Sociological Theories of Health and Illness

This article discusses the conflict theory and functionalist approach in sociology of health and illness. It explains how social stratification and power differentials affect health outcomes and how effective medical care is imperative for society to function properly. The article also highlights the differences between sociological and biomedical models of health and illness.

nnin ead A TRu g h : HE L H SOCIOLOGY
ociolo ical t eorie o ealt and illneS g h s f h h ss
ame o t e t dentN f h S u
ame o t e ni er itN f h U v s y
A t or oteu h N

1A THE L H SOCIOLOGY
ntrod ctionI u
ealt i mo t commonl re erred to a a tate o an indi id al t at in ol eH h s s y f s s f v u h v v s
complete p ical p c olo ical and ocial ell ein t i not t re tricted to a ence ohys , sy h g s w b g. I s jus s bs f
di ea e in a per on T ere e i t ocial trati ication or ome ind o ocial di erentiation ins s s . h x s s s s f s k f s ff
t e comm nit ere people are ro ped t e ociet into di erent ocioeconomich u y wh g u by h s y ff s
di i ion a ed on t eir income and occ pation ocial tat and ealt or deri e politicalv s s b s h u , s s us w h v
and ocial po er Patton et al Moreo er all indi id al are a ni e relation ips w ( ., 2016). v , v u s sh u qu sh
it i er en ironment ic in t rn pla an e ential role in determinin t e tate ow h h s/h v , wh h u ys ss g h s f
ealt and ellne o t e per on ociolo o ealt and illne a t e primar ene it oh h w ss f h s . S gy f h h ss h s h y b f f
cond ctin an in e ti ation and e amination o t e correlation and a ociation et een t eu g v s g x f h ss b w h
ociet and an indi id al T ere ore ociolo in e ti ate t e in l ence o ocial li e ons y v u . h f , s gy v s g s h f u f s f
di ea e rate and e ent mortalit ei onn i t Alt o cond ction o as s s subs qu y (W ss & L qu s , 2017). h ugh u f
medical re earc i ene icial in ainin a o nd nder tandin on ealt tati tics h s b f g g s u u s g h h s s s,
ociolo ical e planation o a certain illne o ld acilitate e planation o actor t at ma es g x f ss w u f x f f s h k
an indi id al more li el to er rom certain di ea ev u k y suff f s s s.
on lict t eorC f h y
T e con lict t eor i an e ential per pecti e o ociolo t at la an emp a i onh f h y s ss s v f s gy h ys h s s
t e materiali tic interpretation o dialectical anal i met od t ere pro idin anh s f ys s h s, h by v g
e planation or t e e i tin ocial patternx f h x s g s s. on lict t eor enerall dra attention toC f h y g y w
e eral po er di erential T i re er to t e in erent lar er in l ence and po er t ats v w ff s. h s f s h h g f u w h
certain elpin pro e ional po e in contra t to t e people o are elped t emh g f ss s ss ss, s h wh h by h .
ne c po er di erential iO su h w ff s cla con lict arl Mar a t e at er o t e con lict t eorss f . K x w s h f h f h f h y
and e ta li ed it a an e ential component o o r di erent ociolo ical paradi m As b sh s ss f f u ff s g g .
prime proclamation o t i Mar i t ociolo ical per pecti e i t at it con ider materialf h s x s s g s v s h s s
prod ction a one o t e mo t central a pect o all man acti itie Am at a mu s f h s s s f hu v s ( z & R zu ,
T e con lict t eor old t e ie t at t e per tr ct re o a certain ociet c2014). h f h y h s h v w h h su s u u f s y su h
a it le al political ealt and ed cational tem are mo t o ten ormed and o erneds, s g , , h h u sys s s f f g v
t e economic a e o t e ocietby h b s f h s y. T ere i a ro in od o e idence t at per on li inh s g w g b y f v h s s v g
in mar inali ed do n raded and poor ocio economic ocietie die earlier and o ten reportg z , w g s - s s f
or e ealt o tcome in compari on to indi id al rom t e i er ocio economicw s h h u s, s v u s f h h gh s -
comm nitie ei onn i t n ot er ord t e pre ence o ocial trati icationu s (W ss & L qu s , 2017). I h w s, h s f s s f

