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123
Social Pathways to Health Vulnerability
Dula F. Pacquiao
Marilyn "Marty" Douglas
Editors
Social Pathways to
Health Vulnerability
Implications for Health Professionals
Editors
Dula F. Pacquiao Marilyn "Marty" Douglas
Schools of Nursing School of Nursing
University of Hawaii, Hilo, HI University of California San Francisco
Rutgers University San Francisco, CA
Newark, NJ USA
USA
This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG
The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Foreword
Expensive health care is not unique to the USA; costs are rising around the
world as technological advances and an aging population have driven up the
price for everyone. But nowhere are costs rising as fast as in the USA where,
in 2016, health care consumed 18% of our national GDP, $3.3 trillion. That is
$10,348 of health care spending in a single year for every woman, man, and
child in the USA. Our medical industry is approximately the size of Brazil’s
economy, the seventh largest in the world.
Given the amount of money that the USA sinks into health care, one would
imagine that we would be the healthiest nation on earth. However, this is far
from true; in terms of health, the USA compares poorly to other developed
countries. A 2013 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD) study found that across 13 high-income countries, Americans had
worse outcomes than their peers. Of the countries studied, the USA had the
lowest life expectancy at birth (78.8 years compared to an OECD median of
81.2), the highest infant mortality rate (at 6.1 deaths per 1,000 live births in
comparison to an OECD median of 3.5). The prevalence of chronic disease
was higher in the USA: 68% of Americans age 65 or older had at least two
chronic conditions (in comparison to 33% in the UK and 56% in Canada).
And, more than 1/3 of Americans were obese in 2012: this was about 15%
higher than the next-highest country.
There are other reasons why our health care is more expensive: adminis-
trative costs, costs of drugs in the USA, waste, medical error, the practice of
defensive medicine (i.e., when a provider recommends testing or treatment
that may or may not be the best option for the patient, but protects the pro-
vider against potential legal action), and overspecialization of the provider
workforce. However, perhaps the biggest reason is the fact that as a nation we
predominantly invest in downstream factors—care for the individual once
they have experienced alterations in physiological and biological functioning.
While focusing primarily on acute care and disease-based care, we have
ignored the fact that wellness and prevention of disease occurs at the upstream
(policies and the determinants of health—environmental, social, economic)
and midstream levels—psychosocial factors, health-related behaviors, and
the role played by the healthcare system.1 To improve population health and
1
Bharmal, N., Derose, K.P., Felician, M., & Weden, M.M. Understanding the Upstream
Social Determinants of Health. Rand Health. May, 2015. https://www.rand.org/content/
dam/rand/pubs/working_papers/WR1000/WR1096/RAND_WR1096.pdf.
v
vi Foreword
2
WHO. About Social Determinants of Health. http://www.who.int/social_determinants/
sdh_definition/en/.
3
Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University. What Is
Population Health? April 27, 2015. https://mha.gwu.edu/what-is-population-health/.
Foreword vii
ix
x Preface
xi
Editors and Contributors
Editors
Contributors
Phoebe Del Boccio, MS, PhD Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health,
Multiple Sclerosis Center, Livingston, NJ, USA
Marilyn "Marty" Douglas, PhD, RN, FAAN School of Nursing, University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
Yuri T. Jadotte, MD, MPH, PhD School of Nursing, Rutgers University,
Newark, NJ, USA
School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
Northeast Institute for Evidence Synthesis and Translation, Rutgers
University, Newark, NJ, USA
School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
Ellen S. Lieberman, MA, MS, PhD Douglass Residential College, Rutgers
University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
Dula F. Pacquiao, EdD, RN, CTN-A, TNS School of Nursing, University
of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, HI, USA
School of Nursing, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
Sharese N. Porter, MPH, PhD, CHES Department of Family and
Community Health Sciences, Rutgers University, Cooperative Extension,
New Brunswick, NJ, USA
xiii
xiv Editors and Contributors
Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice identified the nature and highly unconscious predispositions.
relationship between social structure and human The secondary habitus is built on the primary
behaviors in reproducing social class distinctions habitus and results from one’s education and life
in society through the interplay of three elements: experiences. The primary habitus and secondary
field, capital, and habitus in shaping unconscious habitus can be combined into one single dynamic
human behaviors [1]. The interplay of these ele- habitus that is constantly reinforced and modified
ments leads to strategies or practices that aim to by life experiences [3]. The internalization of
achieve greater capital. Human interactions are field-specific rules enables the agent to anticipate
best understood in their respective social space future tendencies/predispositions and opportuni-
(fields), a network of social positions that have ties. Conflicts between agents are principally
been based on historically generated systems of about relative positions within the field to maxi-
shared meaning. Habitus is one’s agency to think mize capital; hence, individual strategies in con-
and behave based on one’s position (doxa) in the formity with the rules of the interactions are
social field, which depends on one’s economic, critical. It is the structure of objective relations
cultural, and social capital. Rules are not formal- between the agents in a field that defines domi-
ized, but rather are tacit in nature and internalized nant and dominated positions and determines
by the agents in order to demonstrate appropriate what agents can do or which practices are possi-
practices and strategies in the social field [2]. ble. This doxa forms one’s sense of place and the
The habitus is acquired during primary (comes feeling of what is possible within a social field
from family during childhood) and secondary [3].
socialization. The resulting primary habitus or Positions in the respective fields are gained
class habitus is rather stable and results from through capital. Economic capital is related to a
internalizing the parents’ modes of thinking, feel- person’s fortune and revenues that can be mone-
ing, and behaving derived from their social posi- tized and institutionalized in property rights; this
tion in the social space. The primary habitus is form of capital can be more easily transformed
the embodiment of history, internalized as second into other types of capital. Cultural capital, as the
primary cause for status and relative positions
within a social field, is transferred by family and
D. F. Pacquiao education and may be institutionalized in the
School of Nursing, University of Hawaii at Hilo, forms of educational qualifications. Incorporated
Hilo, HI, USA
or embodied cultural capital can be a durable sys-
School of Nursing, Rutgers University, tem of dispositions and intellectual qualifications
Newark, NJ, USA
or human capital that is achieved by the individ- sists of discourses and cultural values that encour-
ual himself. Objectivized cultural capital exists age structures of exploitation and hegemony
in the form of material objects that are transfer- through policies and economic systems. Class
able in their physical state. Institutionalized cul- oppression goes beyond economic structures; to
tural capital takes the form of a certificate of maintain its hegemony, it requires the support of
cultural competence through a formalized aca- noneconomic institutions and culture, such as the
demic qualification that is socially sanctioned by family, legal/judicial system, government, reli-
an institution [4]. gious institutions, businesses, community organi-
Social capital represents a person’s entirety zations, schools, and mental health systems that
of social relations—one’s network of actual or are all organized in ways that maintain and repro-
potential resources that can be legitimized by the duce social class differences. Meritocracy, the
family, group, or class membership—and allows cornerstone of capitalist ethics, is propagated in
access to material and non-material resources, these institutions, emphasizing that some indi-
information, and knowledge [4]. Social capital viduals and groups are more important, smarter,
can be institutionalized, such as an administra- working harder, and more deserving than others.
