Mouth Care

Perio means around, and dontal refers to teeth. Periodontal diseases are infections of the structures around the teeth. This includes the gums, periodontal ligament and alveolar bone. In the earliest stage of periodontal disease is gingivitis or the infection affects the gums. In more severe forms of the disease, all of the tissues are involved. Periodontal disease is caused by bacteria in dental plaque. Plaque is the sticky substance that forms on your teeth soon after you have brushed. In an effort to get rid of the bacteria, the cells of your immune system release substances that inflame and damage the gums, periodontal ligament or alveolar bone. This leads to swollen, bleeding gums, a sign of gingivitis or the earliest stage of periodontal disease. Damage from periodontal disease also can cause teeth to become loose. This is a sign of severe periodontitis or the advanced stage of disease.

              The four reasons that dental work should be included as part of the universal health care system. First reasons, Poor oral hygiene can give you systemic injuries. Pyorrhea is an infection of the gums and tooth-sockets. The infection starts beneath the edges of the gums and progresses into the membranes that attach the root of the tooth to the socket. There, a pocket is formed and as the pus is continually produced it is discharged into your mouth and swallowed. Also, as the tooth rises and falls in its diseased socket during ordinary chewing, bacteria are forced into the circulation and may be carried to other body parts, attacking tissues in which they can thrive including your heart, kidneys and lungs.

Second, like if you have a tooth decay it will links to damage to other organs in the body like gum infections and lung disease. Tooth decay can actually turn out to be a serious problem if left untreated. If dental decay reaches the pulp of the tooth, there can be serious implications. The pulp of the tooth contains nerves, blood vessels, and other tissues connected to the rest of the body. The same blood supply that goes to the heart, the liver, the brain, and all other organs of the body, also circulates through the jaw, which carries the blood to the infected tooth and back. If the infection is in the upper arch and breaks through the maxillary sinus and carries the infecting agents toward the cerebral tissue, an individual can suffer a cavernous sinus thrombosis which can result in death. On the other hand, if the infection is in the lower arch and the infection reaches the fascial tissues under the mandible, a condition called Ludwig's angina can occur which in fact suffocates the patient and can result mortality.          

Third, bad breathe which is also known as halitosis is caused by poor oral hygiene. In most cases of persistent bad breath, the smell comes from a build-up of bacteria within the mouth like in food debris, plaque and gum disease, smoking, dry mouth, medicines or in a coating on the back of the tongue. If these bacteria remain in your mouth, they will emit sulfur compounds and cause bad breath. Having bad breath affects the relationships with others and also your confidence and self esteem.

Fourth, is having a cracked tooth syndrome which refers to a toothache caused by a broken tooth or tooth fracture without associated cavity or advanced gum disease. Biting on the area of tooth fracture can cause severe sharp pains. These fractures are usually due to chewing or biting hard objects such as hard candies, pencils and nuts. The reason it hurts to bite when you have a cracked tooth is the fact that your tooth is flexing which microscopically stimulates the nerve in the tooth.  These hairlines cracks open and close which applies pressure on tubules that runs down the nerve of the tooth causing fluid to push and pull on the tooth nerve resulting in pain. The nerve in the cracked tooth is also being exposed to bacterial toxins that become inflamed making it sensitive allowing infection to spread to the nerve and bone tissue underneath resulting in an abscess.  If the crack goes untreated it will spread and deepen like a crack in glass and a part of the tooth may break off causing a need for a root canal or extraction. If left untreated for this condition it will cause severe pain, swelling, pus and possible bone loss that will put stress on your immune system and may affect your overall health.

The benefits of having the dental work included as part of the universal health care system is very important to our well being since oral health is linked to overall health. Good dental health is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Regular dental checkups which are essential to maintaining healthy teeth and avoiding tooth decay and gum disease. Having a free access to treatment for any dental conditions that may develop in our life and it will help us to keep our natural teeth for as long as possible if not for a lifetime. Good oral hygiene can add comfort, enjoyment and years to our life. We will be able to communicate better, eat more easily and will maintain dignity

It would also help the general overall health of a client because they will maintain their healthy mouth structures, improve their appetite and may decrease the incidence of heart disease, diabetes, emphysema, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, stroke and infectious diseases. It is even more important to those clients who are unconscious or intubated or to those who cannot do proper dental care by themselves; at least there is somebody to provide it for them. So, when thinking about our health, do not just think about blood, heart, lungs or others think about our oral health as well.

