Sociology of Health and Illness The sociological approaches focus on identifying the two sociological theories. We critically analysed the biomedical model and doctor patient relationship. We also evaluated how the medical professionals exercise social control and medical professional’s contribution to ill health. The difference between society and health is studied by sociologist in relation to health and illness. This also discusses health in relation to social institutions for example family, employment and school. However, health can be defined in a number of ways such as negative and positive. The negative is where health is perceived to be the absence of disease or abnormalities in the body. This is similar to the positive is where health focuses on the presence of certain attributes, rather than the absence of them. This is different from the world health organisation (WHO 2008) where health requires a person to be completely physically, mentally and socially well, but not just the absence of disease and illness. This also requires the person to be socially and economically productive in order to be seen as healthy. According to Mildred Blaxter (1990), there are different ways of defining health. Furthermore, disease can be seen as the presence of an abnormality in part of the body or where there is a harmful physical change in the body such as broken bones. So, illness is the physical state of disease that is to say, the symptoms that a person feels because of the disease. However, there is some limitation of these definitions which is not merely an absence of disease but a state of physical, mental, spiritual and social wellbeing. (Haralambos and Holbon 2009 p: 50). Therefore, there are social control ... ... middle of paper ... ... Bibliography: https://www.palgrave.com/biotonpdfs0333 994571914 cha13.pdf (Accessed 11-04-2014) http://interruptions.net/literature/waitzkin-JHSB89.pdf (Accessed 12-042014) www.cliffsnotes.com article p: 4 sociology perspectives on health accessed 12-04-2014 Reference: Sociology for AS AQA Ken B 4th edition ISBN-13:978-0-7456-5551-2(Pb) World health organisation cited in Haralambos and Holborn (2009) sociology themes and perspectives: students hand book, seventh edition, London Collins Publishers. Taylor, s and Dfield2003 sociology of health Cambridge, Blackwell Marx, Karl and Friedrich Engels 1846(1939).the German ideology. New York: international Kevin White pp: 5-8k introduction to sociology of health and illness second edition books.goole.co.uk accessed 11-04-2014
The Open University (2010) K101 An introduction to health and social care, Unit 2, ‘Illness, Health and Care’, Milton Keynes, The Open University.
...an, P., Egerter, S., & Williams, D. R. (2011). The social determinants of health: coming
First, the sociological model of health provides more value on the social, economic and environmental causes of disease such as cancer for example, rather than only focusing on the biological aspect such as the medical model. Therefore, health and disease prevention is a key aspect, instead of relying on the treatment alone. Although medicine is frequently still required for treatment, the focus however is still primarily on self help and community activity. Furthermore, by finding the source of the issue and solving the cause, the problem is less likely to return or resurface. In other words, the sociological model of health is the preferred model for studying and examining diseases issues such as cancer as it relates to most important working
Isabel Fletcher Sociology of Health & Illness Vol. xx No. x 2013 ISSN 0141-9889, pp. 1–16
Richmond, K. and Germov, J., 2009. Sociology of Health Promotion. In: Germov, ed. An Introduction to Health Sociology. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, pp. 476-499.
The biomedical model of health has been criticised because it fails to include the psychological and social causes relating to an individual’s medical illness or health, looking only at the biological causes (Giddens and Sutton, 2013). Therefore, sociologists being aware of the impacts of social structure and lifestyle on health have put in various efforts to place the study of ‘the social’ at the core of health and healthcare examination.
The statement of Health is socially constructed, because it is connected to the belief’s which we associate about “who is heathy”? health can be define in a negative approach as the absence of disease but WHO (2016) define health in a positive approach by saying “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” Even WHO claims that the definition of health has not be changed since this adoption in 1948, I can say there is not an agreed definition of health because not everyone can define health in a positive approach as WHO. Blaxter in her study (1990) concluded health can be define in three approach positive, negative and functional. Health
In this essay I am going to investigate whether health is easily defined as the absence of disease or physical injury. According to Health psychology (2009) ‘World Health Organisation defined health as a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’. In order to achieve good physical a nutrition diet is needed, healthy BMI, rest and adequate physical exercise is needed.
In some way, public health is seen as a modern philosophical and ideological perspective based on ‘equity’ and aimed to determine inequitable in society. It seen as a ‘science’ and ‘art’ in the sense that it deals with the cause of disease, treatment of illness as well as it involves laboratory experiments, intervention and promoting of health of the population. Winslow (1920, p. 23) defined public health as ‘the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting physical health and efficiency through organised community efforts for the sanitation of the environment, the control community infections, the education of the individual in principles of personal hygiene, the organisation of medical and nursing service for early diagnosis and preventive treatment of disease, and the development of social machinery which will ensure to every individual in the community a standard of living adequate for the maintenance of health. On the other hand, it is ‘the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through organised effort of society’ (Acheson, 1998; in Cowley S, 2002, p. 261).
When one thinks of health, we think of our physical well-being, we think of the medicines we have to take to ensure our recovery in cases of illness, we think white-washed halls, doctors, nurses, candy stripers in their hospital clothes, we think vegetables and fruit juice, and the rest of that wellness-junk that the television infomercials make us buy, we think of sickness, we think of death, we think of life. We do not, or rarely, think of the underlying sociological implications of health and illness, through which we unknowingly dictate our actions, and through which our health manoeuvres through. Beyond the biological and natural conditions, through which our health is dictated, are the sociological factors affecting our wellbeing. It has been shown that the spread of diseases is heavily influenced by culture and tradition, and clearly, our socioeconomic statuses. Health therefore is much more than just an amalgamation of biological factors, but it extends to more socially-constructed sectors of our beings. And all these factors tend to procure inequalities.
The notion of health is contextual and an interactive, dynamic process between person and environment (Schim et al, 2007). Both wellness and illness are conceptualized by the ‘person’, existing on a continuum across the lifespan (Arnold & Boggs, 2001).
Introduction: For this essay I am going to critically discuss the biomedical model as well as the social model of health and how they both relate to the lay perspectives on health and illness.
In the event of an individual falling ill, we as a nation are very lucky to have such excellent Physicians. Sociology has a variety of different perspectives when it comes to the understanding of the honest purpose of healthcare. With the new era emerging with new technology, humans have become inattentive to the environment and health wellness. I will be explaining the importance of healthcare from the Functionalistic Perspective, targeting three main factors; sick role, gatekeeper and social class. Along with some interesting facts, and studies of the environments role in health within a community.
As the largest force in health care, nursing profession is considered to be in a unique position to facilitate health promotion and disease prevention. Nurses spend considerably more time with patients in comparison to other healthcare professionals and as such, they assist patients in managing their own health. The fundamental requirement in providing this care is to ensure that individuals remain as independent as possible through encouragement and empowerment. There are number of factors to be considered in delivering this care effectively. In view of cultural, socio-economic and educational diversity amongst us, it is difficult to define “health” or indeed “illness”. As our perceptions differ, so do our interpretations and possible meanings of those words. The World Health Organisation (WHO), 1948, states that “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Although positive, the def...
The concept of health introduces multiple complexities further deepening the meaning of what it is to be healthy. The definition of health is arbitrary and can differ from individual to individual. Otherwise, my basic perception of health is experienced through the things I learned at school and from the people around me. Growing up, I was taught practices such as coughing into my sleeve and washing my hands to prevent the spread of germs. What I always understood about health is just to simply avoid sickness. However, my perspective gradually changed as I experience events involving my well-being and those around me. I began to realize that health has a plethora of definitions which helped create my own idea of that concept. Health, to me,