Ethics and Health Behavior Quiz

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What primarily influences an individual's health behavior according to the social context?

Government regulations on health

Social class and economic status (correct)

Personal preference for exercise

Cultural beliefs about medicine

In Weber's conceptualization, what term is used to describe the activities one engages in and the products one consumes?

Health beliefs

Life choices (correct)

Social behaviors

Health lifestyle

Which stage of Suchman’s stages of illness behavior involves the patient obtaining medical attention?

Recovery and rehabilitation

Medical care contact (correct)

Symptom experience

Dependent-patient role

What aspect does the fundamental causes theory suggest impacts health inequality?

Influences on multiple disease outcomes Signup and view all the answers

How does the communitarian ethic primarily differ from the libertarian ethic?

It focuses on community values and needs. Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is not typically associated with higher health-seeking behavior?

Lower educational attainment Signup and view all the answers

What is primarily considered a biological concept, differentiating it from illness?

Disease Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a common characteristic of health behaviors?

Influenced by social interactions Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is identified as the most significant fundamental cause of health disparities?

Socioeconomic status Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of chronic stress on health?

Hypertension Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes social support?

Types of support received from others Signup and view all the answers

Which type of stressor is considered a chronic strain?

Poverty Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, which of the following factors serves as a buffer against stress?

Social support Signup and view all the answers

How does childhood toxic stress affect individuals later in life?

Accumulated disadvantage over the life course Signup and view all the answers

What role does gender play in the relationship between health and morbidity?

Women live longer but experience more health issues Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'stress proliferation' refer to?

The process wherein one stressor leads to multiple subsequent stressors Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following aspects is NOT included in types of social support?

Delegated support Signup and view all the answers

Which factor influences an individual's ability to handle stress according to the content?

Social rank Signup and view all the answers

What can be a result of poor neighborhood conditions on health?

Greater exposure to environmental hazards Signup and view all the answers

According to fundamental cause theory, which of the following factors is associated with health risks?

Chronic social stress Signup and view all the answers

What is the impact of social class on health outcomes?

Higher social class leads to better health outcomes Signup and view all the answers

Which statement reflects the 'Looking Glass Self' theory?

An individual’s self-image is shaped by perceptions of others Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Libertarian Ethic

Focuses on individual rights and limited government intervention
Emphasizes personal responsibility
Promotes free markets and individual liberty
Often associated with conservative political views

Communitarian Ethic

Prioritizes community values and collective well-being
Stresses social responsibility and the importance of shared goals
Supports government intervention to promote social justice
Often associated with progressive political views

Health Behavior

Actions taken by individuals to improve their health or body image
Shaped by socialization and social control
Influenced by individual beliefs, attitudes, and values

Weber’s Conceptualization of Health Behavior

Lifestyles: encompasses life choices and life chances
- Life choices: activities, products consumed
- Life chances: access to resources, opportunities
Health lifestyle: behavior aimed at promoting well-being and disease prevention

Health Belief Model

Explains why individuals engage or refrain from health-promoting behaviors
Emphasizes perceived threats, benefits, and barriers to action

Social Class:
- Higher socioeconomic status (SES) individuals are more likely to engage in health-promoting behaviors
- Lower SES individuals often face barriers to accessing resources and adopting healthy practices
Race and Ethnicity:
- Disparities in health behavior can stem from lower SES in minority groups
- Research findings are complex and require further investigation
Gender:
- Women tend to seek health care more frequently than men
- Men are potentially at greater risk due to risk-taking behaviors
Other factors:
- Social relationships
- Religious affiliation
- Corporate practices
- Neighborhood conditions
- Sexual orientation and sexuality

Disease vs. Illness

Disease: biological concept, defined by symptoms within the individual
Illness: social concept, encompassing perception and reaction to medical symptoms
- Includes individual and social interpretations of symptoms
- Involves cultural beliefs and societal expectations

Illness Experience and Behavior

Influences healthcare engagement or inaction in response to perceived symptoms

Suchman’s Stages of Illness Behavior

Symptom experience: recognizing and interpreting symptoms
Assumption of the sick role: adopting behaviors associated with illness
Medical care contact: seeking diagnosis, self-treatment, or professional care
Dependent-patient role: undergoing testing, taking medication
Recovery and rehabilitation: continuing sick role until improvement occurs