2A THE L H SOCIOLOGY
or ocial ine alit i re pon i le or c aracteri in t e alit o ealt and it a ociateds qu y s s s b f h z g h qu y f h h s ss
er ice People elon in to di ad anta ed ocial p rin in are at an increa eds v s. b g g s v g s u b g gs s
li eli ood o ein dia no ed a ill and recei in in icient ealt care er icek h f b g g s s v g suff h h s v s.
T e con lict approac Mar al o e al ate t e la o r ta en p ician andh f h by x s v u s h b u s k by hys s
ot er ealt care pro e ional o er t e pa t decade it t e aim o controllin t eh h h f ss s v h s s w h h f g h
e erci e o medicine il t de inin a plet ora o ocial pro lem a iomedical onex s f , wh s f g h f s b s s b s
Pietromonaco c ino n el c etter T e moti ation or p ician to do o can( , U h & Du k S h , 2013). h v f hys s s
e cate ori ed a ot ood and e il n t e po iti e ide t e medical practitioner oldb g z s b h g v . O h s v s , h s h
t e elie t at t e are e tremel ali ied or dia no in ma or pro lem and pro idinh b f h h y x y qu f f g s g j b s, v g
immediate treatment to all t o e indi id al o a e een dia no ed it t e pro lemh s v u s wh h v b g s w h h b s.
n t e ot er and t e e practitioner a e al o accepted t at t eir monetar po ition inO h h h , h s s h v s h h y s
t e ociet a t e capa ilit o impro ement ollo in t eir cce in c aracteri ation oh s y h s h b y f v , f w g h su ss h z f
ocial pro lem a medical and dominatin t eir treatment ei t ne c e amples b s s g h (G s , 2013). O su h x
i o tetrical care ere mid i e or t eir e i alent elped pre nant emale deli ers bs , wh w v s h qu v s h g f s v
a ie P ician in t e nineteent cent r claimed t eir e icac o er mid i e and on ab b s. hys s h h u y h ff y v w v s w
le i lation t ere ainin a t orit or c ild deli er ile reco ni in t e inade ateg s , h by g g u h y f h v y. Wh g z g h qu
trainin in mid i e t e al o identi ied t e l crati e eat re o o tetrical care ne ma org w v s, h y s f h u v f u f bs . O j
e planation pro ided t e con lict t eor in term o ealt and illne i t at a de i nx v by h f h y s f h h ss s h s g
e i t in t e ociet in a a t at pro ide ene it to e people at t e co t o ma orit T ex s s h s y w y h v s b f f w , h s f j y. h
pre alence and incidence o c ronic di ea e are o nd to increa e amon people a edv f h s s s f u s g g 65
ear or more t ere ma in it mandator or t em to re er to medical in tit tion ity s , h by k g y f h f s u s, w h
t e aim o optimal alit o li e and ell ein it er tepnih f qu y f f w b g (R z & S sky, 2017).
At t e ta e o t e prod ction proce ealt i o nd to e mo t a ected eit erh s g f h u ss, h h s f u b s ff h
trai t in term o tre related poor ealt in rie and ind trial illne e or indirectls gh s f s ss- h h, ju s us ss s, y
ia t e ider impact o t e proce related it commodit prod ction e i tin it in t ev h w s f h ss w h y u , x s g w h h
modern ociet T e e prod ction proce e enerate en ironmental poll tion il t t es y. h s u ss s g v u , wh s h
ta e t at in ol e a con mption o t e commoditie are o nd to e ert lon term ealts g s h v v su f h s f u x g- h h
impact T e e are mo t commonl related to c emical additi e con mption o proce eds. h s s y h v s, su f ss
ood and car accident rt ermore accordin to t i t eor ealt and illne aref s, s. Fu h , g h s h y, h h ss
o erned at t eir ta e o di tri tion ealt and income are t ere ore con idered ma org v h s g s f s bu . W h h f s j
determinant o t e tandard o li in T i in t rn control t e place ere t e people li es f h s f v g. h s u s h wh h v ,

