Emergence of Diseases of Affluence in Oman : Where do they Feature in the Health Research Agenda?

THE HEALTH STATUS AND LIVING conditions in emerging economies, sometimes called developing countries, have changed considerably because of the rapid growth of the biomedical healthcare infrastructure and acculturation and globalization. Despite this, the previous emphasis that focuses on biological sciences alone in the prevention of and intervention in matters related to disease has not borne the expected results. “Health for All by the Year 2000”2 has proven to be an unattainable aspiration. Whilst smallpox appeared to have been eradicated from all corners of the world, many communicable diseases remain endemic and multipleantibiotic resistance has become a major public health issue.3 In the midst of proliferating infectious diseases, there is also the ‘silent epidemic’ of non-communicable diseases, often precipitated and exacerbated by an individual’s behaviour and life style. There are a range of disorders that are often collectively referred to as “stress-induced” illnesses, which seem to stem from the way people respond to adverse environmental factors.4 There are also aspects of human behaviour such as smoking and reckless driving, which can result in serious distress and often fatal diseases. Whilst models of health practice are presently undergoing a reassessment in both financial and political terms, the solution to emerging non-communicable disease would need to be addressed differently in developing countries, including Oman. The present discussion, within the context of emerging non-communicable diseases and the interplay between socioeconomics, culture and health, will highlight some emerging themes from social medicine research in Oman. Social medicine, with its umbrella discipline behavioural sciences, is defined here as those field of inquiries using anthropological, psychological and biological techniques that lead to an appreciation of the social and cultural aspects of illness. The central objective of this discourse is to advance the view that stress and distress are experienced in a social and cultural context. The recognition of these effects will serve to emphasize the importance of maintaining biopsychosocial equilibrium in order to safeguard health.