Unit 7 Health and illness Flashcards
Four Main Concerns of Sociologists
Impact of social forces
Distribution of effects
Impact of self-identity, relationships and Health care systems
Four Reasons Why Health and Illness are Social Problems
1) Millions of people affected
2) Illness - unequally distributed throughout society
3) Health care inadequacies – unequally affect some social groups
4) Some problems affect everyone
Epidemiology
The study of the patterns of health and disease
- Patterns of Morbidity
- Patterns of Longevity
- Patterns of Mortality
Morbidity
The amount of disease, impairment, and accidents in a population
Means death
Patterns of Morbidity
Vary according to: -Social factors Social class, education, sex, race -A society’s level of development -The age structure of the population
Sociological Theories of Illness and Health Care
- Structural-Functionalist Perspective
- Conflict Perspective
- Feminist Perspectives
- Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
- Queer Theory Perspectives
Structural-Functionalist Perspective
Illness, health, and health care affect and are effected (impacted) by changes in other aspects of social life
Health care system
-Institution that functions to maintain the well-being of societal members and of the social system as a whole.
Illness
-Dysfunctional condition that interferes with people performing needed social roles.
Sick Role
-Society assigns a temporary role to those who are ill
-Expectation that person will seek medical advice, adhere to prescribed regimen, and return to normal roles as soon as possible
Conflict Perspective
Wealth, status, and power, or the lack of, influence illness and health care
-Access to quality medical care linked to socio-economic status
-Life expectancy
Medical research is shaped by wealth, status, and power
Profit motive underlies illness, injury and death and is related to working conditions and dangerous consumer products
Feminist Perspectives
Gender -Influences all aspects of social life -Tied to class, race, ethnicity, age -Linked to socio-economic status (SES) -Impact on health Gender roles, domestic responsibilities and larger socio-economic factors -Influence national health policy Disadvantage women’s health and well-being
Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
- Meanings, definitions, and labels
- Learned through interaction with others and through media messages and portrayals
- Illness and disease are social definitions
- Vary over time and between societies
- Trend towards medicalization
- Stigmatizing effects of being labeled ill
- Condition becomes a person’s master status
Queer Theory Perspectives
- Developed as a response to the management and perception of HIV / AIDS in North America
- Draws attention to problems that result when risk of illness is linked to sexual identity
- Activists successfully contested the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder
Social Factors Associated with Health and Illness
- Social Class and Poverty
- Education
- Gender
- Racial and Ethnic Minority Status
Racial and Ethnic Minority Status
Aboriginal people:
- Life expectancy is 7-8 years or less
- infant mortality rate double
- rate of accidental death and jury- 4 X
- death rates from birth defects, low birth weight, fetal alcohol syndrome, and respiratory illnesses higher
- higher risk of violent death, injuries, poisoning and suicide
Overview of Health Care in Canada
Medicare -Socialized medicine Government -Controls the financing and organization, pay providers directly, guarantee equal access and allows some private care Independent Physicians -Fee for service
The Canada Health Act
- Accessibility
- comprehensive
- universality
- portability
- public adminsration
