Chapter 15 Flashcards
Health
¬ “State of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease of infirmity”
What does life expectancy do
assesses how long the average citizen will live in a given society. It represents the average lifespan of a newborn, and is an indicator of the overall health of a country
Social determinants of health
Sociologist refer the term social determinants of health to the diverse interactions between health and social factors. The term includes the conditions in which people are born, grown, live, work, and age
What influences a n individual’s health
Socioeconomic status. the higher one’s social standing, economic status and income are, the better overall one’s health is.
Social factors of minority status and health
¬ poverty, access to health care facilities and diet
Cultural factors of minority status and health
traditional healing techniques and the negative stereotyping when dealing with some health care professionals
Gender and Sex-based analysis
an approach to research that systematically explores biological (sex-based) and sociocultural (gender-based) differences between male and female, without starting from the position that any differences exist
Socialized medicine
is where the government own and operates most medical facilities and employs most physicians. Sweden uses this system
Five universal principles of health
¬ Universal: the system must cover all Canadians
¬ Accessible: The system must provide reasonable access for everyone and must be unimpeded by financial or other barriers so that no one can be discriminated against on the basis of age, income, or health status
¬ Comprehensive: The system must cover all medically necessary services
¬ Portable: The system must provide coverage between provinces should a person move
¬ Publically administered: The system must be operated by a public body on a not-for-profit basis
Three health care issues
Access, costs, and alternative health care
3 challenges of alternative health care
Alternative health care workers may not undergo the standard type of training from medical schools
Alternative health care systems have hidden costs that could overwhelm the system’s ability to pay
Many alternative treatments lack scientific evidence to establish their effectiveness
Functionalist approach to health care
This approach views health care as an important mechanism through which society administers the care and treatment of its citizens
Conflict theory approach to health care
¬ This perspective points out the unequal access to health care system between rich and poor, Aboriginal people and other Canadians
¬ It also argues that the medical profession legitimates and sanctions its control over people’s health through a process called medicalization
Medicalization
refers to the increasing influence of the medical profession in defining what is normal/healthy and abnormal/ill
Latrogenisis
describes (not done)
Symbolic interactionism
Influence of labelling-people use the labels health and illness as fixed, binary opposites although in reality health can fall within both spectrum. Once labelled as ill, people often assume a set of expectations that are based on diagnosis and the individual
Influence of Self-Fulfilling prophecy: the power of the mind to influence one’s health or illness
Feminist theory
¬ argue that male-centred medical science seeks to find universal truth while dismiss the attributes that define women’s reality, like intuition, subjectivity, and emotions
post-structuralist theory
health care must become more responsive to the needs of the individual patient and become less about the need of health professionals to “fix” the problem
Bipower
¬ a form of social knowledge that flows from medical knowledge
-Foucault’s concept of biopower refers to the situation when actors become self-regulating subjects through “technologies of the self”. This knowledge influence how we behave
Issues facing seniors
- Transition to retirement
- Financial pressures
- Age discrimination (Aka Agism)
- Vulnerability to Crime
- Long-term Care and Chronic pain
- Preparing to die
(not chronological)
Healthy aging
presumes that older people are intrinsic value to society rather than a burden and that their autonomy and sense of personal control are essential for maintaining human dignity and integrity
Ageism
a system of inequality based on age that privileges the young at the expense of the old
Euthanasia
¬ Voluntary euthanasia- someone asks to be allowed to die
¬ Involuntary euthanasia- withholding or ceasing treatment of someone not likely to recover from a disease or injury
¬ Active euthanasia-intervening to hasten someone’s terminal illness
¬ Passive euthanasia- withdrawal of medical treatment with the deliberate intention to hasten a terminally ill-patient’s death
¬ Assisted suicide- helping someone to end his or her life
People first philosophy
Place individual before the disability to focus on a person’s abilities rather than limitation”
Disability
defined as a mental or physical condition that limits people’s everyday activities and restricts what they can do
Developmental disability
the term used to describe life-long impairments that are attributable to mental and/or physical disabilities (e.g. Autism)
Ableism
discrimination against those who have a mental or physical disability on the basis of preconceived, stereotypical notions about their limitations
Functionalist approach to disabilities- Parsons
¬ Functionalist hold that the sick role defines the expected behaviour of those who are sick. In that way it is similar to all other social roles (e.g. student, mother, etc.). The role reinforces society’s desire to give people time to recover so they can eventually return to their role within society
