Inequality Seminar

Question 1

What is sociology?

Answer 1

The study of the development, structure and functioning of the human society

Question 2

How is sociology applied to healthcare?

Answer 2

• Studies the interactions of patients with healthcare staff
• Sociology studies the way people make sense of illness
• Studies the interactions of healthcare professionals in their work setting

Question 3

What is the sick role of the patient?

Answer 3

Sick role-patient

• The sick role exempts ill people from their daily responsibilities
• Pt not responsible for being ill and is regarded as unable to get better without the help of a professional
• Patient must seek help from a healthcare professional
• Patient is under a social obligation to get better as soon as possible to be able to take up social responsibilities again

Question 4

What is the sick role of a healthcare professional

Answer 4

• Must be objective and not judge patients morally
• Must not act out of self-interest or greed but put patient’s interests first
• Obey a professional code of practice
• Maintain the necessary knowledge and skills to treat patients
• Professional has the right to examine patient intimately, prescribe treatment and has wide autonomy in medical practice

Question 5

What are the socio/economic factors that influence our health?

Answer 5

• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Physical environment / housing
• Education
• Employment
• Income / social status / financial security
• Health system
• Social environment

Question 6

How does gender affect health?

Answer 6

• Men have a higher mortality at every age
  
  • Heart disease i.e. stroke

Suicide x3 more likely

Higher alcohol related death

Drug misuse

• Women have a higher morbidity
  
  • Men meet recommended exercise levels

X2 more likely to recieve carers allowance

• Women consult more frequently in General Practice settings

X2 more females consulted for depression and anxiety

Question 7

How does ethnicity affect health?

Answer 7

Indians and pakistanis have high prevalence of diabetes

Pakistani, asian, African, carribean or black respondants are less likely to drink alcohol at a hazardous or harmful level than the national average

Pakistani and asian groups are less likley to smoke than the national average

White brits are least likely to eat five portions of fruit or veg per day

Low socio-economic groups in ethnic communities have higher morbidity rates than their non ethnic counterparts

Question 8

How does housing affect health?

Answer 8

People living in cold homes are more likley to suffer from mental health, respiratory problems

Question 9

How does education affect health?

Answer 9

Those with higher levels of education tend to be healthier than those of similar income who are less well educated e.g. better understanding of health, more effective engagement with health care services such as screening programmes

Question 10

What are the effects of employment?

Answer 10

• Provides social contacts
• Provides status in society
• Provides a purpose in life
• Unemployment is associated with increased morbidity and premature mortality

Question 11

What are the benefits of cycling and walking?

Answer 11

Improved mental health, reduced risk of premature death, prevention of chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, depression, dementia and cancer.

Walking and cycling are also effective ways of integrating, and increasing, levels of physical activity into everyday life for the majority of the population

Question 12

What are health inequalitites according to the WHO?

Answer 12

The WHO states that health inequalities can be defined as the differences in health status or in the distribution of health determinants between different population groups

Question 13

How does the health of children in deprived areas compare to the health of children in the least deprived areas?

Answer 13

They are more likely to have lower birth weight, poorer dental health, higher obesity and higher rates of teenage pregnancy

Deaths from coronary heart disease, inequalities have decreased, but others such as mental health, smoking, alcohol and drug misuse remain significantly worse in the most deprived parts of Scotland.

Question 14

How does being homeless affect health?

Answer 14

Death by unnatural cause is 4 times more likely

Suicide is 35 times more likley

Rough sleepers are more likely to be assulted than the average person

Often issues with substance addiction - makes it hard to hold down a tennancy

Incidence of HepC, HIV and TB are much higher in the homeless population

They experience poorer oral health

Less likely to be registered with a GP and more likely to attend A and E

Question 15

What are the factors that prevent people with learning disabilty accessing ood quality care?

Answer 15

• Lack of transport
• Learning disability not identified
• Lack of understanding from staff
• Failure to recognised ill heath or make diagnosis
• Anxiety
• Lack of joint working
• Not enough involvement allowed from carers
• Inadequate aftercare or follow-up care

Question 16

What are the challenges of refugees trying to access care in the UK?

Answer 16

Language barriers

Refugees with urgent and complex medical conditions are less llikely to access specialist care in a timely manner

Rudimentary health care from original country may leave many patients with poorly controlled chronic medical conditions

Most refugees are unfamiliar with preventative medicine and primary health care

Depression, anxiety and PTSD are common and often undrecognised.

Question 17

How does being a prisoner affect health?

Answer 17

Sentencing offence often coincides with alcohol use

Family problems as a result of drinking are more common

Higher use of illicit drugs

They live in the poorest areas of Scotland

•Their health inequalities are further exacerbated by the even higher rates of premature death that ex-prisoners experience, related to violence, accidents, substance misuse and suicide

Question 18

How can sexual orientation affect health?

Answer 18

More likely to suffer from depression

More likely to self-harm

Potential for inapproproaite treatment due to gender identity / orientation

Homophobic staff

Reluctance to disclos information due to fear of unwanted repurcussions

Question 19

What is the role of voluntary sector organisations?

Answer 19

• Provide a means of engaging effectively with communities and individuals
• Deliver a range of services which may help to reduce health inequalities, including:
  
  • Promoting healthy living to groups of people who may not use mainstream services
  • Supporting people to access relevant services NHS Health Scotland

Question 20

What are the benefits of volunteering?

Answer 20

•Gain confidence. Volunteering can help you gain confidence by giving you the chance to try something new and build a real sense of achievement

•Make a difference. Volunteering can have a real and valuable positive affect on people, communities and society in general

•Meet people. Volunteering can help you meet different kinds of people and make new friends

•Be part of a community. Volunteering can help you feel part of something outside your friends and family

•Learn new skills. Volunteering can help you learn new skills, gain experience and sometimes even qualifications

•Take on a challenge. Through volunteering you can challenge yourself to try something different, achieve personal goals, practice using your skills and discover hidden talents

•Have fun! Most volunteers have a great time, regardless of why they do it.

Question 21

What is the Inverse Care Law (1971)?

Answer 21

Those who most need medical care are least likely to receive it and conversely, those with least need of health care tend to use health services more, and more effectively

Question 22

Name factors which can reduced health inequalities

Answer 22

• Promote health and improve education
• Evulate itegration of health and social care
• Government policies and legislation e.g. smoking ban, Keep Well campaign
• Invest more into vulnerable groups
• Improve access
• Reduction in poverty
• Social inclusion policies
• Improved employment opportunities for all
• Ensuring equal access to education in all areas
• Improved housing in deprived areas

Question 23

What is the role of the third sector?

Answer 23

Address factors underlying health inequalities by haveing access to public money to provide services that are recognised to be needed within particular areas

Question 24

What are the characteristics of health professions identifies by sociologists?

Answer 24

• Systematic theory
• Authority recognised by its clientele -> Pt come to doctors for advice/help and also governments come for help
• Broader community sanction -> no one without a license can practice medicine
• Code of ethics -> Hippocratic oath
• Professional culture sustained by formal professional sanctions -> professional organisations that guard the quality of work done by its members

Question 25

Identify potential barriers to use to health services (patient, provider and system level)

Answer 25

• Patient level – language concerns, understanding the system, beliefs
• Provider level – understanding of the differences due to ethnicity, provider skills and attitudes
• System level – organisation of appointments and referrals

Question 26

What is culturally competent care?

Answer 26

Combination of attitudes, skills and knowledge that allows an understanding and therefore better care of patients with a different backgrounds to our own.