Sociology and psychology in medicine Flashcards
What is the biomedical model of disease?
Health reflects absence of disease
Illness stems from pathology due to invasion/injury/faulty internal processes
Patient is victim, doctor treats them
Reductionist approach
How does the WHO define health?
State of physical, mental and social well-being
More than the absence of disease
Subjective concept
Multi-dimensional (body, mind and social interactions)
In the biopsychosocial model, what biological factors are considered?
Genetics Infection Damage Deficiency Imbalance
In the biopsychosocial model, what psychological factors are considered?
Personality Behaviour Cognitions Emotions Stress
In the biopsychosocial model, what social factors are considered?
Family Community Class Culture Society
What are the biological systems in the biopsychosocial model?
Organs
Tissues
Cells
Genes
What are the psychological systems in the biopsychosocial model?
Behaviour
Cognition
Emotion
What are the social systems in the biopsychosocial model?
Family
Community
Society and culture
Implications of the biopsychosocial model
Health and illness are on a continuum
More individual/societal responsibility on health
Treating whole person not disease
Acute care model sometimes inadequate - multidisciplinary is needed
Which psychosocial factors can we apply in out PBL cases?
Decisions about where/when to seek treatment
Perception of pain and symptoms
Psychosocial barriers to treatment
Adhering to treatment and advice
Social influences
Communication between healthcare professionals
What does sociology mainly focus on?
Begins with society/groups
What does psychology mainly focus on?
Begins with individuals
What is sociology?
Systematic study of how society is organised and how we experience life
Interested in social processes/interactions
Sees behaviour as less individually driven
Why we do things is shaped by socio-cultural context
What are norms?
Shape behaviour in certain context
What aspects of sociology can we study in our world?
Changing roles/work lives Inequalities Ageing populations Pandemic Medical advances Period of austerity Globalisation of workforce
What is medical sociology?
Study of structural and cultural features of medicine as an institution, a profession and a discipline
What is sociology of health and illness?
Lay perceptions/experiences of health and illness
Relationships between professionals and patients
Nature of health and illness in society
Methods of enquiry in sociology
Quantitative/qualitative Interviews Observations Surveys, focus groups Analysing secondary data
How does sociology contribute to medicine?
Patient safety/quality of care Experience of illness/healthcare Accessing care Professional-patient relationships Health inequalities
What are the warning signs of poor quality of care?
Cultures that aren’t focussed on patient
Tolerance of poor standards
Why is it beneficial to study quality of care and patient safety?
Can understand social/cultural features affecting how people work together
Gives insight into how interventions may/may not work
NHS safety thermometer
What is the NHS safety thermometer?
Not doing harm
Theory of change explicit
‘Institutional logics’ competing
Participants felt they were taking heat of blame
Why is it important to study patients’ experience of chronic illness?
Understand impact of condition for patient - affects daily living/relationships/identity/sense of self
Sociology offers to theories to understand this more
