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Questions and Answers
Which definition of health does the World Health Organization (WHO) propose?
Which definition of health does the World Health Organization (WHO) propose?
What does policy sociology primarily aim to achieve in health services?
What does policy sociology primarily aim to achieve in health services?
How does critical sociology approach the study of health and illness?
How does critical sociology approach the study of health and illness?
What does Michel Foucault mean by the term 'docile body' in the context of medical practice?
What does Michel Foucault mean by the term 'docile body' in the context of medical practice?
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Which factor is considered to have a significant impact on individual experiences with medical professions according to critical sociology?
Which factor is considered to have a significant impact on individual experiences with medical professions according to critical sociology?
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Which expectation of the sick role states that a sick person should be exempt from normal social responsibilities?
Which expectation of the sick role states that a sick person should be exempt from normal social responsibilities?
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What critique did E.L. Koos present regarding Parson's concept of the sick role?
What critique did E.L. Koos present regarding Parson's concept of the sick role?
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According to Parsons, what obligation does society have towards a sick person?
According to Parsons, what obligation does society have towards a sick person?
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What did Ivan Emke propose about the sick role in the New Economy?
What did Ivan Emke propose about the sick role in the New Economy?
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Which demographic factors did critics argue that the sick role doesn't adequately address?
Which demographic factors did critics argue that the sick role doesn't adequately address?
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What is a key assumption about patients in the New Economy?
What is a key assumption about patients in the New Economy?
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Which statement best describes the social course of disease?
Which statement best describes the social course of disease?
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What is a criticism of biomedicine mentioned in the content?
What is a criticism of biomedicine mentioned in the content?
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What does medicalization refer to?
What does medicalization refer to?
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Which of the following therapies is considered complementary medicine?
Which of the following therapies is considered complementary medicine?
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How is medicalization seen as a reductionist approach?
How is medicalization seen as a reductionist approach?
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What is one criticism of the focus of biomedicine?
What is one criticism of the focus of biomedicine?
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What aspect of a person's life does complementary medicine emphasize in treatment?
What aspect of a person's life does complementary medicine emphasize in treatment?
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What does the term 'iatrogenesis' specifically refer to?
What does the term 'iatrogenesis' specifically refer to?
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Which type of iatrogenesis involves political conditions affecting societal health?
Which type of iatrogenesis involves political conditions affecting societal health?
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How does the Deaf community generally view medicalization?
How does the Deaf community generally view medicalization?
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What does 'Big Pharma' refer to?
What does 'Big Pharma' refer to?
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Which of the following is NOT a stated type of iatrogenesis?
Which of the following is NOT a stated type of iatrogenesis?
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What challenge is faced by immigrant doctors in Canada?
What challenge is faced by immigrant doctors in Canada?
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How does Ivan Illich view industrial society in relation to health issues?
How does Ivan Illich view industrial society in relation to health issues?
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What is a concern related to the 'brain drain' phenomenon?
What is a concern related to the 'brain drain' phenomenon?
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What does it mean for a disease to be racialized?
What does it mean for a disease to be racialized?
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Which change occurred regarding women's representation in medical schools from 1959 to 2004?
Which change occurred regarding women's representation in medical schools from 1959 to 2004?
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According to the inverse care law, how does the availability of medical care relate to the need for it?
According to the inverse care law, how does the availability of medical care relate to the need for it?
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What is a common trend seen among female doctors in comparison to their male counterparts?
What is a common trend seen among female doctors in comparison to their male counterparts?
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What does the term TABS refer to in the context of health?
What does the term TABS refer to in the context of health?
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Which of the following is NOT typically associated with female doctors?
Which of the following is NOT typically associated with female doctors?
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What is one societal factor emphasized in the discussion of health?
What is one societal factor emphasized in the discussion of health?
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What is a consequence of the inverse care law in poor areas?
What is a consequence of the inverse care law in poor areas?
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Study Notes
Introduction to Sociology of Health and Illness
- Health is not fixed, it's relative
- According to the WHO, health is a state of physical, mental, and social wellbeing, not just the absence of disease.
Why Sociology of Health and Illness?
- Medical practices and beliefs are social
- Medical sociology examines policies, the practice of medicine, and the uptake of medical interventions.
Foucauldian Medical Gaze
- Biomedical paradigms are built on patient stories ("The Birth of the Clinic," 1963).
- Doctors have an authoritative position in the doctor-patient relationship.
- Doctors interpret patient information, making diagnoses, prognoses, and prescribing treatments.
- Power dynamics exist in the medical relationship.
- Objectification and control of the human body are involved.
- Institutionalization of medicine is crucial.
Sociological Approaches to Health and Illness
- Policy sociology: Aims to improve healthcare delivery through sociological research and data to guide policies for better health and wellbeing.
