Hlsc120

For many years sociological approaches towards health were not adequately utilised as a means of gaining an enriched understanding of concurrent physical and social issues relating to health care. The application of theoretical perspectives in reference to health emerged during the 1950’s and was commonly perceived as being empirical rather then theoretical in nature (Gray, D. E. 2006). Theories are essentially an explanation of how things work and why they happen (Germov, J. 2009). In effect they provide us with answers through the application of concepts and hypothetical approaches that allow us to

In this assignment I hope to effectively discuss and evaluate the patterns and trends associated with health and illness within the higher and lower social classes. I am going to do this by discussing and evaluating the following explanations and perspectives within sociology; Artefact explanation, Natural or Social Selection explanation, Cultural or Behavioural explanation and Materialist or Structuralist explanation.

The sociological approach to health and illness focuses on the social determinants of health and how this affects the health of society. It explores where we are on the socio-economic ladder and how this determines access to healthy food, a healthy lifestyle, education, income, accommodation, healthcare, transportation and good working conditions. This approach considers culture, the behaviour of individuals and the social structures we live in, with a belief that when treating health and illness if all these areas are considered and changes are made in conjunction with modern medicine then the health of society will be improved. “If the major determinants of health are social, so must be the remedies. Treating existing disease is urgent and will always receive high priority but should not be to the exclusion of taking action on the underlying social determinants of health” (Marmot, 2005: 1103).

In modern society there is a general consensus that ‘good health’ is something that everyone wants to experience and that each individual knows what this involves. Because there are so many different definitions of health and ill health it can become a very complicated concept. Walsh (2011) states that “In sociological terms ‘health’ and ‘illness’ are contested concepts. This means that the general meaning of these words should not be taken for granted.

The content emphasizes acting on a critical awareness of social structures and processes that systematically disadvantage the health of people, with the context

When you are first introduced to the term sociological imagination, it may seem quite strange. Since many are unaware of what it may be, it is your Sociologist’s job to introduce you to what exactly a sociological imagination is, and help you

This assignment will discuss about different sociological approaches to health. These include: positive concepts of health, negative concepts of health, holistic concepts of health and WHO’s concept of health.

The aim of this essay is to identify the definition of health and how an individual or groups health can be affected by various socio-economic and psychological factors. Firstly, the essay will define the concept of health explore each factor individually. Then it will examine the evidence that support the link between these factors and their impact on health. Finally, the essay will explore personal observations that support these findings.

Three Theoretical Approaches in Medical Anthropology, the first major theoretical approach to understanding health systems emphasizes the importance of the environment in shaping health problems and how they spread The third points to the need to look at structural factors (political, economic, media) as the underlying causes of health problems and examines Western biomedicine as a cultural

confidence to successfully apply for jobs in the professional occupations. This change in circumstances will increase income and introduce them to other social classes, but it may not necessarily improve their ill-health or social wellbeing. Sociologists have examined how social life impacts morbidity and mortality rates and how morbidity and mortality rates impact society. This discipline also looks at health and illness in relation to social institutions such as the family, work, school, and religion as well as the causes of disease and illness. Health, or lack of health, was once attributed to biological or natural conditions. Sociologists have demonstrated that the spread of diseases is heavily influenced by the socioeconomic status of

Culture is a way of life that shapes our overall perception and experiences of life. Every culture has their own system of health beliefs from what causes the illness, to how the illness can be cured or treated, and what should be involved in the process. Culture has an immense amount of influence on health. It affects society’s perception of health, illness, death, beliefs about the causes of disease, how illness and pain are experienced, where patients can seek help and what types of treatments can patients get. Patients and healthcare professionals are also influenced by their cultures which affects the way that they interact with their patients and other people. Every country’s healthcare system is influenced by the dominant culture

culture, and socioeconomic status all have effects on the health and wellness of individuals that reside in the area. I would like to focus this reflective post on the effects the socioeconomic status has on an individuals health, especially those living in poverty. Poverty fosters ill- health since there is a constant interaction with hazardous waste and pollutants, violence, and substandard living conditions (WHO). Medical anthropology often overlaps with "political ecology" and social inequality, when examining the relationship the social environment has on the health and wellness of residents (sing).

Sociologists offer many explanations for the complex variations in health and illness, within all of these explanations, varying strengths and weaknesses will be found. In this essay, I will be exploring the genetic, cultural and material explanations and hope to conclude with evidence that ill-health has many causal features and cannot in fact be pinpointed to one explanation, instead encompassing a range of factors.

Many factors can have the ability to influence an individual’s view on health and the way they choose to deal with their wellbeing. Cultural beliefs and social factors such as socioeconomic status, which correlates with low levels of education, are two main contributors that influence an individual’s behaviour towards health. As globalisation increases it is important that health professionals are aware of cultural differences between their patients so that their care can be centred around

The social perspective in sociology of health explains the society's view concerning health. It is a discipline that describes an illness using social factors present in daily activities of life. Sociologists show how wellness and disease, the treatment and explanation of illness production in a social organization can be understood differently from a medical perspective of nature, biology, and lifestyle in an attempt of explaining sickness (Bahar, 2013). It is a significant facet of interpreting biological information that shows the creation of health and disease in a political, social, and cultural environment. In describing various social phenomena,