health problems as social issues Flashcards
sociology
social science that examines human society
sociology of health
explores how society (social norms, social interactions, social relationships ) shapes and constrains individual health
WHO definition of health
-not just the absence of something
-its something we have or dont
-concept of mental and social wellbeing in addition to physical health
two models of health considered in western societies
biomedical model and social model
biomedical model of health ***
assumes “health and illness are objective biological states”
-based on diagnosis and explanation of illness as a malfunction of the bodys biological mechanisms
-health is an individual responsibility
-focus is on treating individuals, not the origins of illness
defining characteristics of the biomedical model of health
- cartesian mind/body dualism
- machine metaphor
- doctrine of “ specific etiology:
- technological imperative
cartesian mind/body dualism
-mind and body seperate (dualism)
-disease/illness in the body -> health interventions focus on the body
-psychological aspect of illness ignored
body as machine metaphor
body= machine of discrete parts (organs, bones etc)
-disease and illness = “breakdown” of the body
-physicians “repair” body
doctrine of “specific etiology”
doctrine : set of beliefs or teachings
etiology : a cause or an origin
-the belief that for each disease there is a specific cause
-leads to search of treatment for said disease
specific cause ** for illness
specific treatment
technological imperative
treatment/repair of the body through technological interventions
-experts apply to body (chemo, surgery, presc meds)
limits of biomedical model
- fallacy of “specific etiology” doctrine (only 1 cause)
- objectification and medical scientism : scientiific understanding of issue is only relevant issue
- reductionism and biological determinism
- victim blaming
social model of health
assumes health related to / determined by various social factors (income, education, gender, culture)
-promoting health is a social responsibility
-aims to prevent illness, reduce health inequities, and address underlying social causes of illness
defining characteristics of social model of health
- social production/ distribution of health and illness
- social construction of health and illness
- social organization of health care
social production/distribution of health and illness
illness = an individuals social environment
-social conditions that produce illness or risk of illness
social construction of health and illness
what is considered to be a disease in one culture or time period may be considered normal and healthy elsewhere at other times
-eg homosexuality
social organization of health care
how health services are funded, organized and used collectively influence health and illness
eg. canadian health care
how to cure illness/disease in social model of health
- public policy
- state intervention to alleviate health and social inequalities
- community participation, advocacy and political lobbying
limits of social model of health
- achieving equality/equity is utopian and unachievable
- the emphasis on societal causes can detract from exploring biological causes
- solutions are complex, costly, and difficult to implement
- over-emphasis on individual responsibility for health
does adapting a social model take away from the fact that illnesss are physiological and biological
no, we need both models for a thorough holistic approach
holistic : support that looks at the whole person