tive title, and requires efforts for its creation and Conversely, the working class and poor are
maintenance. Symbolic capital is related to judged less intelligent, less capable, lazy, and less
honor and recognition that is not an independent deserving than those who earned their way.
type of capital, but an acknowledgment of capi- Therefore, these groups deserve their low eco-
tal by one’s peer competitors in a specific field. nomic position because of their personal short-
Thus, in a social field, economic, social, and cul- comings and irresponsible behaviors. Classist
tural capital is converted to symbolic capital that meritocratic discourses permit rationalization of
is worthy of being pursued and preserved. existing social disparities and class oppression as
Symbolic capital reflects the external and inter- part of the natural order [6].
nal recognition or the value accorded by the sys-
tem and its actors [5].
Sociology of “Place”
Places ensconce structural patterns of social criminals. Criminals tend to live close to the
inequalities and differences through emplace- locations of their crimes, often on the same
ment or psychosocial processes, such as power, block or in the same neighborhood [11].
control and collective action, and the material Crimes in place tend to be more expressive
forms that are designed, built, and used. and violent, whereas crimes in space tend to be
Emplacement occurs when a group has estab- more instrumental and acquisition oriented.
lished a particular location as its own and erects Expressive crimes tend to be less planned, less
boundaries that reinforce its unique identity. concerned with risk of capture, aggressive in
Thus, places have the power or capacity to domi- nature, and target trespassers. Instrumental
nate and control people or things through geo- crimes tend to be more planned, in pursuit of
graphic location, built form, and symbolic material gain, and target either properties or
meanings [8]. strangers [12]. Lersch and Hart [13] noted that
Places reflect and reinforce the social hierar- expressive crimes are more emotional and likely
chy by extending or denying life chances to to be committed closer to the offender’s home,
groups located in salutary or detrimental spots. whereas instrumental crimes are committed out-
Residents of segregated urban neighborhoods side a buffer zone to lessen the chances of detec-
that have deteriorated physically, socially, and tion. Gang locales tend to have high violent crime
culturally because of exodus of middle-income rates as gang members try to maintain control
minorities and discriminatory real estate prac- over their turfs from outsiders and nonmember
tices face enormous difficulty in improving their residents [11]. Therefore, crime prevention
conditions [9]. Places can bring people together requires different strategies based on space-place
in engagement or estrangement through its built differences and the types of crimes that are likely
form. A highway or railroad can cut off contact to be committed within [14].
among the people, while safe, open public spaces
can foster interaction. Places can be objects of Place Attachment
collective action and can inhibit or promote broad Place attachment may be influenced by tenure of
participation of the people [10]. residence. Renters tend to have a more cosmo-
politan attitude toward the rented space, while
Place and Crime resident homeowners have stronger ties to the
Places are normative landscapes for human con- place. Place attachment facilitates a sense of
duct. Certain behaviors such as graffiti and security and well-being, defines group boundar-
openly gay behaviors are tolerated or accepted ies, and stabilizes memories [15]. Loss of place
in certain places. Informal and formal social has devastating implications for individual and
control is territorialized. The geographic loca- collective identity, memory, history, and psycho-
tion and architectural arrangement of spaces can logical well-being [16]. Such is the experience of
promote or retard crimes. Tita et al. [11] found the homeless, inmates coming out of prisons, and
that hard-core urban gangs have identifiable those discharged from mental institutions. One
physical spaces that are geographically defined can be displaced even without moving, such as
in which they impart meaning and identity and the loss, marginalization and isolation experi-
transform into places. Violent predatory gangs enced by Native Americans [17] and coal mining
are more likely to prosper in areas with weak- families in West Virginia [18].
ened social control and underclass features.
Neighborhoods with emplaced collective effi- lace, Slavery and Indigeneity
P
cacy characterized by mutual trust and willing- Several authors have pointed out the Eurocentric
ness to act against outsiders or potential bias of Marx’s treatise on capital by neglecting
offenders are more effective in preventing the contradictions inherent in the conceptualiza-
occurrence of crimes. Repeat crime addresses tion of capital-labor and capital-nature based on
are far more predictive of crime than repeat slavery and the destruction of indigeneity. Marx
6 D. F. Pacquiao
much more than access to health care, health-care and creates a higher distribution of risk exposure
financing is a social determinant because it for them than for the rest of the population” ([31],
reflects the same distribution of disadvantage or p. 218). A vulnerable group is a disadvantaged
advantage as other social determinants [29]. segment of the community requiring greater con-
Health inequities are attributed to systemic sideration because of limited capability to protect
inequality in the allocation of resources and themselves from intended or inherent risks and
power. They are the consequences of social injus- their inability to make informed choices [32].
tices and unfair distribution of goods, services, Vulnerability is created by multiple and cumula-
and privileges across populations. Social deter- tive risks experienced through the life course
minants of health pertain to the quantity and that may not be directly related to health, such as
quality of a variety of resources that a society low socioeconomic status and discrimination.
makes available to its members, such as income, Exposure to multiple risk factors and a greater
food, housing, employment, and health and social number of comorbidities are more frequent in
services. Equity refers to fairness in the distribu- vulnerable populations, i.e., persons with low
tion of goods and services based on need. Needs income, the less educated, racial and ethnic
are not necessarily equal [28]. Therefore, equal minorities, aboriginal peoples, those who experi-
opportunity or equal allocation of resources that enced discrimination and violence, etc. According
ignore differences in needs, generally fail to to Phelan and Link [33], risk factors and their
achieve equity of outcomes. Social justice has accumulation are the expression of fundamental
become the focus for addressing health inequities causes linked to one’s position in the social struc-
by emphasizing a collective societal moral obli- ture that generates exposure to other risks.