- Critical sociology: Examines the practices of multinational pharmaceutical companies, medical institutions, and for-profit clinics focusing on how race, gender, ethnicity, age, class, affect experiences in healthcare.
- Healing is shaped by social factors
The Sick Role
- Talcott Parsons (1902-1979) introduced the concept of the sick role (or patient role) in "The Social System" (1951).
- Four expectations of the sick role:
- Exempted from normal social responsibilities.
- Should be cared for, not expected to care for themselves.
- Obligated to try to get well.
- Obligated to seek competent medical help.
- Structural functionalism assumes social uniformity of health experiences, which is challenged by other sociologists.
Critique of Parsons' View of the Sick Role
- E.L. Koos (1954) criticized Parson's view, highlighting differences in health experiences based on socioeconomic class.
- Access to healthcare and the capacity to play the sick role vary depending on social class.
- Gender, race, and age also influence perceptions of the sick role.
New Expectations for the Sick Role in the New Economy
- Ivan Emke (2002) proposed five new expectations for Canadians in the sick role.
- Patients are responsible for their illnesses, with a focus on individual choices.
- Patients should tread lightly on the healthcare system.
- Patients are typically not trusted, and escalating health care costs are linked to so-called "unnecessary" visits to healthcare providers.
The Social Course of Disease
- A medical breakthrough in the 19th century was recognizing the natural course of diseases, including illness symptoms, recovery (or worsening).
- Medication can alleviate symptoms and speed up recovery.
- Social factors affect how a disease or disorder is handled (ethnic background, culture, class, age, sex).
Orthodox and Complementary Medicine
- Biomedicine uses Western scientific principles in diagnosing and treating illness, focusing on physical causes and applying physical treatments.
- Alternative (or complementary) medicine falls outside conventional biomedicine and considers psychological, social, and emotional factors influencing illness. (acupuncture, yoga, massage, home birth).
Critique of Biomedicine
- Biomedicine is criticized for its reductionist approach, attributing conditions to single factors and ignoring broader circumstances.
- It is criticized for ignoring cultural contexts in medicine.
Medicalization
- Medicalization is the process of defining behaviors or conditions as medical problems.
- This involves the focus on remedy, social control, and pathologization.
- The over-medicalization phenomenon reduces the diversity in the approach to healthcare problems.
- Medicalization is reductionist, oversimplifies factors beyond biomedical, sociocultural or political factors.
Medicalization, Continued
- Ivan Illich (1927-2002) critiqued medicalization, highlighting doctor-generated epidemics and industrial society's impact on health.
- Iatrogenesis refers to epidemics and issues created by doctors, which avert people from preventing and treating illnesses.
- This perspective highlights negative outcomes due to over-reliance on medical interventions.
3 Kinds of Iatrogenesis
- Clinical: Medical interventions worsen the health situation.
- Social: Societal conditions obscured or overlooked by medical systems.
- Cultural: Overemphasis on medical knowledge, neglecting patients' contributions to healing.
Big Pharma
- "Big Pharma" refers to large pharmaceutical companies that profit from developing, manufacturing, and marketing drugs.
Medicalization and Deaf Culture
- The Deaf community is a challenge to medicalization.
- They view deafness as a cultural aspect, and do not consider themselves disabled.
- Medicalization sees it as undesirable, and they resist diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
Critical Issues in Medical Sociology
- Unemployment and immigration of doctors: Shortage of doctors in some Canadian communities, immigrant credentials often insufficient, brain drain.
- Rural communities: Some rural areas face significant healthcare shortages and needs designated as “underserved.”
The Racialization of Disease
- A disease can become racialized, leading to negative treatment of specific racial or ethnic groups, despite potentially affecting everyone.
- An example is the SARS outbreak, which initially focused on certain ethnic groups despite affecting a broad range of races.
Gender Relations in Medicine
- Women were previously underrepresented in medicine.
- The field is now feminized, with rising numbers of female doctors.
- Women tend to specialize differently – particularly more likely to take up family medicine, leave the field sooner, and work fewer hours.
The Inverse Care Law
- The availability of good medical care inversely correlates with the need in a population group.
- Often, poor areas have a high need but face shortages, overworked staff, and insufficient facilities or outdated equipment.
Conclusion
- Health is a complex social concept, affected by multiple factors, including biomedical, political, and individual psychosocial factors.
- Factors such as disability or health crises are also part of the health spectrum.
- Understanding and addressing these complex factors is crucial for improving general health and wellbeing.
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Description
This quiz explores key concepts in the sociology of health and illness, focusing on definitions from the World Health Organization, the sick role theory, and critical sociology's perspectives. It covers influential theorists such as Michel Foucault and E.L. Koos, and examines contemporary issues in health services and the New Economy.