Fundamental Causes of Health Inequality

Underlying social and economic factors contributing to health disparities
Four key characteristics:
- Influence multiple disease outcomes
- Affect disease outcomes through multiple risk factors
- Impact access to resources reducing risk or managing consequences
- Persist over time despite intervening mechanisms
Socioeconomic status (SES) is the most important fundamental cause:
- Limited access to resources
- Chronic social stress
- Occupational hazards
- Neighborhood stressors
- Childhood disadvantages

Health Policy Implications of Fundamental Causes

Reduce resource inequalities:
- Address disparities in income, education, and healthcare access
Contextualize risk factors:
- Identify factors placing individuals at risk
Implement health interventions that benefit all individuals:
- Regardless of resources or behaviors

Social identity based on status, wealth, and shared values
Impact on health:
- Lack of resources for health-promoting behaviors
- Chronic social stress
- Poor working conditions
- Neighborhood disadvantages
- Childhood deprivation

Gender Paradox

Women live longer but experience poorer health (higher morbidity) compared to men
Men tend to have more life-threatening illnesses (higher mortality)
Despite longer lifespans, women often experience greater poverty

Looking-Glass Self

Self-concept shaped by social interactions and perceptions of others
Stress arises when self-image is inconsistent with others’ perceptions

Definition of the Situation

Individual’s understanding of a crisis
Behavior is orderly when shared perceptions of a situation are stable
Change in definitions leads to disruption, uncertainty, and altered responses
Coping mechanisms are learned through social experiences
Stress perception influences stress experience

Life as Theater Approach

Social interaction relies on information about participants:
- Appearance
- Past experience with similar individuals
- Social setting
- Communication through words and actions

Contributions to Understanding Stress

Cooley: individual's self-perception is shaped by others' reactions
Thomas: individuals react differently to crises
- Adjustment and control depend on past experience and ability to re-evaluate situations
Goffman: self is a sacred object, central to personal identity

 -  Impact on health

Three types of stressors:
- Negative life events
- Chronic strains
- Traumas
Chronic stress impairs physical and mental health:
- Hypertension
- Chronic pain
- Cardiovascular disease
Affects immune function, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
Factors influencing health:
- Stressor severity
- Number of stressors
- Time frame of stressors (more intense in a short period)
- Chronic strains have greater impact on mental health
- People of color experience additional stress due to discrimination

Stress Buffers

Factors mitigating stress:
- Sense of control
- High self-esteem
- Social support
Stress buffers are less prevalent in individuals facing greater life stress

Ability to handle stress is associated with social rank
- Higher social hierarchy positions tend to cope better with stress and its physical effects
- Correlation between SES and health occurs at all levels of the social hierarchy

Childhood Toxic Stress

Frequent, severe, and prolonged stress during childhood, often associated with poverty

Stress Proliferation

Three forms of stress extension:
- One stressor causing additional stressors (chain reaction)
- Stress accumulation over the life course
- Intergenerational stress transmission

Cumulative Disadvantage

Impact of childhood stress accumulating over an individual's lifetime

Social support refers to assistance and care received from others
Social networks provide a source of support
Types of social support:
- Emotional
- Instrumental
- Informational
- Appraisal
Types of social networks:
- Density (interconnectedness)
- Homogeneity (similarity)
- Geographic dispersion (proximity)
- Directionality (power balance)
Those with greater social support and higher quality networks tend to experience better health outcomes and longevity

Additional Factors Influencing Health

Religion:
- More religious individuals often exhibit greater physical and mental health and live longer
- Increased likelihood of engaging in health-promoting behaviors
Neighborhood living conditions:
- Concentrated disadvantage (poverty, crime, overcrowding)
- Stress from crime, overcrowding, drug use, environmental hazards
- Rural areas face challenges due to poverty, low education, limited access to healthcare
Unsafe work conditions:
- Exposure to hazards
- Workplace stress
Interpersonal violence:
- Physical and emotional trauma
- Mental health consequences

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Explore the contrasting ethics of libertarianism and communitarianism, and their impact on health behavior. This quiz delves into how individual rights and community values shape personal responsibility and collective well-being. Test your understanding of Weber's concept of health behavior and lifestyle choices.