W7.3_Health and Disease

Question 1

Define health and disease. What are the factors that affect the chance of people consulting medical services?

Answer 1

• Health: state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing (≠ absence of disease)
• Disease: objective vs Illness: subjective (internal and external)
• Consulting medical services: women > men, children > middle-aged, where only a very small portion is reported to their GP

Question 2

Define lay person, lay referral, and lay intervention. Explain the importance of distance from GP in consulting medical services.

Answer 2

• Lay person view: cost (ex. exam/holiday/children) > benefits in health
• Lay referral: discussing with lay advisers (ex. friends/family) what to do
• Lay intervention: lay people initiating consultation (usually because of life-threatening situations)
• Distance from home to GP increases -> lower likelihood of consultation

Question 3

Define illness in social terms. Define sick role and explain its downside and problems, such as its stereotyping and stigma.

Answer 3

• Illness: deviant behaviour in society (against social norms)
• Sick role: exempted from normal social roles/responsibility, expected to get well/cooperate with health care professionals
• Downside: long-term conditions/without cause don’t fit
• Problems: labelling (ex. OVLA, fitness to practice)
• Stereotyping and stigma
• Felt (fear) vs Enacted (real consequence)
• Discreditable (not obvious) vs Discrediting (obvious)