Mouth Care

        Flossing is important for our teeth and for our general health. Because of all the food we eat, if we do not floss, tiny particles of dead food get stuck between our teeth. Once they are stuck, they almost immediately start to rot. Rotting food produces bacteria. The bacteria produce acid and the acid eats away the enamel on our teeth. The bacteria also produces plaque, if not removed can emanate a bad smell or bad breath. Brushing alone cannot clean all around a tooth when there is another tooth right next to it. Flossing completes tooth brushing by removing plaque and foods remaining in between two teeth where tooth decay often starts.

 Dental work should be included in our health system. First, tooth decay results in a cavity or dental caries.  It occurs when bacteria in the mouth make acids that eat away tooth.  Cavities that go untreated can result in an infected tooth. Infections that go untreated can result in the patient losing a tooth. Some infections may spread into the immune system and become life threatening. Some patients may also suffer jaw-bone damage, neighboring tooth damage, sinus problems or a brain abscess. If dental works are free we can prevent dental caries to become severe.

Second, gum infection can also lead to other serious health problems. It doubles the risk of stroke, triples the risk of heart attack, increases the incidence of premature, low-weight babies, and also contributes to bronchitis, pneumonia, and emphysema. The bloodstream links organisms in the mouth to the rest of the body. Bacteria from the mouth flood into the circulatory system and travel to other parts of the body, causing a widespread inflammatory response. Bacteria originating from the gums to the veins and arteries cause plaque buildup and arterial inflammation that can provoke jeopardous clotting.

Third, halitosis is a medical term that refers to bad breath. Halitosis or bad breath is generally caused by sulfur-producing bacteria that normally occur in the mouth on the surface of the tongue, teeth, gums, and in the throat. The medical condition dry mouth also called xerostomia is also known to cause bad breath. Most common reason for a dry mouth are the side effects of some medications, salivary gland problems, or continuous breathing through the mouth which may mean there are sinus problems. Having a bad breath does not only affect you physically but also emotionally. It destroys relationships with your family and friends because they try to limit conversations with you to get rid of the bad smell once you begin talking. It also lessens the chances for job opportunities since some companies find you a threat of decreasing the probability of acquiring several clients. With this, your self-esteem and self-confidence is decreased. You are frustrated of yourself and gradually feel the sense of worthlessness.

            Fourth, when teeth are cracked or broken it is painful to eat. You will have difficulty to chew the food properly. This will lead to digestion problems. Biting into some foods, such as fresh vegetables, may be quite very painful. Malnutrition will result from the inability to eat properly. Good nutrition is important to help build strong teeth and gums that can resist disease and promotes healing.

            Everyone can benefit from having dental as part of health care system. Even if you are healthy, you never know what the future holds. If you need dental care, you simply can’t predict how high these costs will be and dental care costs are steadily rising. If dental works will be a part of our health system, everyone can get it free. Healthy gums, teeth and breath will prevent chronic immune reactions related to heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses.  A good set of teeth is much more than just a pretty smile, it will increase self steem and self confidence.           

            The health of our teeth and mouth are linked to overall health and well-being in a number of ways. The ability to chew and swallow our food is essential for obtaining the nutrients we need for good health. Lastly, one of our biggest assets is our smiles. When we smile, we make others around us feel at ease. As the saying goes, laughter is the best medicine. If you have good oral hygiene you can smile or laugh out loud with confidence. Humor and laughter strengthen the immune system, boost energy, diminish pain, and protect us from the damaging effects of stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.