gation to create equity or fairness in the alloca- Four selected theories are presented to explain
tion of risks and rewards to everyone. the social pathways toward vulnerability. These
Social injustice does not arise solely from dis- evidence-based theories illustrate the cumulative
tribution of goods and services but also in the disadvantages from social determinants that con-
allocation of non-distributive aspects of well- tribute to the buildup of lifetime risks of poor
being [30]. Well-being is affected by the nature of health in vulnerable populations.
a person’s social relationships with others. In the
case of social injustices, these relationships
impose systemic constraints on the development Life Course Theory
of well-being and can have profound and perva-
sive adverse effects on all aspects of well-being. Life course theory stipulates that early life adver-
People who are victims of social subordination, sities create an accumulation of disadvantages
violence, discrimination, and stigma often expe- that persist into adulthood and later life.
rience lack of respect and lack of attachment and Significant life course events and transitions
determination, which are essential aspects of across the lifespan are found to create a cumula-
well-being. Justice needs to integrate the tive impact on individuals and ultimately on their
distributive and non-distributive aspects of
health and well-being [34]. Exposure to clusters
well-being. of multiple negative life course factors at critical
life transition periods, particularly during a
child’s development, has lasting consequences on
Social Pathways to Vulnerability an individual’s physical and mental health [35].
The timing and length of exposure to disadvan-
A vulnerable population is a “subgroup or sub- tages create differential impacts on health. These
population who, because of shared social charac- differential exposure effects persist even when
teristics, is at a higher risk for [health] risks risk factors and diseases change over time [36].
because of their position in the social strata, Four principles of life course theory explicate
which exposes them to contextual conditions, the processes that build accumulation of multiple
8 D. F. Pacquiao
risks and disadvantages. The first principle, long- eral distress, anxiety, and mental health disorders
term temporal patterns, posits that present life that can persist into middle and later adulthood
and health status are affected by earlier circum- [47]. Children of depressed parents tend to
stances. Socioeconomic status (SES) shapes an exhibit both more internalizing and externalizing
individual’s exposure and experience of psycho- problem behaviors and have more problems with
social and physical health risks. People with low defiance and cognitive ability, similar to children
socioeconomic status (SES) experience poorer of parents with schizophrenia. Mentally ill par-
health than those with higher SES [37, 38] as ents tend to be emotionally unavailable to their
higher SES is associated with access to resources children, often overemotional, and are more
such as knowledge, money, power, prestige, and likely to use authoritarian parenting practices.
beneficial social connections that enable people Cold, uncaring families produce long-lasting
to avoid risks and adopt protective strategies to emotional problems in children [48]. There is a
decrease illness and death [39]. Growing up in clear relationship between accumulated lifetime
poverty is associated with an elevated risk of trauma and psychiatric disorder and psychologi-
experiencing violence and low academic achieve- cal distress [41]. Childhood abuse is associated
ment [40], greater exposure to chronic stress with early menarche; both are associated with
related to poor living conditions, low job security partner violence during adolescence [49].
and financial difficulties [41], increased engage- The fourth principle, human agency, refers to
ment in smoking and physical inactivity, and the the long-term consequences of one’s ability to
likelihood of being obese. control life events. While individuals may have
The second principle, intersection of biography choices and control of their actions, there are
and history, emphasizes the significance of his- broad sociocultural factors such as low SES that
torical context and events on health and well- limit human agency [43]. Health outcomes may
being. Contextual factors include features of the vary from a combination of individual choices
neighborhood environment, e.g., housing, avail- and contextual opportunities and constraints. In
able health services, schools, recreation, and job general, people with higher SES have more
opportunities, and the collective characteristic of capacity to be effective self-agents and have bet-
neighborhood residents including SES, shared val- ter mental health. People with higher self-esteem,
ues and norms, and mutual commitment [42]. mastery, and efficacy are better equipped to
George [43] found a link between combat experi- weather the impact of stressful experiences and
ence during World War II and the incidence of have lower levels of depression and anxiety dur-
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance ing stressful events [50].
abuse, anxiety disorders, and other mental health
problems 60 years later. Higher divorce rates in the
twentieth and twenty-first centuries are associated Ecosocial Theory
with increased prevalence of poverty and adverse
mental health among divorced women and lower Krieger’s ecosocial theory [51] proposes that
life expectancy among divorced individuals com- human beings literally incorporate, biologically,
pared to their married counterparts [44]. Parental their material and social world, from in utero to
divorce is found to be more detrimental on chil- death through the process of embodiment, that in
dren’s health than parental death [45]. turn shapes the patterns of distribution of health
The third principle, linked lives, stipulates that and disease in society. The causal pathways of
health is affected by one’s social networks. There embodiment are operationalized by the life and
is more prevalence of divorced, single mothers work conditions of people that are differentially
among those with lower SES; conversely, moth- structured by social inequalities, thus creating the
ers with higher education and income are more production and reproduction of social and bio-
likely to maintain stable marriages [46]. Parental logical inequities among individuals and popula-
divorce during childhood is associated with gen- tions [51]. Diverse, concurrent, and interacting
1 “Place” and Health 9
pathways to embodiment determine the cumula- nomic, immune, and metabolic systems. The
tive exposure, susceptibility, and resistance of immediate response to different stressors is medi-
populations to social and economic deprivation, ated by a coordinated reaction to the brain’s eval-
hazardous ecosystem, social trauma, or inade- uation of the threat [55], which in turn activates
quate health care. These pathways of embodi- the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) axis
ment occur in multiple levels (individual, to release catecholamines such as epinephrine to
neighborhood, regional or political jurisdiction, improve cardiac output and tissue oxygenation
national, international, or supranational) and in by accelerating the heart rate and respiratory rate
multiple domains, e.g., home, work, school, and and by increasing cardiac stroke volume and
other public settings. Accountability and agency blood pressure to shift blood flow to major
for rectifying social inequalities involve institu- organs. Catecholamines release pro-inflamma-
tions, communities, households, individuals, and tory cytokines to prevent infection and tissue
scientists who need to integrate social inequali- damage. These mechanisms are involved in the
ties in their methods and explanations of epide- fight or flight response.
miologic patterns ([51], p. 225). Patterns of By contrast, chronic stress can promote and
disease distribution cannot be explained by dis- exacerbate pathophysiology through the same sys-
ease mechanisms alone but must account for tems that are dysregulated. Brain regions such as
social inequalities underlying the different epide- the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala
miological patterns across time and places ([51], respond to acute and chronic stress and show
p. 937). changes in morphology and chemistry that are
Studies of racial residential segregation in the largely reversible if stress is not prolonged [55].
