Impact of Neo-liberalism on Health Sociology

Running Head: HEALTH SOCIOLOGY
Health Sociology
Name
Institution

HEALTH SOCIOLOGY 2
Health Sociology
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Sociological Perspectives and Neo-Liberalism...............................................................................4
Neo-liberalism and Health among Indigenous People in Australia.................................................5
Marxism Perspective....................................................................................................................7
Functionalism Perspective...........................................................................................................8
Biomedical Model........................................................................................................................8
Implications of Neo-liberalism on Healthcare Practitioners...........................................................9
Conclusions....................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................12

HEALTH SOCIOLOGY 3
Introduction
The healthcare systems globally have been influences by diverse political agendas that
continue to influence the delivery of healthcare services to the influences. The global forces
along with mechanisms, for instance, multilateral organizations like the World Trade
Organization (WTO), the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and European Union
(EU) have promoted neoliberal ideologies. Neoliberal policies seen as globalized phenomenon in
many developed nations, such as Australia (Bell & Green, 2016). Neoliberals stress an
entrenched commoditization in the delivery of healthcare via a process of privatization,
deregulation, as well as decentralization. Consequently, health has been modelled while patients
are seen as consumers in the market. The primary arguments advanced by neoliberals is that
more alternatives results in healthy competition, and this will tend to promote access,
affordability, as well as quality of healthcare in hospitals and healthcare centres. In Australia,
promoting the health of the Indigenous people has become a major challenge since as there are
huge health disparities between the Indigenous persons and non-indigenous population. The
current gap in the health has been attributed to the entrenched neo-liberalism political agenda
that continues to impact the health outcomes of the Indigenous persons in Australia. The
neoliberals have promoted the idea that patients are consumers and health remains individualized
where it negatively affect the health of the Indigenous people (AIHW, 2015).
Sociological theories have offered a platform towards understanding the impact of neo-
liberalism on the health systems. The theories provide an explanation on the current gaps in the
healthcare system both in developing and developed nations. Studies have shown that the

HEALTH SOCIOLOGY 4
Indigenous people, especially the Aboriginals have suffered from the burden of diseases that
include non-communicable diseases that impact the quality of care. The neo-liberalism political
agenda in Australia have created a hierarchy in the society in regard to socioeconomic that has
resulted in marginalization; the agenda stresses on individual choices, independent decision-
making and responsibly of one’s health. The paper will investigate the sociological perspectives
and neo-liberalism, neo-liberalism political agenda on offering health of Indigenous people in
Australia, and the impact of neo-liberalism on health practitioners.
Sociological Perspectives and Neo-Liberalism
Sociological perspectives have been instrumental in providing understanding on different
factors, particularly social determinants that affect the health of a given population. The
sociological theories have provided the basis of understanding the neoliberals’ ideologies in
influencing the healthcare systems, mainly among the minority groups like the Aboriginals. The
theories and perspectives underscore the significance of structural and functional factors in the
society shaped by ideologies from neo-liberalism (Schrecker, 2016). They play a significant role
in explaining the role of different systems in present healthcare inequalities. The present
healthcare system in Australia has demonstrated ineffective in addressing the health disparities
that exists between the Indigenous and non-indigenous population in the country. Based on the
Marxism, the Australian society has promoted capitalist philosophies reflected through the neo-
liberalism where the market is believed to be the citizens where they consume the goods
(healthcare services) produced by different multinationals and other healthcare providers
(Aalbers, 2013). In addition, institutional theories endeavour to provide an explanation in the
manner the social contexts, such as institutions are pressured by different systems and shape