Mouth Care

Periodontal diseases also called periodontitis are those diseases that affect one or more of the periodontal tissues including the alveolar bone,periodontal ligament,cementum and gingiva.
While many different diseases affect the tooth-supporting structures, plaque-induced inflammatory lesions make up the vast majority of periodontal diseases and have traditionally been divided into two categories called gingivitis and periodontitis.

Our mouths are full of bacteria. These bacteria, along with mucus and other particles, constantly form a sticky, colorless "plaque" on teeth. Brushing and flossing help get rid of plaque. Plaque that is not removed can harden and form "tartar" that brushing doesn't clean. Only a professional cleaning by a dentist or dental hygienist can remove tartar. Periodontal disease is caused by bacteria in dental plaque. Plaque is the sticky substance that forms on your teeth soon after you have brushed. In an effort to get rid of the bacteria, the cells of your immune system release substances that inflame and damage the gums, periodontal ligament or alveolar bone. This leads to swollen, bleeding gums, a sign of gingivitis (the earliest stage of periodontal disease). Damage from periodontal disease also can cause teeth to become loose. This is a sign of severe periodontitis (the advanced stage of disease).

Dental care involves taking good care of your teeth, gums and the related structures of the mouth. Dental care includes prevention and treatment of diseases of the gum and teeth, and also the replacement or repair of defective teeth. In many cases people may suffer from dental diseases due to sheer laziness and lack of knowledge towards proper dental care, with mostly the children and at times adults who often do not pay enough attention to teeth care. They fail to realize that healthy teeth and gum is extremely important to keeping you healthy and sound. Proper dental health is not only important to our healthy physical looks; it is essential to the well being of the entire body.

Not brushing your teeth may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to the results of a recent study.More than 700 different types of bacteria live in the mouth. Poor dental hygiene allows these bacteria to flourish, and bleeding gums gives them direct access to the bloodstream. Professor Howard Jenkinson, from the University of Bristol, England, and colleagues who led the study found that certain types of bacteria stick onto platelets causing the platelets to clump together and encase the bacteria, thus creating small blood clots. The formation of these small blood clots increases a person's risk of having a stroke or a heart attack. It also enables the bacteria to evade detection by the immune system and protects them from antibiotics, thus explaining why antibiotics do not always work when they are used to treat infectious heart disease.

Halitosis is a term used to describe noticeably unpleasant odors exhaled in breathing. Halitosis has significant impact personally and socially on those who suffer from it or believe they do halitophobia and is estimated to be the third most frequent reason for seeking dental aid following tooth decay and periodontal disease.

A dental cavity is a damaged hole to the structure of teeth. Having bacteria in your mouth is a normal thing. While some of the bacteria can be harmful, most are not and some are even helpful.

Certain types of bacteria, however, can attach themselves to hard surfaces like the enamel that covers your teeth. If they're not removed, they multiply and grow in number until a colony forms. More bacteria of different types attach to the colony already growing on the tooth enamel. Proteins that are present in your saliva also mix in and the bacteria colony becomes a whitish film on the tooth. This film is called plaque, and it's what causes cavities.

Including dental work as a part of universal health care system would be a very helpful thing to do and would certainly give benefits for the people. Each person will be encouraged to do proper oral hygiene because it is free and they will increase self-confidence. Furthermore, we will decrease poor nutrition and different kinds of disease.

Mouth Care

Dentistry usually encompasses very important practices related to the oral cavity. Oral diseases are major public health problems due to their high incidence and prevalence across the globe with the disadvantaged affected more than other socio-economic groups.
Pyorrhoea or periodontitis refers to an advanced stage of periodontal disease in which the ligaments and bones that support the teeth become inflamed and infected. It is usually a result of gingivitis a periodontal disease that infects the gum through plaque leading to the formation of a pocket between the teeth that trap the plaque. If left untreated pyorrhea can cause halitosis (bad breath) in which the jaw bone is slowly eroded due to painful and bleeding gums. Eventually the loss of tooth support can cause tooth loss and this disease is the primary cause of tooth loss in adults. In order for this stage to be avoided those with pyorrhea should contact their periodontist for treatment.