3A THE L H SOCIOLOGY
acce to ealt care er ice ed cational opport nitie dietar pattern and recreationalss h h s v s, u u s, y s,
pro pects s.
T i o complete di erence it t e iomedical model o ealt and illneh s sh ws ff w h h b f h h ss
primaril con ider ealt it t e elp o a red ctioni t approac and ie it in certainy s s h h w h h h f u s h v ws
mec anical a pect c a dia no i pro no i a e ment and treatment Moreo erh s s su h s, g s s, g s s, ss ss , . v ,
pre entin complaint or i n and mptom reported a patient are con idereds g s s g s sy s by s
imperati e or nder tandin t e ma or p ical or p c olo ical di t r ance t at t ev f u s g h j hys sy h g s u b h h
per on er rom ara ino mit n ot er ord t e a ected people orm t es suff s f (S f & S h, 2014). I h w s, h ff f h
centre o t e iomedical model t at predominantl concentrate on illne or di ea e andf h b h y s ss s s
ta e e ort to ret rn optimal ealt to a ta e o pre illnek s ff s u h h s g f - ss.
nctionali t approacFu s h
T e nctionali t approac a concei ed Par on in and old ah fu s h w s v by s s 1951 h s
per pecti e t at e ecti e medical care and ood ealt are imperati e or t e en anceds v h ff v g h h v f h h
a ilit o a ociet to nction properl Poor ealt i o nd to create a ma or impairment inb y f s y fu y. h h s f u j
t e a ilit o t e man od to adorn t e e ential role in t e comm nit Par onh b y f h hu b y h ss s h u y ( s s, 2017).
Pre ence o a lar e n m er o n ealt people in t e ociet deteriorate t e nctionins f g u b f u h hy h s y s h fu g
and ma e t e ta ilit er T i t eoretical ie point tre e t e ital teadine andk s h s b y suff . h s h v w s ss s h v s ss
colla oration it in modern ocietie ocial e ent are el cidated it mention to t eb w h s s. S v s u w h h
role t e accompli in allo in contin it it in a ociet T e approac con ider as h y sh w g u y w h s y. h h s s
ociet a a iolo ical or ani m and e t t at t e entiret o it i compo ed os y s b g g s sugg s s h h y f s s f
interconnected part ic i a direct mani e tation o eneral accord on core norm ands, wh h s f s f g s
tandard T rner olton T e proce o con en i eemin l attained t ros s ( u & H , 2014). h ss f s sus s s g y h ugh
arran ement o man e a io r n ot er ord t i approac i mainl a ociated itg f hu b h v u . I h w s, h s h s y ss w h
t eme related to ic role and t e pertainin i e o illneh s 's k ', h g ssu s f ss.
n order to con ider an indi id al aI s v u s le itimatelg y ic Par on aid t at t ere a as k, s s s h h w s
need o meetin e eral e pectation T e e e pectation ere re erred to im a icf g s v x s. h s x s w f by h s ‘s k
role olina Marrone n ram nc e ir t no ic people o ld e con idereds’ (C , , I g & Sá h z, 2017). F s , s k sh u b s
a ein re pon i le t eir ill ealt or p iolo ical pro lem pon inta e o ood t at ares b g s s b h h h, hys g b . U k f f s h
ric in at content people are on t e er e o ainin ei t and ecomin o e e t ereh f , h v g f g g w gh b g b s , h by
ecomin more lnera le to cardio a c lar a normalitie T i in t rn o ld e o e leb g vu b v s u b s. h s u w u v k ss
mpat compared to it ation ere ood n trition a practiced and t ere a propersy hy, s u s wh g u w s h w s

4A THE L H SOCIOLOGY
ei t maintenance Moreo er t e approac tated t at ic people m t a e t e de irew gh . v , h h s h s k us h v h s
o ecomin ell ood ardner arm ail re to di pla an ea erne o ettinf b g w (W , G & H s, 2015). F u s y g ss f g g
ell or acin or e it ation are pro e ed a al i in t eir di ea e or malin erin e enw , f g w s s u s, f ss s f s fy g h s s g g v
a ter ac irin ood ealt n c it ation t e e ic people are no lon er t o t o af qu g g h h. I su h s u s, h s s k g h ugh f s
ri t ll ill t e indi id al o are no n to t em or more commonl t egh fu y by h v u s wh k w h , y, by h
ci ili ation it el Martin arani a M rra iron ander onv s s f ( , K k u y, B & S s , 2016).‐
rt ermore ic people are al o pro ected to et t eir di ea e e ta li ed omeFu h , s k s j g h s s s b sh by s
p ician or ealt care pro e ional in addition to o in ad erence to t e in tr ctionhys h h f ss , sh w g h h s u s
pro ided t e pro e ional to et rid o t e illne rt ermore ail re o a ic per on tov by h f ss g f h ss. Fu h , f u f s k s
do o ma e im er lo e t e opport nit o adorin t e ic role T nctionali ts , k s h /h s s h u y f g h ‘s k ’. hus, fu s
per pecti e identi ie ealt a an e ential prere i ite or proper nctionin o t es v f s h h s ss qu s f fu g f h
common ociet rn am To all ic i cate ori ed a ailin in term o l ilments y (Bu h , 2014). f s k s g z s f g s f fu f
o t e role o an indi id al in t e ociet ence t e approac con ider illne a a ma orf h f v u h s y. H , h h s s ss s j
orm o nmoti ated de iance T i de iance or illne can e re lated oc in on t ef f ‘u v v '. h s v ss b gu by f us g h
concept o t e ic role and t e acco nta ilit o t e medical pro e ional in pro idinf h 's k ' h u b y f h f ss s v g
a i tance to an indi id al re ardin t eir ic tatss s v u g g h s k s us.
T i can e di erentiated rom t e iomedical model o ealt and illne ereh s b ff f h b f h h ss wh
ealt i con idered to compri e o reedom rom erin and pain in addition toh h s s s f f f suff g ,
elimination o di ea e t ere contri tin to attainment o a tate o ood ealtf s s , h by bu g f s f g h h
ara ino mit T e iomedical model principall oc e on a ran e o iolo ical(S f & S h, 2014). h b y f us s g f b g
actor and eradicate t e role o p c olo ical en ironmental and ocial actor on manf s s h f sy h g , v , s f s hu
ealth h.
oncl ionC us
T it can e concl ded t at t ere are n mero percepti le ariance in t ehus, b u h h u us b v s h
orm o incidence and pre alence o di ea e in t e ocietf s f v f s s s h s y. ealt and medicine are omeH h s
o t e mo t e ential domain t at need ociolo ical e planation n ot er ordf h s ss s h s g x . I h w s, social
ealth h deal it t e a ilit o an indi id al to de elop a tainin interper onals w h h b y f v u v sus g s
a ociation it ot er t i al o a ociated it t e a ilit o t e per on to et com orta lss w h h s. I s s ss w h h b y f h s g f b y
adapted to a ran e og f ocials circ m tanceu s ic in t rn o ld determine t e ealt ands, wh h u w u h h h
o erall ell ein T t e ocial determinant o ealt are primaril re pon i le or t ev w b g. hus, h s s f h h y s s b f h

