Download Sociology of Health

Sociology of Health
Introduction
Health

When we think about health we tend to think about it in
purely physical or biological terms.

However, health is also a major social issue due to the
fact that many of the causes of illness are directly
affected by social factors.
What is ‘health’?

Discuss with the person sitting next to you, what images
does the word ‘health’ summon up for you?

How would you define ‘health?
Biomedical model of health

This model is based on the idea that people’s health, in affluent
societies, reflects science’s understanding of disease, the human
body, and, the development and availability of effective treatments.

In this model:

Diseases have specific causes

Health is the absence of biological abnormality

The mind and body can be treated separately
Biomedical Model of Health

The human body is like a machine and can be restored to
health by the use of personalised treatments that halt or
reverse the process of disease.

The health of a society mostly depends on the level of
medical knowledge and, the availability of medical
resources.

Trained medical specialists are considered to be the only
experts
Definition of Health

Health is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO)
as being ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social
wellbeing'.

The Definition has not been amended since 1948.

This definition confirmed health as a social issue and this
is borne out by evidence which demonstrates that
standards of health have varied over time and also from
one society, culture and country to another.
Reference for Definition

The correct bibliographic citation for the definition is:

Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health
Organization as adopted by the International Health
Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22
July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official
Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100)
and entered into force on 7 April 1948.
Critique of Biomedical Model

Some theorists have criticised the bio-medical view that
life expectancy in affluent societies is the result of
hospital based, high technology medicine focused on
diagnosing and treating abnormalities within the body.

They suggest that the dramatic decline in death rate from
the middle of the nineteenth century until the present
day can be linked to public health reforms, better
nutrition making people stronger and better able to fight
off infection, greater use of contraception and improved
personal hygiene.
Critique of Biomedical Model

McKeown (1976) suggested that clinical medicine has an
important but limited part to play in improving health.

Other critics went further stating that the preoccupation
of modern medicine with technology and drug based
treatments is ‘iatrogenic’, that is, medically caused
disease, for example, infections acquired in hospital,
medical accidents, adverse reactions to drugs, etc.
Critique of Biomedical Model

Illich (1990) extended this idea by arguing that the
‘medical establishment’ creates ‘social iatrogenisis’, that
is, sponsoring sickness by creating unrealistic health
demands that can only be met by more health care and
more consumption of medical products.
Critique of Biomedical Model

In this view:

Medical interventions cause as many physical problems as
they cure.

As medicine invades more and more areas of human life
the ability to cope with life is reduced as people seek a
medical answer to fix their problems.

The biomedical model gives enormous power to doctors
and can be used to further political aims.
Social Model of Health

Sociologists also show that society is an important
influence on health and illness

Learning about society tells us about health, and learning
about health tells us about society (Wilkinson 1996)

Health is ultimately determined by position within the
social structure – society determines health in many ways