United States have shown that concentration of Prolonged activation of the stress response sys-
poor Blacks in neighborhoods with overcrowded tems however can disrupt the development of
housing, low-quality health services and schools, brain architecture and other organ systems and
violent and polluted environments, and limited increase the risk for stress-related disease and cog-
availability of affordable healthy foods [52] cre- nitive impairment well into the adult years [56].
ate cumulative health risks and limited opportu- A more long-term response to chronic stress is
nities for economic mobility. These conditions mediated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal
perpetuate social and environmental injustices (HPA) axis, which releases hormones called glu-
that ultimately result in poor health. Inequality in cocorticoids. Glucocorticoids cause increased
living standards, working conditions, and envi- metabolic activity in order to provide energy and
ronmental exposures of the dominant and subor- also manage the parasympathetic nervous system
dinate classes create health differences among and the level of physiological arousal.
racial and ethnic groups [53]. Glucocorticoids inhibit production of pro-inflam-
matory cytokines, although the relationship
between these two substances has been observed
Allostatic Load Theory as nonlinear in nature [54]. A decline in parasym-
pathetic activity also occurs in allostatic load,
Allostatic load is the “wear and tear” effects on resulting in less regulation of the sympathetic
the physical and mental well-being associated effects of increased heart rate, blood pressure,
with exposure to chronic, unmitigated stress [54]. and cardiac activity [55].
It is the cost of adaptation to cumulative stress Stress can alter health-related behaviors such
originating from repeated stress, but it may also as smoking, alcohol use, sleep, diet, and exercise,
result from lack of adaptation or a prolonged which in turn increase the risk of high allostatic
inadequate stress response. It is likely to develop load. If the stress response remains high for a
when acute stress responses become chronic. long time, subclinical dysfunction can progress
Acute stress responses promote adaptation and into disease due to the malfunction of multiple
survival through neural, cardiovascular, auto- systems. Cardiovascular disease may result from
10 D. F. Pacquiao
stress-related amygdala hyperactivity, contribut- and increased incidence of preterm births [55,
ing to hypertension. Elevated inflammation and 59]. The effects of chronic stress on the brain are
cortisol hormone levels may decrease cell sensi- linked with high-risk behaviors and impaired
tivity to insulin, leading to the development of decision-making.
metabolic disorders such as diabetes. Elevated
inflammation and cortisol levels may also pro-
mote neurodegeneration, leading to cognitive Historical Trauma
decline and dementia. Inflammation and meta-
bolic abnormalities cause shortening of a region According to Sotero [60], populations that were
of repetitive DNA at the end of chromosomes, historically subjected to long-term mass trauma,
causing cellular aging [56]. such as colonialism, slavery, wars, genocide,
Events in early life produce long-term effects incarceration, etc., exhibit a higher prevalence of
on the activity of systems producing hormonal disease even several generations after the original
stress mediators. Low birthweight and various trauma occurred. In these cases, mass trauma was
types of early life trauma may influence stress deliberately and systematically inflicted on a tar-
hormone responsiveness over a lifetime. There is get population over an extended period of time by
consistent elevation of stress hormone activity in a subjugating dominant group, creating a univer-
abused children. History of sexual and physical sal experience of the trauma and destruction of
abuse in childhood is a risk factor not only for the people’s history and cultural identity. This
PTSD but also for hippocampal atrophy and destruction results in a legacy of physical, psy-
cognitive impairment in adulthood. Adolescents chological, and socioeconomic vulnerability
with PTSD and a history of childhood physical across generations. Historical trauma integrates
and sexual abuse were found to have elevated uri- (a) the link between disease and physical and
nary catecholamines compared to both non-trau- psychological stressors from the social environ-
matized children with over-anxious disorders and ment; (b) the influence of political, economic,
healthy groups [54]. Maltreated children with and structural determinants of health on disease
PTSD revealed the presence of smaller intracra- prevalence; and (c) the multilevel ecological
nial and cerebral volumes compared to a matched dynamics of history and life course factors in dis-
control group; in addition, electroencephalo- ease causation [51]. The psychological and emo-
graphic abnormalities were found in children tional consequences of trauma experiences are
with a history of psychological, physical, and transmitted to subsequent generations through
sexual abuse [57]. Neglect and trauma in child- physiological, environmental, and social path-
hood are associated with low serotonin levels and ways, thus establishing the intergenerational
increased risk for hostility, aggression, substance cycle of the trauma response. The overt legitimi-
abuse, and suicide [54], as well as increased mor- zation of subjugation may discontinue overtime,
tality and morbidity from a variety of disorders but its legacy remains in the form of racism,
during adult life, such as depression, suicide discrimination, and social and economic disad-
related to substance abuse, cardiovascular dis- vantage. They may also experience loss of lan-
ease, and extreme obesity [58]. guage and culture, poverty, discrimination,
Studies of chronic stress associated with expe- injustice, and social inequality [61].
riences of discrimination, marginalization, and Traumas such as the soul wound from historical
lack of control over one’s life circumstances cre- and contemporary discrimination among Native
ate a “wear and tear” effect on the body or allo- women influence their health and mental health
static load that is linked to sustained high levels outcomes. Disempowerment of Native women
of cortisol and other stress hormones that increase was specifically a primary goal of the colonizers,
one’s susceptibility to chronic diseases such as with the intent of destabilizing and, ultimately,
hypertension, cardiac disease, diabetes, cancer, exerting colonial domination over each indigenous
1 “Place” and Health 11
nation [62]. For example, the British decreased the sure time, lower levels of physical activity, higher
power of Cherokee women, a traditionally matriar- prevalence of underlying illnesses, higher blood
chal society, by “educating” Cherokee males in pressure, and shorter height.
