"The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for." ~ Mother Theresa. Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you agree with the statement?

This statement draws attention to the importance of emotional wellbeing when assessing the health of an individual. This statement is increasingly relevant due to increasing societal awareness surrounding mental health and the impact of isolation. There is a growing body of evidence that socialisation can result in negative healthcare outcomes of the same order of magnitude as high blood pressure, smoking and obesity. It is important to immediately question the validity of the statement. Was this true when Mother Theresa said it? Is it true now? Is it simply a piece of rhetoric to demonstrate a point? There are several factors to consider when answering this question. Distinction can be made between chronic and acute disease or physical and mental health, with a discussion of the relative impacts and societal attention given to either. When arguing for the statement, good candidates will discuss topics brought up in the news such as the paradoxical isolating effect of social media, the worsening mental health rates in Western society and the high suicide rates amongst certain demographics within the population. Candidates may discuss the historical context of a more patriarchal medical system which has gradually yielded to increasing patient contact. A fascinating subject that may be briefly mentioned is the optimum balance of patient input and doctor autonomy, and whether private healthcare encourages patient input but disincentivises care in medicine. When arguing against the statement, candidates can discuss the clear link between acute infection and mortality. Furthermore, they may argue that our view becomes increasingly skewed in high income countries which can better combat pathogens. However, excellent candidates may acknowledge that mental health in lower income countries is increasingly discussed as the major health problem facing the world. Candidates may suggest that a more modern phrasing would replace TB and leprosy with obesity and high blood pressure, arguing that these still represent the most significant medical problems facing higher income countries. When concluding, good candidates will recognise that the statement is not proposing that antibiotics should be replaced with hugs, but instead is a call for more empathy and kindness within the medical profession. Candidates may call for increasingly holistic health services which follow up patients beyond the hospital. They may discuss the importance of community in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and broach whether encouraging community is a more cost efficient way to improve public health than increasing investment in hospital based services.