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Difficulty: EasyTechnological Advances and Limitations: Disease

Estimated Percentage of Total Deaths by Cause, 2004:

Cause of DeathLow-Income CountriesHigh-Income Countries
Infectious and parasitic diseases (e.g., tuberculosis, malaria)36%3%
Cardiovascular diseases and cancers22%70%
Injuries and other causes42%27%

Source: World Health Organization (WHO)

Based on the table and your knowledge of world history, which of the following best explains the difference in deaths from infectious diseases between low-income and high-income countries in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries?

  1. A
    Low-income countries experienced higher rates of infectious disease because they failed to adopt the eco-friendly agricultural policies of the Green Revolution.
  2. B
    High-income countries eliminated infectious diseases because globalization created complete cultural homogenization, making all populations genetically and culturally identical.
  3. High-income countries had greater access to medical technologies such as antibiotics and vaccines, while low-income countries faced financial and infrastructural limitations in distributing them.Answer
  4. D
    Low-income countries faced high disease rates because economic imperialism always resulted in direct political administration and the dismantling of local healthcare systems.

Answer

High-income countries had greater access to medical technologies such as antibiotics and vaccines, while low-income countries faced financial and infrastructural limitations in distributing them.
The correct answer is correct because the late twentieth century saw rapid development in medical technologies such as antibiotics, vaccines, and public sanitation systems. High-income nations possessed the resources to implement these advancements widely, reducing infectious disease deaths. Conversely, low-income nations suffered higher mortality rates due to poverty, lack of medical infrastructure, and difficulty accessing affordable pharmaceutical products.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the table to contrast the percentages of deaths caused by infectious diseases in low-income countries versus high-income countries.
Low-income countries had 36% of deaths from infectious diseases, whereas high-income countries had only 3%.
This establishes the specific epidemiological disparity that must be explained using historical context.
2
Evaluate the options to identify the historical cause of this disparity in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.
Identify that while medical technologies (like vaccines and antibiotics) exist globally, access is constrained by poverty, high cost, and weak distribution infrastructure in low-income regions.
This links the technological advances directly to their geographic and socioeconomic limitations, confirming the correct historical explanation.

Key Concept

Unequal distribution of medical technology and the epidemiological transition in the global age.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Technological Advances and Limitations: Disease

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