Most private health insurance companies increase premiums annually. Estimates report that premiums increased an average of 87 percent between the years 2000-2006.  Income, however, is not rising proportionally to keep pace with insurance and the other costs-of-living increases. This is a situation that cannot continue indefinitely while maintaining the same numbers of insured. Following four reason stat that dental work should be part of universal health care system.

First reason, Partial or complete loss of the dentition can result in impairments to masticatory function. Also, systemic medical problems can be exacerbated when limitations are placed on the ability to chew or the ability to consume a well-balanced, nutritious diet. In addition, psychological well-being and quality of life can be compromised when tooth loss affect aesthetics or the ability to speak clearly.

 A second reason, oral cancer, is mostly a disease of older adults. According to the American Cancer Society, about 30,000 people in the US develop oral cancer each year, and only about half of these individuals will survive five years after diagnosis. The low survival rate for most oral cancers results from metastasis to other sites prior to diagnosis. Oral carcinomas as a group are found twice as frequently in men than in women. Also, Hand and Whitehall (1986) reported an association between low levels of education and infrequent visits to the dentist for patients with oral mucosal lesions. In addition, epidemiologic studies indicate that heavy smoking, the chewing of smokeless tobacco, and heavy alcohol consumption are associated with the occurrence of oral carcinoma. Oral cancers can lead to disfigurement and the need for prosthetic appliances to restore function or aesthetics. It should also be noted that the use of radiation therapy to treat oral carcinomas can lead to other oral diseases. For example, decreased salivary flow resulting from radiation treatment can lead to increased susceptibility to infection.

A third reason, dental decay, affects older adults mostly as recurrent caries, cervical caries, and root caries (Banting,1984). Dental caries can be disabling and can result in pain and discomfort as well as tooth loss. Studies indicate that the prevalence of root-surface caries increases with age, and there is an association between root caries and gingival recession (Katz and Meskin, 1986). The 1985-1986 NIDR Survey indicated that root-surface lesions were present in 67% of the males and 61% of the females in a senior population. In addition to gingival recession, other factors that place older individuals at risk for caries include poor nutrition, reduced salivary fluid, poor oral hygiene, various systemic conditions, and certain medications.

Periodontal disease is fourth oral condition frequently found in elders and includes problems such as gingival recession, occlusal trauma, gingivitis, and periodontitis. The prevalence rates of calculus and gingival bleeding in seniors were higher than in younger adults. The severity and prevalence of periodontal diseases increase as individuals’ age. However, the prevalence of advanced periodontal disease in elders is less than previously believed. Severe disease can result in tooth loss, pain, and bleeding. Social functioning can also be impaired because of bad breath and poor aesthetics.

          If dental work covered under the universal health care system, above mention problems may be cured in early stage.  As heavy charge for dental work, people avoid to make visit to dentist.

Do you think elderly people are valued in your society or culture?

We Filipinos valued our elderly in our society. The Filipinos are very fortunate to see the needs of our elderly as we grow up. We were taught to say po and opo which means yes in English, the kind of respect for the elders in the Filipino culture. We respect Filipino elders by kissing the hands of the elderly to show respect and while doing so will say mano po which means please give me your blessings. We give our seats for those older than us when we are riding in the bus or jeepney. We are expected to take care of our elderly, and many of us in our generation, still choose to do it rather than send them to live in nursing homes or homes for the aged. Other Filipinos prefer to have professional care for their elderly, perhaps due to an illness that requires special care. But it still remains a strong Filipino value to care for the elderly, in some cases even when they are not related to us.

            Our extended family role to care and support for the elderly with respect is still in our culture. We choose to live together with our grandparents in the same house. We choose to spend the remaining days of their lives with their children and grandchildren. Filipinos financially support the elders.

