Session 5 - Chronic illness

Question 1

What does the sociological research of LTCs focus on?

Answer 1

-How LTCs impact on social interaction and role performance

Question 2

What is an illness narrative?

Answer 2

-Patient’s story and account of their LTC which they use to make sense of it

Question 3

What are the 5 concepts relating to sociological theory

Answer 3

• Illness work
• Everyday life work
• Emotional work
• Biographical work
• Identity work

Question 4

What is illness work in sociological theory of LTCs?

Answer 4

• The concept of getting a diagnosis of a chronic illness and the associated feelings which come with waiting and receiving eg shock, relief
• Also refers to body illness and involves managing the symptoms of illness via coping with the physical symptoms before the social

Question 5

What is fveryday life work in sociological theory of LTCs?

Answer 5

-The concept of coping and strategic management of daily life including the cognitive processes in dealing with illness as well as actions

Question 6

What is normalisation in chronic illness?

Answer 6

-The redesignation of new life as ‘normal life’

Question 7

What is emotional work in sociological theory of LTCs? What roles and relationships can be effected by emotional work?

Answer 7

• The part of chronic illness which involves working to protect emotional well-being of others by aiming to maintain normal attitude and activities
• Friendships can be disrupted as patient may strategically withdraw from groups -> cannot downplay symptoms to appear cheery self any more
• Impact on role can be devastating, especially if involves dependancy

Question 8

What is biographical work in sociological theory of LTCs

Answer 8

• The part of chronic illness which refers to loss of self as former identity disappears without the development of an equally valued new one
• Reconstruction of biography and a taken-for-granted life feeling

Question 9

What is identity work in sociological theory of LTCs?

Answer 9

-Part of chronic illness which refers to how people see themselves and how other see them as illness can become defining aspect of their life

Question 10

Which area of sociological illness does self management fall under?

Answer 10

-Illness work

Question 11

Why is optimum self management difficult to achieve in long term illness?

Answer 11

• Adherence to LT treatment
• Reduced quality of life
• poor psychological well being

Question 12

Give 2 examples of interventions which aim to help with self-management of longterm diseases

Answer 12

• DESMOND -> diabetes education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed
• Expert-Patient Programme -> focusses on coping and condition management to reduce hospital admissions and increase responsibility for own health

Question 13

Which section of sociological theory does stigma fall under?

Answer 13

-Identity work

Question 14

What is stigma?

Answer 14

-Negatively defined condition, attitude, trait or behaviour conferring deviant status

Question 15

What is discreditable stigma?

Answer 15

-Stigma which occurs when the disease is found out but it is not seen

Question 16

What is discredited stigma?

Answer 16

-Stigma is caused by the physical characteristics of disease

Question 17

What is enacted stigma?

Answer 17

-The real experience of predjudice when stigma is acted upon

Question 18

What is felt stigma?

Answer 18

-The fear of enacted stigma and feeling as though stigma is present even though it might not be

Question 19

Describe the medical concept of disability

Answer 19

-Deviation from the medical norms with disadvantage as a direct consequence. Requires medical intervention

Question 20

Describe the social concept of disability

Answer 20

-Problems are a product of environment and failure of environment to adjust - social oppression produced by government and society

Question 21

Describe some critiques of the medical model of disability

Answer 21

• Lack of recognition of social and psychological factors

- Uses stereotyping and stigmatizing language

Question 22

Describe some critiques of social model

Answer 22

• Body is left out
• Overly drawn view of society
• Failure to recognise body realities and the extent to which they are solvable socially

Question 23

According to the international classification of impairment, disabilities and handicaps, what is impairment?

Answer 23

-Impairment is the abnormality in structure or function of body

Question 24

According to the international classification of impairment, disabilities and handicaps, what is disability?

Answer 24

-Disabilty refers to the performance of activity

Question 25

According to the international classification of impairment, disabilities and handicaps, what is handicap?

Answer 25

-Social and psychological consequences of impairment and disability

Question 26

What are the limitations of the IC of impairment, disability or handicaps?

Answer 26

• Problematic use of word handicap

- Implies problems are intrisic and inevitable

Question 27

What is the IC of function, disability and health?

Answer 27

• WHO national standard which attempts to integrate the medical and social concept of disability
• Involves body structure and functions, activities, participation in life and personal and environmental factors