Role of Family Physician in Improving Healthcare Equality
In this paper, the role of family physician in improving healthcare equality is discussed. "A lack of equality is a sad reality in all societies today. This is particularly sad in Western society, where the general consensus is that equality should be at the order of the day, but practical reality suggests a different ideal than is in fact offered by word of mouth. This is particularly dire in services that can be surmised to be needed by all human beings, such as healthcare. Currently, the reality in most Western countries is that there is a significant inequality in terms of access to healthcare, especially as this concerns minority and disadvantaged groups. Another reality is that, more often than not, those physicians closest to the groups involved, such as family physicians, can plan an instrumental role in providing greater equality in healthcare access for these disadvantaged groups.
Autoimmunity and associated disease mechanisms
The immune system of the body must differentiate itself from harmful to repel invaders and to protect the integrity of the host without inducing autoimmunity. Any deficit in this function can cause the body to be vulnerable to infections, malignancies or over-reactivity to innocuous antigens, resulting immunopathology and autoimmunity.
Introduction
Autoimmunity is defined by pathological immune-based reactions which are usually persistent and have long duration, which involve self-antigens (autoantigens). Its clinical expression is the result of organic or functional alteration of cells or the antigen involved in the reaction (organ-specific autoimmune diseases).