Global Health Systems 1st Edition by Margie Lovett Scott ,Faith Prather

Exercise 6

Case Scenarios
Introducing the Scenarios:
The following scenarios are based on true events. The scenarios are purposefully generic and contain essential information for discussion. You will notice that identifying information such as names and locations are not included in an attempt to stimulate your thinking about how these events would play out in the 11 countries we have studied in this chapter.
Scenario 1: The Weekend
The son was at his wit?s end. He was home from college for what he had hoped would be a fun weekend with his mother to celebrate the grandmother?s 75th birthday. He was also looking forward to seeing his married older brother, his charming sister-in-law, and their new 6-month-old baby boy. But he had been home for less than 24 hours and things were unraveling. Since he had arrived Friday night, the mother had come up to him at least five times and asked: ?Do you think I?ve been a good mother? Do you still love me?? No matter how he tried to reassure her, the mother kept pushing. Where were these questions coming from? When he pressed her for answers, she stared at him for a few seconds and then walked away.
Since his father had walked out on them five years ago, his mother had gone in and out of strange moods. It was clear she was bitter; being left for another woman was something she could not get over. The mother even watched from across the street, the apartment where the new woman lived just to see what she looked like. Last summer, the mother was hospitalized for ?nervous exhaustion? and after one week, she was released with the doctor?s advice to take things easy. Following this episode, the son made more of an effort to call his mother from school as frequently as possible. This wasn?t always easy between classes and practice sessions required to keep his athletic scholarship.
Sometimes the mother sat up all night smoking; other times she would say very little and just curl up on the couch and sleep most of the day away?especially on weekends. Despite her dark periods, the mother was able to hold down her teaching job at the elementary school and was highly regarded as one of the best teachers in the system. But she worried about money constantly. Once the son overheard his mother say to her sister: ?You know it?s all on me now. I really can?t depend on anyone else. My ex-husband hasn?t got any money; I was always the stable breadwinner if you think about it, and I am not up to going to court to get blood out of a stone.? The sister advised her to go for counseling or at least join a self-help group but the mother insisted she could work out things for herself?what 266 Chapter 15: Prevalence and Management of Behavioral Health Care did those doctors know anyway? Besides, she did not want anyone in her business?her faith would pull her through.
Saturday afternoon the son and the mother joined everyone for the party at his aunt?s home. Surprisingly, his mother was less agitated today and she seemed to enjoy the grandmother?s birthday celebration. Everyone remarked on how attractive the mother looked in her bright red sweater.
On Sunday morning the son decided to accompany his mother to church and then treat her to breakfast afterwards. He would meet up with friends later that afternoon and then catch the evening train back to school. He went to her room to discuss the plan. The door was half-way open. Calling her name, the son knocked briefly, opened the door, and found his mother drooping over the side of the bed with an empty pill bottle on the floor.
In what country are you most likely to experience this scenario and why?