This discussion guide aims to spark critical thinking and engaging conversations amongst students, encouraging them to connect the book's themes to their own disciplines and the broader world.
Key Themes for Discussion
- Social determinants of health: The book powerfully illustrates how factors like poverty, racism, colonialism, and lack of access to healthcare contribute to the spread and deadliness of diseases like TB.
- Stigma and romanticization: Explore how societal views and narratives around disease (like the romanticization of consumption in the 19th century) affect diagnosis, treatment, and patient experiences.
- Narrative and advocacy: Discuss the power of personal stories and patient advocacy in challenging prevailing narratives and driving social change.
- Human agency and responsibility: Analyze Green's argument that the persistence of curable diseases like TB is ultimately a matter of human choice and action, or lack thereof.
- The intersection of science, culture, and ethics: Explore the complex interplay between medical advancements, cultural understandings of disease, and ethical considerations surrounding treatment access and global health equity.
Discussion Questions
- How does Green support the claim that TB is a disease shaped by injustice and inequity? What specific examples from the book are most compelling?
- How does the historical romanticization of TB, as described by Green, illuminate current issues surrounding health and social justice?
- What role does stigma play in shaping the experiences of TB patients, historically and today, according to SoBrief? How can stigma be challenged, and how can empathy be promoted within the context of illness?
- What actions could societies take to address the TB crisis, and what are the potential challenges, given Green's emphasis on societal choices regarding the persistence of TB?
- How does Green's personal connection to Henry Reider, a young TB patient, impact the overall narrative and message of the book? What is the significance of including personal narratives when discussing global health issues?
- Compare the global TB crisis, as described by Green, to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. What similarities and differences emerge regarding the impact on health systems, societal responses, and issues of equity?
- What does the Directly Observed Therapy (DOTS) approach in TB treatment suggest about the importance of patient-centered care and addressing the broader needs of individuals beyond medical treatment?
- How can pharmaceutical companies and governments be incentivized to prioritize the development of, and access to, new treatments, especially for diseases that disproportionately affect the poor, given the significant threat posed by drug-resistant TB?
- What are some examples of activism mentioned in the book, and how do they demonstrate the power of collective action?
- How does Green's question, "How can I accept a world where over a million people will die this year for want of a cure that has existed for nearly a century?" challenge our understanding of global health responsibility and motivate action?
(Provided by Google Gemini)