European ways, encouraging marriage to non- The Whitehall Studies revealed the social gra-
Native women, and privileging mixed-blood male dient for a range of different diseases: heart dis-
offspring in nation-to-nation negotiations. During ease, some cancers, chronic lung disease,
the 1970s, the Indian Health Service oversaw the gastrointestinal disease, depression, suicide,
nonconsensual sterilization of ~40% of Native sickness absence, back pain, and general feelings
women of childbearing age [63]. of ill-health. After controlling for these risk fac-
Sotero [60] describes the legacy of vulnerabil- tors, the lowest social grade continued to have a
ity of Native Americans that began during the greater relative risk for cardiovascular disease
European colonization. The introduction of mortality compared to the highest grade. The
infectious diseases such as measles and small Whitehall Studies confirmed that access to
pox had a devastating impact on Native health-care services does not guarantee equity of
Americans, decreasing the immunity of those health outcomes and suggested that health status
exposed and their unborn children to other infec- is more significantly shaped by life conditions.
tious diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis, and Marmot [66] labeled this health gradient as the
influenza. Food scarcity and starvation resulted social status syndrome. The lower individuals are
from recurrent epidemics and government poli- in the social hierarchy, the less likely they are
cies, exposing the population to an abundant sup- able to meet their needs for autonomy, social
ply of unhealthy processed food. These events integration, and participation.
led to metabolic and behavioral adaptations that White et al. [67] conducted a review of articles
started a pattern of poor physical and mental published from 1998 to 2011 to describe the
health that has plagued Native Americans to mechanisms that shape health-care access, utili-
this day. zation, and quality of preventive, diagnostic,
therapeutic, and end-of-life services across the
ocial Status Syndrome
S life course in the United States. Racial and ethnic
The seminal Whitehall I [64] and Whitehall II stud- residential segregation is a key factor driving
ies [65] of British civil servants found a social gradi- place-based health-care inequities, stemming
ent in health among Caucasians who were not poor from limited opportunities for employment and
and had equal access to health services. Each step education, and high concentrations of poverty.
downward in their socioeconomic status was corre- Neighborhoods characterized by economic and
lated with a proportional decline in their health sta- social disadvantage experience health-care dis-
tus. Whitehall I examined cardiovascular disease parities because of difficulty attracting primary
prevalence and mortality rates of more than 18,000 and specialty care physicians and have inade-
white males between the ages of 20 and 64 for more quately funded and poorly organized health-care
than 10 years using a prospective cohort design. infrastructure, higher rates of adverse patient
Whitehall II examined morbidity in 10,308 safety events, and poorer access to preventive
white men and women using a longitudinal, health services. Poorer health status is associated
prospective cohort study of employees in the
with higher levels of segregation.
London offices of the British Civil Service. Higher
mortality from all causes, including coronary artery
disease, and lower life expectancy were observed Health of Indigenous Populations
among those in the lower grades of employment as
compared to those in higher grades. Lower status Indigenous peoples have come to be known as the
was associated with higher prevalence of significant “Fourth World” or “nations without states” who
risk factors including obesity, smoking, reduced lei- are found in many countries. The position and
12 D. F. Pacquiao
health status of the “Fourth World” are strongly tancy, is significantly worse than that of the main-
affected by the country where they are located. stream populations of those countries. New
Poor health associated with poverty, malnutrition, Zealand, the United States, and Canada saw
overcrowding, poor hygiene, environmental con- major health improvements for indigenous popu-
tamination, and prevalent infections is widespread lations up to around the 1980s, leading to an
among the nearly 400 million indigenous people appreciable narrowing of the gap in life expec-
worldwide. These are compounded by limited tancy between indigenous and mainstream popu-
access to adequate clinical care, health promotion, lations. However, between the 1980s and the end
and disease prevention services. As some indige- of the century, a slowing or stalling of indigenous
nous groups transition from traditional to modern health improvements measured by life expec-
lifestyles, they develop lifestyle diseases, such as tancy showed that the gap between these groups
obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, failed to close significantly. In Canada the gap
and exposure to toxic pollutants in their environ- narrowed to 5.2 years for women and 7.4 years
ment as well as physical, social, and mental disor- for men but even widened in New Zealand
ders linked to the misuse of alcohol and other (10 years in 1999), Australia (17 years in 2001),
drugs [68]. and the United States (6 years in 1998) [72].
The Inuit population occupies territories from A comparison of health statuses of indigenous
the easternmost tip of Russia in the west to populations of New Zealand and the United
Greenland in the east, governed by Denmark, States with those of dominant populations of
United States, Canada, and Russia. Among the these countries revealed that in nearly every
circumpolar Inuits near the Arctic, the incidence health status indicator assessed, disparities (both
of infectious diseases has declined considerably absolute and relative) were more pronounced for
but is still high compared with western societies. Maoris than for American Indians/Alaska Natives
Chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovas- (AIANs). Both indigenous populations suffered
cular disease are on the rise, while accidents, sui- from disparities across a range of health indica-
cides, violence, and substance abuse are major tors. However, no disparities were observed for
patterns of ill health. Social, environmental, and AIANs in regard to immunization coverage.
lifestyle changes are major determinants of health Ethnic health disparities were more pronounced
among the Inuit [69]. in New Zealand than in the United States [73].
In Australia, the health gap between indigenous In Canada, social exclusion of aboriginal pop-
and nonindigenous populations accounted for ulations is evident in the differences in their
59% of the total burden of disease for Indigenous sociodemographic and health status as compared
Australians in 2003. Noncommunicable diseases to non-aboriginal populations. Compared to non-
explained 70% of the health gap: tobacco (17%), aboriginal Canadians, First Nations aboriginal
high body mass (16%), physical inactivity (12%), people earn much less income, have twice the
high blood cholesterol (7%), and alcohol (4%). rate of unemployment, are more likely to live in
While the 26% of Indigenous Australians residing crowded conditions, and are much less likely to
in remote areas experienced a disproportionate graduate from high school. Aboriginal Canadians
amount of the health gap (40%) compared with live the shortest lives among all other groups in
those in non-remote areas, the majority of the Canada and have higher rates of infant mortality,
health gap affects residents of non-remote areas suicide, major depression, alcohol, and child-
[70]. Endean et al. [71] reported high prevalence hood sexual abuse than non-aboriginal Canadians
of dental caries among the children and higher [74].
rates of edentulism among adult Indigenous peo- Latin America and the Caribbean have over
ples in Northwest South Australia. 400 different indigenous groups and a total popu-
The Australian Department of Health [72] lation of 45–48 million people [75]. Household
reported that the health of Indigenous peoples in surveys conducted in Latin America by the
First World countries, measured by life expec- United Nations Development Programme in
1 “Place” and Health 13
1994 revealed consistently larger proportion of have at least a bachelor’s degree in comparison to
indigenous people living below the poverty line 33% of non-Hispanic Whites. The median house-
compared to nonindigenous populations in hold income for AIANs was $37,353, as com-
Bolivia (64.3% vs. 48.1%), Guatemala (86.6% pared to $56,565 for non-Hispanic Whites; 26%
vs. 53.9%), Mexico (80.6% vs. 17.9%), and Peru lived at the poverty level, as compared to 11% of
(79.0% vs. 49.7%). The surveys also found low non-Hispanic Whites [79].
