Health Sociology: Insights, Indigenous Health, Psychiatry, E-Health, Ideology, Medical Dominance, Discourse, Multiculturalism, Social Determinants of Health

Health Sociology

Contents
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................3
Question 1..................................................................................................................................................3
What insights do post-modernist perspectives provide and what might this mean for health practice?...3
Question 2..................................................................................................................................................3
Despite increases in funding, explain why in Australia, Indigenous health outcomes are still an issue?
Provide examples to illustrate your argument..........................................................................................3
Question 3..................................................................................................................................................4
Psychiatry can be viewed as an institute of social control. Draw on sociological theories and examples
to discuss this statement..........................................................................................................................4
Question 4..................................................................................................................................................5
What are the key benefits and limitations of e-health?............................................................................5
Question 5..................................................................................................................................................5
How does ideology and politics shape health outcomes? Draw on examples such as the PBS to
illustrate your points................................................................................................................................5
Question 6..................................................................................................................................................6
Certain mechanisms of functionalist theory are utilized today. Discuss what they are and highlight the
main assumptions and limitations of functionalism.................................................................................6
Question 7..................................................................................................................................................6
What is medical dominance and how does the medical profession achieve medical dominance in
Australia?................................................................................................................................................6
Question 8..................................................................................................................................................7
Explain the concept of discourse and explain how it is relevant to health and biomedicine in Australia.
Draw on examples to highlight you points..............................................................................................7
Question 9..................................................................................................................................................7
What is multi-culturalism and how might health needs differ for immigrants and refugees to people
who are born in Australia?.......................................................................................................................7
Question 10................................................................................................................................................8
What are the social determinants of health and how do they help us understand the dynamics of
globalization and inequity? Draw on examples in the Australian context to illustrate your key points. . .8
CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Health sociology is a concept that evaluates the interaction between the health and
society. The main objective behind this is to examine how social life affects mortality and
morbidity rates. This report explains the different aspects relating to sociology of health
including the concept of discourse and how is it relevant to biomedicine and so on.
Question 1
What insights do post-modernist perspectives provide and what might this mean for health
practice?
In sociology, postmodernism can be defined as an approach which explains how society has
progressed beyond modernity (Allen, D. and et. al., 2016). In simple words, it rejects different
concepts of rationality, objectivity and rather focuses on the diversity of human experience and
various perspectives. There are many post-modernist perspectives like there no thing as
objective reality, there is no historical or scientific truth, science and technology cannot be
described as vehicles for human progress but rather suspect instruments of established power
etc. Today, individuals place more importance on science and technology as compared to
traditional ways involved in health practices. Since one of the perspectives of postmodernism
is that both science and technology are not vehicles for human progress, it can be said that they
are instruments of power that has already been initiated (Blue and et. al., 2016). Therefore,
they can be used in different health practices in order to provide better services to the patients
in order to improve their overall health. This will also lead to a greater number of healthcare
centers in Australia, using effective technologies within their system in order to improve their
overall health practices.
Question 2
Despite increases in funding, explain why in Australia, Indigenous health outcomes are still an
issue? Provide examples to illustrate your argument
The primary focus of the Australian Government is on developing a funding model for
Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS). This is because they receive