            We have a law that gives benefits and privileges’ to people who have reached the age of sixty, it is called the Philippine Senior Citizen’s Act. The seniors or the elders had twenty percent discount on essential goods and services including food, medicine and doctors’ professional fees, fares, accommodations, entertainment and leisure. The monthly pensions, as well as insurance and burial assistance are also included in the laws’ provisions.                          By: Fidelyn Perez

        

I think elderly people are valued in our society or culture, because respect for them has always been the mark of Asian societies like in the Philippines. We put a high premium on preserving the dignity of our older persons and put them in an exalted place in society. Significant concerns of the elderly have been offered serious consideration. Perhaps because of the prevailing view that the local population is generally a young one, the research community has yet to give close attention to elderly issues. One of the issues is the security in old age. Poverty is perceived as an obstacle to a secured old age. As such, the current pension system in the Philippines. Its objective is the provision of social security benefits for retired workers of the government, private offices, veterans, and very recently self-employed workers. Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) caters to government retirees, the Social Security System (SSS) renders services to private and self-employed retirees and the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office And United States Veterans Administration cater to Filipino Veterans. The government offers welfare services such as home for the aged and Senior Citizens Centers to better address the plight of the Filipino elderly. However, the effectiveness of such welfare services can only be confirmed by the level of satisfaction of their intended beneficiaries. Another critical issue is the occurrence of abuse committed against the elderly in homes and in institution. To make matters worse, many cases of elderly abuse in the Philippines are either not properly reported or not reported at all to the authorities. Abuse of the elderly may be in the form of physical violence, psychological abuse, financial exploitation and neglect. In 1991, the General Assembly adopted the Principles for Older Persons. This document becomes a useful guide for it details the actions that should be taken by member states to safeguard the rights of the elderly. Highlights of these principles are independence, participation, care, self-fulfillment, and dignity. With the lack of clear cut definition of abuse, these principles are enough to guide us in determining whether elderly abuse is being done in institutions, in their own homes or in other places. A third issue is the health status of the elderly. As people age their bodies undergo changes which can make them less resistant to chronic, debilitating and disabling conditions. With the growing awareness for elderly concerns and needs, there is a greater demand for appropriate policies and legislative initiatives to promote the welfare of the elderly. As a response, several bills on the elderly in both houses of the Eleventh Congress of the Philippines were already passed and still have to go through the legislative mill. A fourth issue is the economic impact of ageing on overall welfare. Given their increasing number, the elderly pose a great economic challenge as their productivity declines. There is thus, a need for a strong commitment and a comprehensive policy that would respond to the various needs of the elderly. By: Norma Abagon

Those who do not know much about the Indian culture and tradition get very baffled when they see children in India touching the feet of their elders. This is, infect, the commonest Indian gesture and touching someone's feet means the person who is doing the act is showing his respect and subservience to the one whose feet he/she is touching. However, one important aspect related to this gesture is that the person's whose feet are being touched is always superior in age and position.

Respect means being kind and considering the words of elders even if you don’t completely agree with it.  Elderly people are a representation of your future and you would want to be respected when you are elder.  A human needs to respect another human irrespective of their age according to Hindu - Indian philosophy.  In India traditionally during festivals and spiritual occasions younger people lie down flat in front of elders to show respect and to get their blessings. Respect is part of our Indian heritage. The great epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata speak of valiant heroes and role models who were willing to forsake kingdoms, families or sometimes, even life, if it meant honouring or respecting of their parents. These heroic stories are told to elevate nobility in today's youth. By: Manisha Korat

Filipinos highly value the presence of the elder more than anything. Elderly people teach us respect, manners and appreciation of things. I was born in the Philippines and we definitely respect the elderly, no matter what the race is. We respect them in every possible way. People assist elders when crossing streets most especially if they have load on their hands bags or baskets. Vehicles slow down if anyone is crossing the street old and young alike. In public transports, elders get 20 percent discount on their fares and if they don't have money to pay, some drivers or inspectors would let them ride for free. Also, if elders get up a jeepney or a bus, people assist them so that they won't trip and people do offer the seat closest to the door of the vehicle so that it will be easier for the elder to sit once they are in. Children are taught from birth how to say “po” and “opo” to teach them as early as possible how to properly respect their elders. Conservative families expect children to practice the kissing of hands or placing their parents or elder family members’ hand to their foreheads with the words “mano po” as a sort of greeting.  By: Dyna May Meran