quality of construction materials for building In terms of health coverage, 47.5% had private
houses and less availability of potable water, insurance, 38.1% had Medicaid, and 22.6% were
plumbing, and other services among indigenous uninsured. AIANs frequently encounter issues
groups as compared to the nonindigenous popu- that prevent them from receiving quality medical
lations. Indigenous status was strongly correlated care, including cultural barriers, geographic iso-
with lower educational attainment and literacy lation, inadequate sewage disposal, and low
level [76]. income. Some of the leading diseases and causes
In India, data analysis of population-based of death among AIANs are heart disease, cancer,
data from the 1998–1999 Indian National Family unintentional injuries (accidents), diabetes, and
Health Survey found that indigenous groups stroke. They have a high prevalence and risk for
experienced excess mortality even after adjusting mental health problems and suicide, obesity, sub-
for economic standard of living and were more stance abuse, sudden infant death syndrome,
likely to smoke and drink alcohol compared to teenage pregnancy, liver disease, and hepatitis.
nonindigenous groups. Within the Indigenous In 2012, the infant death rate was 60% higher
people, those in the bottom income quintile had than the rate for Whites; AIANs were twice as
higher odds for mortality compared to those in likely to have diabetes as Whites. The Pima tribe
the top fifth quintile. Smoking, drinking alcohol, of Arizona has one of the highest diabetes rates
and chewing tobacco also showed graded associ- and serum cholesterol levels in the world. AIANs
ations with socioeconomic status within also have disproportionately high death rates
Indigenous groups [77]. from unintentional injuries and suicide. In 2012,
A study of indigenous groups in Malaysia the tuberculosis rate for AIANs was 6.3 per
showed urbanized groups with significantly 100,000 as compared to 0.8 for White Americans
higher mean body weight, body mass index, total [79].
cholesterol, and higher prevalence of obesity and Currently, there are 573 federally recognized
hypercholesterolemia compared to the rural- AIAN tribes and more than 100 state recognized
dwelling groups. The health effects were attrib- tribes, but there are also tribes that are neither
uted to changing dietary habits, lifestyles, and state nor federally acknowledged. State recogni-
socioeconomic factors brought about by urban- tion does not confer federal recognition but fed-
ization [78]. erally recognized tribes are also state recognized.
Based on data from 2012, the Office of Federally recognized tribes are provided health
Minority Health [79] reports an estimated and educational assistance by the government
5.2 million people who were classified as agency, Indian Health Service (IHS), which oper-
American Indian and Alaskan Native (AIAN) ates a comprehensive health service delivery sys-
alone or in combination with one or more other tem for approximately two million AIANs. IHS
races, comprised 2% of the total US population funds 33 urban Indian health organizations in cit-
with 1.5 million (30%) under the age of 18. Only ies throughout the Unites States, providing medi-
22% of AIANs lived on reservations or other trust cal, dental, sexually transmitted disease
lands compared to 60% in metropolitan areas. prevention, pharmacy, optometry, mental health,
Twenty percent of AIANs spoke a language other home health community, and social services. In
than English at home; 82% of AIANs aged 25 addition, alcohol and drug abuse prevention, edu-
and over have at least a high school diploma, as cation and counseling, and nutritional education
compared to 92% of non-Hispanic Whites; 17% are also provided [79].
14 D. F. Pacquiao
the decision was appealed by the state in 2012. In ulation between 35 and 64 years old, 80% are
April 2014, the US Ninth Circuit Court of overweight and 50% are obese; 50% of those
Appeals ruled that the state has no constitutional over 50 years suffer from type 2 diabetes.
obligation to fill the gap left in 1996 when Compared to the United States, the FSM has tri-
Congress cut health funding for COFA migrants. pled the prevalence of diabetes [87]. The leading
The court ruled that the Micronesian people are causes of morbidity and mortality among
nonimmigrant aliens whose numbers are increas- Micronesians are cardiovascular disease, diabe-
ing because of lack of economic opportunity and tes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary dis-
health care in their home islands. In May 2011, ease, and cerebrovascular disease. The high rates
legislators from Hawaii urged the US govern- of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
ment to conduct medical screening of COFA have been attributed to the destruction of their
migrants to prevent entry of individuals who are natural environment, coral reefs, and agricultural
likely to become a public charge [86]. lands from nuclear and sewage contamination.
Under the Affordable Care Act of 2010, COFA The importation of food commodities into the
migrants are eligible to purchase health insurance islands by the United States, such as canned
through the state’s health insurance exchange. meats, white flour, sugar, and rice, accompanied
Most Micronesian migrants, however, have little their transition from subsistence farming to a sed-
education, speak little or no English, and face entary lifestyle [88].
social challenges, such as unemployment, pov- Cancer is the second leading cause of death
erty, poor living conditions, and lack of transpor- among Micronesians. In 2007, preliminary
tation, which impede their ability to find steady results from the Pacific Cancer Initiative discov-
employment and access social services and the ered 26 cancers associated with nuclear weapons
health-care systems [82]. Today, many testing. Radiation exposure maybe associated
Micronesians are flocking to homeless shelters with a 95% lifetime risk for thyroid cancer [89].
and struggling to make ends meet. Gastric and liver cancer rates are high along with
Micronesian migrants in Hawaii have numer- other types of cancers found in developing
ous health problems including communicable countries, such as prostate, breast, lung, and oral
and chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer. Ionizing radiation exposure is a well-doc-
cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Many are on umented risk factor in most malignancies, but
renal dialysis and receiving chemotherapy treat- latent radiation carcinogenesis is complex and
ment. They have lower rates of immunization difficult to definitively trace [90]. The full conse-
compared to those of other groups. They have quences of nuclear testing are unknown, espe-
reported encountering open resentment, blatant cially among the descendants of those who were
racism, and discrimination in health care and exposed. Nuclear-related cancers have not been
general society [86]. fully expressed and are predicted to increase in
In Micronesia, smoking and alcoholism are the future [83].
major problems; many lives are lost to drunk- Infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, hep-
driving [86]. Suicide is the leading cause of death atitis B, and syphilis are endemic in Micronesia.