5A THE L H SOCIOLOGY
on et o ealt ine itie t ere re ltin in a ma or di erence in t e ealt tats f h h qu s, h by su g j ff h h h s us
et een ocietieb w s s.

6A THE L H SOCIOLOGY
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p on e i Pa t o P e T onepa e con lict=W Xv C gj&s g=EK h zkjg N0VWzE8 3003 3 Q#v= g &q= f
t eor o ealt al e%20 h y%20 f%20h h&f=f s
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7A THE L H SOCIOLOGY
it er tepniR z , G., & S sky, J. (2017).
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l en lr id AA A oi nd p PP d it er tepnih = & =& =xK74DQ QB J& =f & g= 1& q=R z ,+G.,+%26+S sky,+J.
Modern ociolo ical t eor+(2017).+ +s g + h y.
A P lication ot n p n i Mc T l P T onepa+S GE+ ub s& s= DHj I9D 9&s g=HYL7 _F70szjN J hkk YK1G I#v=
e it er tepni Moderng &q=R z %2C%20G.%2C%20%26%20S sky%2C%20J.%20(2017).%20
ociolo ical t eor A P lication al e%20s g %20 h y.%20S GE%20 ub s&f=f s
ara ino P mit TS f , E. ., & S h, . W. (2014).
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ile on etrie ed romW y & S s. R v f - ttp oo oo le co in ooh s://b ks.g g . . /b ks?
l en lr id p AA A oi nd p P d ara ino P mith = & =& =y ODBg QB J& =f & g= R6& q=S f ,+E.+ .,+%26+S h,
T ealt p c olo iop c o ocial interaction o n ile+ .+W.+(2014).+H h+ sy h gy:+B sy h s + s.+J h +W y+
on ot m%26+S s.& s=17 OkJ-
i P Ma o e d M l c c onepa e ara ino PIhY&s g= _ BGzS s 6_ 86 Wb C V0sL #v= g &q=S f %2C%20E.%20 .
mit T ealt p c olo A%2C%20%26%20S h%2C%20 .%20W.%20(2014).%20H h%20 sy h gy%3
iop c o ocial interaction o n ile on al e%20B sy h s %20 s.%20J h %20W y%20%26%20S s.&f=f s
T rner oltonu , B. S., & H , R. J. (2014).
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ei onn i tW ss, G. L., & L qu s , L. E. (2017).
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ttp ama ona com academia ed doc ment T e ociolo oh s://s3. z ws. / . u. u s/51937509/ h _S gy_ f_
ealt ealin and llne ei re or pdH h_H g_ _I ss_-_W ss_G g y_L.__SRG_. f?
A Acce e d A A A pire i nat reWS ssK yI = KI IWOWYYGZ2Y53UL3 &Ex s=1534251126&S g u =67x1
n m MP r d t re pon e content di po ition inline2G Wh Z fNhw%2Fk4OK R 0%3D& s s - - s s = %3B
ilename T e ociolo o ealt ealin and lln pd%20f %3D h _S gy_ f_H h_H g_ _I . f
ood ardner M arm P o nctionali t and proce approac eW , D., G , . H., & H s, . D. (2015). H w fu s ss h s
to e a ior can e plain trait co ariationb h v x v .
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122 etrei ed(1), 84. R v
romf - ttp di italcommon nl ed c i ie content c ih s:// g s.u . u/ g /v w . g ?
article conte t pd arm=1007& x = h s