I strongly believe that elderly people are valued in our culture. As I base it on my experience, I’ve seen how my parents and my other relatives take care of my grandparents. Unlike in the other country, specifically here in Canada, the elderly people are not pushed to go to home cares because nobody will take care of them. In the Philippines, we make our own ways and time-management for us to be able to take care of our loved ones in need especially the elder ones. Part of our culture o showing respect and love for the elderly is taking care of them as they grow old. It is hard to understand and communicate with them but each family knows their responsibilities of caring the old ones while they are still alive. We Filipinos, deeply care about how they took care of us while we were still young and one of the ways to give them back what kind of sacrifice they gave to us is to show how important they are to our lives. By: Ruth Ann Villanueva

"After and before the Industrial Revolution, the family was composed of numerous relatives of different generations. Then the family was in continous regeneration with many people living togethjer - grantfathers, grandmothers, uncles, brothers, and children. In the past, our women did not work, and the family was in constant change, where a different person would take care of the older (grandparent). With the arrival of progress, the women began to work; now the family is small, the money is not sufficient, people live longer; and the older people have become the "excess weight" for this modern family. In the family, nobody has time to stay with the older people. If they are along, they need to pay a care worker and this person, a straner, becomes company, and is responsible for this older and abandoned person."

Way back on Industrial Revolution time, yes it’s true we have huge of family members and our head of the family is the only one going to work because our women are taking care of our children, and also our grandparents. At that time they do not spend too much because the cost of living is not high. But now, women are going to work also because of the high cost of living. They have to support the needs of the family, like the daily expenses for food, house rental, and clothing and the most important they need lots of money to send their children at the reputable school. Bottom line we did all things to fight the higher cost of living that’s why our elderly send to home care because nobody will take care of them. By: Fidelyn Perez

There were super closed family ties before and after the revolution, numerous relatives are living together in one have grandfather, grandmother, mother, father, children, brothers, sisters, and even uncles and aunties. The arrival of the economy grows, constant change was happened. Women began to work and they started to become small because the money is insufficient for the whole family. The older people become their excess weight for this modern family. Nobody has time to look and take good care of the elders because all of the people in the family are working to earn amount of money they needed. They started to place the older adults in the Health Care Facilities. They pay a health care worker to become their best company who is providing them care they needed. Now, the responsibility of the family in taking good care of the older adults was transferred to the care worker. By: Dyna May Meran

 

           After and before Industrial Revolution, the older people have a closer relationship with the family wherein they live together with their children and grandchildren. But as a modern society progresses where there has been a rise in the number of women in the workforce. The older people are the one suffering because their family does not have time to stay with them. So the older people will need a pay worker to do these responsibilities. But on the other hand it does not mean that the family do not love the older people, only they need to work because of the rising cost of living, which spurred many families to seek a second source of income.                By: Norma Abagon

Modern society has destroyed the extended families around the world. The population that has suffered the most from the termination of the extended family is the elderly. Elderly people must now depend on an increasingly narcissistic society that lacks the resources and empathy to take care of them. The elderly are forced to submit themselves to the control of uncaring, bureaucratic government agencies. In many cases older, retired people must relinquish their basic rights as citizens over to manipulative government agencies.

Once upon a time in world it was the extended family that provided housing, food, and care to the elderly members of society. Men and women one worked hard to house clothe, and feed their children, often sacrificing basic necessities for themselves so that their children may have a higher standard of living than they had themselves.

All this was done in the name of an unspoken, but traditional custom. One day, parents thought they would be assured a place to stay in the home that they deeded to their children. Elderly parents expected to be allowed to live with one of their children when they were no longer able to work or care for themselves. Social security was nonexistent in those days, so it was necessary for families to maintain a structure in society that provided for the needs of all of its members. It times of trouble, family members knew that they could depend on each other for help and support.