for young men aged 15–29, which is among the The region has the highest rate of Hansen’s dis-
highest in the world and more than ten times that ease, with most cases being diagnosed in Hawaii
of American men of the same age. The Republic [91]. The region is also plagued by outbreaks of
of Palau has the highest rates of schizophrenia in cholera and dengue fever. Micronesians suffer
the world. The average life expectancy in from increasing rates of sexually transmitted
Micronesia is 65 compared to 77 years in the infections including chlamydia, gonorrhea,
United States [83]. Chronic diseases including syphilis, and HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS rates for
diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, Micronesian migrants in Hawaii remain low;
strokes, and obesity are major health problems however, there is concern over their reluctance
which are projected to increase. Among the pop- to seek screening and treatment in the absence
16 D. F. Pacquiao
sovereignty, cultural identity, and control over the cumulative exposure, susceptibility, and
their lives can restore their meaningful existence resistance to risks by individuals, communities,
by moving from a state of dependence to a more and populations in different ecological con-
autonomous and productive life. There should be texts. All these causal pathways affect indige-
an obligation by the federal government to pro- nous and disempowered groups who suffered
mote educational achievement and gainful historical mass trauma.
employment of Micronesian migrants and AIANs Place-based health inequities are linked to
by facilitating their access to quality schools, historical classism and social inequalities that
residential environments, and empowering social accumulate risks and disadvantages in vulnera-
connections with their own people and outside ble populations. Macrosocial or upstream
support. approaches are needed to stop the cycle of vul-
Health educators should use theories, research nerability by shifting the emphasis from indi-
methods, and interpretations that can shed light vidual and disease-based measures to focusing
on the association between social inequities and on population health promotion. Health is not
health. Policies and programs should be exam- merely the absence of disease but rather the
ined for their impact on vulnerable populations; capacity of the people to control their life con-
outcomes evaluation must include comparative ditions to achieve health. Macrosocial initia-
measures between vulnerable groups and other tives address the social determinants of
groups. Multidisciplinary theories and perspec- disadvantages that result in poor health. Health
tives should be used to guide the study design and advocacy for indigenous and vulnerable popu-
interpretation of findings in order to bring a better lations must be informed by social justice and
understanding of the social determinants and human rights principles. The right to health is
place-based health inequities. intimately linked with other human rights as
human rights are indivisible. Physical and men-
tal health are impacted by chronic stress from
Conclusion unsafe environments, poverty, and discrimina-
tion. Therefore, health promotion must attend
A society’s economic, political, and social rela- to the living and working conditions of popula-
tionships affect how the people live and the tions rather than just the illnesses. Human
condition of their environment; these relation- rights protection and social justice demand pro-
ships shape patterns of disease distribution. tection of the vulnerable in society. Social jus-
Societal distribution of health and illness can- tice upholds the collective obligation to redress
not be separated from a society’s economic and inequalities especially for the vulnerable whose
political ecology. Social determinants of poor capacity to confront multiple risks and disad-
health are operationalized in places by the vantages is constrained [97].
social inequalities that produce different out- Disadvantaged groups in society have shared
comes in population health. Life course theory social characteristics that are different from
emphasizes that the timing, length, and context powerful groups. Advocacy for the vulnerable
of exposure to social disadvantages or advan- must be informed by their valued traditions and
tages influence a population’s present and unique identities. Culturally competent advo-
future physical and mental well-being. cacy preserves their self-worth and pride
Allostatic load theory elucidates how unmiti- because it is built on mutual respect, apprecia-
gated, place-based social stressors create wear tion of differences, and grassroot empowerment.
and tear effects on the body, with negative con- Health professionals working with disadvan-
sequences on physical and mental health. taged groups must promote their active partici-
Ecosocial theory emphasizes that societal pat- pation and sense of achievement from which
terns of health and disease represent the empowerment, autonomy, and self-advocacy
embodiment of social inequalities that structure can flourish [98].
Exploring the Variety of Random
Documents with Different Content
The earliest guns were simply tubes, not cast, but built of strips of
iron or wood held together by rings. They were breech-loaders, the
charge being placed in a loosely-fitting chamber. How the chamber
was secured and the gun fired are still undecided. The guns were
usually innocent of trunnions and were fastened lengthwise upon
wooden beams which could be propped up to give them the desired
elevation. It has been recorded that in one of the earliest siege
operations at which this primitive artillery was employed, both sides
were so interested in the operation of firing that they ceased
exchanging missiles and defiance, and even stopped their personal
combats, until after the discharge, when, being much relieved that
the stone bullet had inflicted no damage on the assailed castle wall
and had wounded no one, they resumed hostilities in the old-
fashioned way. In those days one discharge per gun per diem was
regarded as sufficient. It was customary to load the piece overnight
and fire it in the morning, from which it may be surmised that its
moral effects were greater than the material destruction caused.
Artillery would have to be in a more advanced stage to justify its use
at sea, for no vessels could afford to carry guns which could only be
used so infrequently. Nevertheless, the moral effects of gunfire were
so evident, especially when weapons were made more powerful and
able to inflict serious material damage, that the adoption of the new
arm for naval war could not be long delayed, and the time soon
arrived when both national and private vessels of any size carried
one gun or more. By the middle of the fifteenth century guns on
board ship had become common.
The illustration of the model[14] of a ship of the period 1486-1520
gives a very good idea of what the warships of that time were like.
Although the vessel carried guns, the bow and arrow were still relied
upon. The archer’s panier on the mast had given place to the deep
circular top. Castles, however, were provided fore and aft for the
archers, and were useful alike for affording them protection and
accommodation and a place of vantage whence to discharge their
arrows. The vessel is of the same type as the Spanish caravel of the
early sixteenth century. From this it may be inferred that the
Spaniards went to the north for the designs of their hulls, but
preferred to retain the rig with which they were most familiar, the
Spaniards depending largely on lateen yards and sails, whereas the
model is square-rigged but without the top-sails she ought to carry.
A feature of the sea-going Atlantic vessels of this time was their
great beam in proportion to their length. They also had an
extraordinary amount of “tumble home,” or sloping of the sides
above the water line towards each other. Ships of the type
represented by the model were much in advance of those upon
which artillery was first carried.
Galleys were the first to be equipped with guns, the weapons being
upon the upper deck and fired above the bulwarks. Some galleys,
particularly in the Mediterranean, carried only one gun forward, a
bow chaser. The desire to carry more guns and to fire them over the
sides led to the raising of the sides of the vessel; and in order to
avoid the strain to the ship’s structure when the guns were fired, the
weak point apparently being the connection between the sides and
beams, the sides were given an inclination inboard, or tumble home,
the connecting beams being thus shortened. The practice was
carried to such an absurd extent that the beam of a Venetian galleon
—as such vessels now began to be called—at the deck might be
only half that of the vessel at the water line. The narrower deck
space left less room on which to place the stern castle, which
instead of being an addition became a structural part of the ship,
provided with three and sometimes four decks, all carrying cannon.
