Mary Zimmerman, professor of sociology at the University of Kansas and daughter of former ESU staff member John J. Zimmerman, lectured about health care policies on Monday at the 18^th annual Zimmerman Memorial Lecture.

“In order to make policy that will help families we will have to have insurance that will cover everybody,” Zimmerman said. “I personally feel that it’s important to have everyone insured since not having people insured costs those that are. The family division of labor has changed and public health and social policies haven’t kept up.”

The Zimmerman lecture series began in 1987 in memory of John J. Zimmerman, a 25-year ESU history faculty member who passed away in 1983.

The main focus of the lecture was the “care deficit” that exists within existing medical care programs throughout the world and the medical sociology behind the “care deficits.”

“I liked the presentation overall,” said May Lee, sophomore business administration major. “I wanted to learn more about the carework and I find it really hard to understand about getting insurance and how the policy is currently ran.”

One of the main points was the difference between the U.S. and other industrialized nations.

“The U.S. is an exception in the fact that little public health support exists when compared with equivalent societies,” Zimmerman said. “There are far more private options, but they are more for the affluent.”

Another feature of Zimmerman’s lecture was the idea of a “chain of care.” This concept involves the movement of care providers, like nurses and physicians, from areas where they may be some of the only qualified individuals to areas where they have better job opportunities. This was also referred to as the “commodification” of healthcare.

“What used to be given as a matter of love, or responsibility, we now buy and sell,” Zimmerman said. “Now people migrate to provide that care.”

Theories about why there is a care deficit, particularly in the United States, were presented. One idea that was strongly supported was the idea that women’s multiple roles as mothers, employees and then as caretakers for aging families has contributed to the care deficits that exist.

“In the United States it is often the case that families are more disrupted by illness,” Zimmerman said. “People are forced in many cases to choose between their jobs and taking care of their sick family members.”

The numbers of migrants between nations based on health care job availability was also provided.

“Half of the migration north is to fill care work jobs,” Zimmerman said. “The number of foreign born nurses in U.S. hospitals increased to 13 percent between 1994 and 2002 – a 70 percent increase.”

Less than 10 people attended – most of them faculty.

“I am sorry more people weren’t here,” said Ellen Hansen, chair of the department of social sciences. “It’s a timely issue, and it affects all of us.”

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