this post was submitted on 13 Jan 2025

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223

Italian town bans residents from falling sick (www.straitstimes.com)

submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[+] [email protected] 88 points 2 months ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

[removed by mod]

[–] [email protected] 50 points 2 months ago (5 children)

The mayor says that it's because the nearest hospital is 45 km away, but a full 16% of the US population, or roughly 55 million people, live further than that from a hospital (https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/03/health/hospital-deserts/index.html).

US healthcare really needs to stop looking like a third-world country.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 months ago

Well, that'd require us to stop being a 3rd world country. GDP aside more than 1 in 10 Americans live in relative poverty.

There are few effective social programs and a very authoritarian power structure even before the incoming clusterfuck.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Why? At this point the US IS a third world country.

Look at it. There is a rich ruling class, and most that aren't in it are poor enough to barely make it to the end of the month. The countries main focus is the military, which is too notch, and the test just really sucks. Its led by a dictator wannabe and so rife with corruption that they don't even try to hide it anymore.

Any other county would be called a third world country, why not the US? Just because it's in absolute terms rich doesn't mean that all join in the riches or rights.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

Hey, now, that's unfair to third world countries. Some of them actually have functioning public health systems.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Italy's population density is twice that of the US.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Rural hospitals have been getting shut down for years now due to it not being a great money maker, it’s the same reason rural Americans wouldn’t have to their door mail access without it being included in the Constitution.

Even without taking population density into account, access is only going to get worse when hospitals keep shuttering.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It's not a matter of low profit, it's a matter of loss. Modern healthcare is too expensive to serve small populations.

And like the USPS, one more reason healthcare should be government funded, to serve those who can't profitably be served.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Honestly “modern healthcare” was pushing it for a lot of them even when they were open, due to decades of cuts and lack of investment. The (now closed) hospital that was in the rural community I grew up in had a reputation for being a place you went if you had no other choice, or it was a very minor emergency even they couldn’t fuck up. My parents floored it to the nearest city (40 minute drive) every time my mom went into labor, despite the local hospital being maybe 15 minutes away max if you drove the speed limit.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Nearly 16 percent of America's mainland is 30 miles or more away from a hospital with emergency care.

The next time they state that the wording is confusing. On first read I thought it was 16% of the population.

Look at the map in your article. Pictured are vast tracks of deserts, mountains, badlands, etc. And look even closer. That spot in NY is where a bunch of wilderness areas come together. The spots in FL are swamps. I've driven through that spot in OK, it's beautiful, but mostly empty of humans.

Besides, 28 miles to a hospital isn't too awful, unless you're grievously injured. The vast majority of healthcare is taken care of by smaller units. Even in my little town we have 2 stand-alone emergency rooms (and a full hospital).

Now if I just had insurance and could afford to go to those places... Coming down with bronchitis today, nothing I can do unless I spend the last of my savings.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

Their wording is confusing, but I think what you first understood is correct. Over 30 million Americans don't even live within an hour of a trauma care department (and an hour is further away): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28069138/

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

The US is absolutely not a third world country. Now, a developing country . . .

[–] [email protected] 23 points 2 months ago

“This is not just a provocation, the ordinance is a cry for help, a way to shine a spotlight on an unacceptable situation,” Mr Torchia told local news outlet Corriere della Calabria.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 2 months ago (4 children)

Do even English people say "I've fallen sick"? Sounds so dramatic.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 2 months ago

"I've fallen ill" is a common expression in the UK. "Fallen sick" would be a little unusual

[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 months ago (1 children)

..and I can’t get up!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Call an ambulance!

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago

In this economy???

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

Life alert is a life saver! I wouldn't be here without life alert.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

But not for me!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

Finally

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Down with the sickness.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09LTT0xwdfw

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago

Some cultures even use the phrase "fallen pregnant".

[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 months ago

For those that are curious, this decree was meant to highlight a lack of access to healthcare in the area. It's supposed to be ridiculous to catch the attention of regional health leaders.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

People taking vitamins and vaccines when you can just ban illness! Novel approach.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Vitamins don't do anything for health unless you are vitamin deficient.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Sure they do. They harm your health if used in excess.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Unless you're going absolutely insane with them you'll typically just pee them out.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Not vitamin D.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

The D is stored in the balls

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

"Take two spoonfuls 🤌 of Extra Virgin Olive Oil 👋 with your daily lasagna. 👐You'll be right as rain.👌"

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

Many great doctors, the best healers, say to inject Tide Pods, many have said it, it's true, it washes and cleans the blood right up.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

I'm not that surprised. If you live in a rural area, you aren't going to get the services of a city. Hospital care is part of that.