged steel there that he fell on.)
But why was he playing in a junkyard? (Because
his neighborhood is kind of run-down. A lot of kids
play there, and there is no one to supervise them.)
But why does he live in that neighborhood?
(Because his parents can’t afford a nicer place to live.)
But why can’t his parents afford a nicer place to live?
(Because his Dad is unemployed and his Mom is sick.)
But why is his Dad unemployed? (Because he
doesn’t have much education and he can’t find a
job.) But why…?” (Public Health Agency of Canada,
1999. Toward a Healthy Future: Second Report on
the Health of Canadians, p. vii.)
And, they suddenly become more aware of the
complex social and economic issues that affect health.