A MEDITERRANEAN WAR GALLEY.
From an Old Print.
SHIP OF WAR, 1486-1520.
From a Model in the Museum of the Royal United Service Institution.
On the Atlantic coasts the problem of cannon was solved in its own
way. Guns were placed broadside and fired over the bulwark. But the
disadvantages of this method were so obvious, especially when an
enemy returned the fire, that portholes in the bulwarks were devised
through which the guns could be discharged. A French shipbuilder at
Brest, named Decharges, is said to have been the inventor of
portholes, and also to have designed some other improvements. His
portholes, however, were so small that the muzzles of the guns could
only just protrude. It was impossible to give them any traverse, that
is, to train or aim them.
The general adoption of artillery led to numerous modifications in the
shape of the ships; they were built of greater dimensions, were more
fully masted and rigged, and could show a considerable press of sail.
It was also considered advisable that ships should be built especially
for war purposes, the French taking the lead after the battle of La
Rochelle.
If Henry V.’s warlike enterprises proved harmful to the development
of English commerce, there is no denying that shipbuilding made
some progress in his reign, though very little is known of the details
of the construction of the vessels. From lists of the ships employed in
his expeditions, it appears that his fleets included “Great Ships,” the
largest of which was the Jesus of 1,000 tons, the others being the
Holigost, 760 tons; Trinity Royal, 540 tons, and Christopher Spayne,
600 tons; there were also “cogs,” which were rather smaller;
carracks, which were probably foreign built and were prizes of war,
the construction of these vessels not having been then begun in
England; ships, barges, and ballingers, the last being barges. The
last three classes were no doubt impressed merchant vessels,
ranging from 500 tons in the case of the ships to 80 tons in the
ballingers. In regard to the “Great Ships,” it is reported[15] that Henry,
observing the superiority of the Castilian and Genoese ships, caused
some very large vessels, called “dromons,” to be built at
Southampton, “such as were never seen in the world before,” says
an old writer erroneously, “three of which had the names of the
Trinity, Grace de Dieu, and Holy Ghost.” Although called dromons it
does not follow that they were similar to the dromons in earlier or
contemporary use in the eastern Mediterranean. The name was
given to the latter because of their size and speed, and it is very
likely that Henry V.’s vessels were so named for similar reasons.
Long galleys, called ramberges, were also used about this time, and
the English are said to have become very expert in their
management.
Most of the large English armed ships of the middle of the fifteenth
century were Spanish or Genoese built. A ship was then in existence
carrying four guns on the broadside, fired apparently through ports in
the bulwarks. She was fitted with four masts and a bowsprit, and had
a high forecastle similar to that provided in Italian ships of that
period, but seemingly more a part of the structure of the ship than
was that of the latter. The mainsail bears the arms of the Earl of
Warwick.[16]
A remarkable ship in the history of naval building was the Great
Harry, sometimes confounded with the Henry Grace de Dieu. The
Great Harry was commenced for Henry VII., and is regarded by
many as the first ship of the British Royal Navy. No doubt the fact
that Henry lived for many years in Brittany, which was then
remarkable for its maritime activity, gave him a greater interest in
shipping than most of his predecessors on the throne professed.
It was a proud day for England, had he but known it, when, in the
year 1488, he ordered the Great Harry, for she marked the first
serious attempt of an English sovereign to render the state not
wholly dependent upon the merchants and the ports whenever he
decided upon an expedition abroad, by providing a vessel which
should be at the disposal of the state whenever required. For the first
time in the history of England, for the building of a national ship, the
axes swung as the trees were felled, and the blows resounded
through the forests; the forges roared for the formation of the iron
bolts and nails, and the hammers on the anvils rang as they beat
them into shape; the tools of the carpenters hissed as they fashioned
the knees and ribs and beams and planks; the looms whereon the
sailcloth was woven hummed in the industrial chorus; for this was
the first ship of England a nation, the first sign that Britannia was
really awaking at last to the fulfilment of her maritime destiny. He did
not live to see this vessel completed, and she was finished in Henry
VIII.’s reign. Henry VII. also ordered the Regent and the Sovereign.
The Great Harry is said to have been the first two-decked vessel
built in England, and the only ship with three masts in the whole
squadron. She was accidentally burnt at Woolwich in 1553.[17]
The Regent was about 1,000 tons, and carried two hundred and
twenty-five small guns, called serpentines. She had four masts and a
bowsprit, and was launched at Rotherhithe. She was not of English
design, but, like a few before her and many since, was modelled
after a French vessel. The Sovereign, a somewhat smaller ship,
carried one hundred and forty-one serpentines. The year 1512 saw
the end of the Regent. She was the flagship of the English in a
notable battle, and was opposed by the great French ship, Marie de
la Cordeliere, which was provided at the expense of Anne of Brittany,
then Queen of France. This ship is stated to have carried one
thousand two hundred fighting men, exclusive of mariners; at this
time there were nine hundred on board, according to Derrick, who
probably bases his statement on the report that she foundered with
all hands numbering nine hundred.
An English description of the engagement states that, “All things
being ... in order, the Englishmen approached towards the
Frenchmen, which came fiercely forward ... and when they were in
sight they shot ordnance so terribly that all the sea coast sounded of
it.” One of the English ships “bowged,” or rammed, the Cordeliere,
and when at last the Cordeliere was boarded, “a varlet gunner, being
desperate, put fire in the gunpowder.”[18] The French writer, Guerin,
also quoted by the same authority, in his version, says: “In the midst
of this general French attack there was to be noted above all others
a large and beautiful carrack, decorated superbly and as daintily as a
queen. She of herself had already sunk almost as many hostile
vessels as all the rest of the fleet, and now found herself surrounded
by twelve of the principal English ships.... From the top of a hostile
vessel there was flung into her a mass of fireworks. Then, sighting
the Regent, she, like a floating volcano, bore down, a huge
incendiary torch, upon her, pitilessly grappled her, and wound her in
her own flaming robe. The powder magazine of the Regent blew up,
and with it the hostile ship ... while the Cordeliere, satisfied, and still
proud amid the disaster, and a whirl of fire and smoke, vanished
beneath the waves.” The English version, if less vivid, is also less
imaginative.
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