The elimination of the extended family in world has shifted the responsibility for caring for a growing, vulnerable, elderly population from caring families to uncaring agencies. Medical care for the elderly is often cut back by government health care officials. Older Americans find it more difficult to pay for prescription medications even with Medicare and Medicaid assistance. Rising costs of housing and food force many senior citizens to do without basic necessities. Families have drifted apart and no longer provide support and financial help to their elderly parents. It is evident that government policies pertaining to older people need to change. The lives of our older citizens need to be vastly improved if we are to prove ourselves worthy of being called a "great society".

Canada’s health care system must provide better care and benefits for seniors. We must improve current standards of living for older Canadians. If all Canadians strive to improve the lives and living conditions of older Canadians, all Canadians will eventually benefit. We all will eventually reap the rewards from efforts to better conditions for society's most vulnerable population. By: Manisha Korat

Every generation has its own progress and every progress have good and bad effects for our society. People tend to get a good job to get a better salary yet they do not understand that their family needs more physical presence than the happiness of what money can buy. As of today, I can say that it become harder for every person to take care of the elderly because they are getting busier caused by their work and that makes them feel that they are not that important to their families. By: Ruthe Ann Villanueva

CULTURE AND DIVERSITY: Role of women in Asian, Africa, Middle Eastern and Northwestern Society

The role of women in the Philippines is explained based on the context of Filipino culture, standards, and mindsets. The Philippines is described to be a nation of strong women, who directly and indirectly run the family unit, businesses, government agencies and haciendas. Although they generally define themselves in the milieu of a masculine dominated post-colonial Asian Catholic society, Filipino women live in a culture that is focused on the community, with the family as the main unit of society. It is in this framework of Philippine hierarchical structure, class differences, religious justifications, and living in a globally developing nation wherein Filipino women struggle for respect. Compared to other parts of Southeast Asia, women in Philippine society have always enjoyed a greater share of legal equality. Generally, the Filipino wife is the treasurer in the family. She has the power of the purse. She makes crucial decisions that involve her family, her home, and her children. Filipino husband's responsibility is to provide for the family, while the Filipino wife ensures that their home and family are well taken care of. Filipino women take pleasure in ensuring that her husband and children are well taken care of, not because she is obligated to do so, but because of her selfless love and devotion to her family.

In traditional Africa, women had recognized and vital roles in the economic well being of their communities. Among the Kikuyu of Kenya, women were the major food producers and thus not only had ready access to land but also had authority of how the land was to be used and cultivated. Therefore, the value of women’s productive labor in producing and processing food established and maintained their rights in the domestic and other spheres. Moreover, in much of pre-colonial Africa, bride wealth gave women a certain amount of economic independence and clout. In the past, African women in some societies retained a measure of control over their bride wealth which economically empowered her to a certain extent. Women were responsible for a number of things including: setting the rules of trade among themselves and an example is market taxes and tariffs, organizing and managing the market system, agreeing on lucrative terms of trade with outsiders, holding meetings to discuss how to improve their trade and marketing system and more.

The position of women in Islamic society in general and in Saudi Arabian society in particular is a complex and frequently misunderstood issue. It is certainly true that Muslim and Western views of the role of women show sharp cultural differences but the stereotype of Muslim women, as uneducated, with no rights and no opportunities is a caricature born of ignorance or malevolence. The Holy Qur'an gave women economic and social rights long before such rights were attained by Western women. From the beginning of Islam, women have been legally entitled to inherit and bequeath property, holding their wealth in their own names even after marriage, without obligation to contribute that wealth to their husband or their family. Under Islam, a woman is enjoined to behave modestly in public and, as in the West until recently, is generally expected to give a full commitment to making a family home - a home within which, incidentally, she enjoys a pre-eminent role.

The Royal Commission on the Status of Women was a Canadian Royal Commission that examined the status of women and recommended steps that might be taken by the federal government to ensure equal opportunities with men in all aspects of Canadian society. Passed by prime minister of the time, Pierre E. Trudeau, the Canadian Human Rights Act gave basic rights to all humans. There was no discrimination based on sex, race, religion, sexuality etc. It specified that there must be "equal pay for work of equal value". There had been significant disparity between the pay received by women and by men.