Sociology of Health: Biopsychosocial Model and Conflict Theory

This article discusses the sociology of health and illness, focusing on the biopsychosocial model and conflict theory. It examines the impact of social life on rates of mortality and morbidity, and the role of social inequalities in healthcare access and delivery.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Health Sociology
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1SOCIOLOGY
Introduction
Health is defined as the fundamental right and a state that encompasses
complete psychological, physical and social wellbeing of an individual, in addition to
the mere presence of infirmity and disease. Health of persons is also associated with
the environment in which they are residing and their capability to integrate and adapt
to their life context. The relationship that a person shares with the environment is
particularly significant owing to the fact that this form of interaction that summarises
the perception of normality, when compared to pathology (Bury, 2013). The
sociology of health and illness has the capability of examining and investigating the
interaction and correlation between health and the society. The primary objective of
sociology is to determine the impact of social life on rates of mortality and morbidity.
While medical research might be useful in obtaining statistical data on a disease,
having a sociological perspective on particular disease would help in gaining an
insight into the external factors increased the likelihood of the individuals to fall ill.
Biopsychosocial model
Health psychology is most commonly concerned with the psychology of a
plethora of health associated behaviour that encompass healthy eating, relationship
with the doctor, beliefs about diseases and the understanding that a patient has on
health related information. The biopsychosocial model outlooks health and illness as
the direct product of a set of specific behavioural factors (stress, lifestyle, health
beliefs), biological characteristics (genetics), and different social conditions (family
relationships, cultural influences, social support). This model was proposed in 1977
by Engel and implies that all forms of thoughts, feelings and behaviour are capable
of influencing the physical state of a person (Ayers, Franklin & Ring, 2013). He
argued with the age old assumption that biological factors of disease and health
have the worth of being studied and practiced. This model postulates that social and
psychological factors are crucial in influencing the biological functioning of an
organism. According to the model, psychological, biological and social factors are
believed to exist along a range composed of natural systems. A systematic
consideration of the social and psychological factors requires presentation of social
sciences. Hence, both natural and social sciences are imperative to medicine. In
other words, healthy environments are considered as the beginning point for

2SOCIOLOGY
wellbeing and health and contains different components namely, the physical,
cultural, social, and economic environments (Pilgrim, 2015).
Responsive parenting provides children with the opportunity to develop
healthy identity, and/or interpersonal skills. These skills are commonly comprised of
cooperation, communication, and behavioural or emotional regulation. Furthermore,
a sense of belonging also comprises of school, work, family and community and is
established on strong interpersonal skills that are developed during childhood. The
major advantages of this model are based on its awareness of the different levels
existing in nature, holism, and inclusiveness of diverse perspectives. The advocates
of the biopsychosocial model argue for the obligation to think and decide about
treatment of illness via this model (Sarafino & Smith, 2014). They also elaborate on
the fact that behavioural and social factors play an understandable and foremost role
in the overall human health such as, poor eating habits obesity, alcoholism, smoking,
stress, depression, and anxiety. Historically, some of the popular theories such as,
nature versus nurture theory postulated that any one of the biological, social or
psychological factors are adequate to alter the course of development. However, this
biopsychosocial model argues that development of health and an onset of illness can
be defined as an interplay between the genetic makeup, mental health, and
sociocultural environment, which in turn determine the health-related outcomes
(Campbell & Rohrbaugh, 2013).
Some of the common biological effects on health and illness consist of
infections, genetics, nutrition, physical trauma, toxins and hormones. Most of the
disorders are found to occur due to an increase in genetic susceptibility.
Development of schizophrenia in one of the monozygotic twins increases the chance
of the other twin to suffer from the disease by manifolds (Kahn & Keefe, 2013).
Some of the psychological components of the model comprise of negative thinking,
emotional turmoil and lack of self-control. Conversely, poor socioeconomic status,
religious orthodox nature and culture also predispose a person to develop certain
illness (Smith et al., 2013). This is in distinction with the medical model that implied a
reductionist method to understand health problems. It primarily viewed health and
illness in mechanical terms and comprised of history, complaint, ancillary tests,
physical examination, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Another distinction with
the biopsychosocial model is that the medical model considered signs and

3SOCIOLOGY
symptoms as the major indicators of an underlying physiological abnormality present
within a person (Deacon, 2013). The medical model is extremely useful for health
researchers, with the intent of entering a brightened course between naïve realism
and radical social constructivism.
Conflict theory
The conflict theory was proposed by Karl Marx and holds the claim that the
society exists in a condition of perpetual conflict due to competition for limited or
reduced resources. The theory draws attention to different power differentials namely
class conflict and also forms a contrast with ideologies that are historically dominant.
In other words, the conflict theory can be defined as some macro-oriented paradigm
that considers the society as an area of inequality, which subsequently results in the
development of clashes and subsequent social changes. Some of the key concepts
in this perspective elaborate on the fact that the society is designed in ways that
benefits few people at the cost of the majority, and different social factors such as,
sex race, age, class, are associated to social inequality (Burrell & Morgan,
2017). The theory was proposed at a time when there was an increase in capitalism
in Europe and the upper classes were in possession of more resources, which in
turn made the impose a set of rules over the inferior class. According to this theory,
social inequality symbolises and exemplifies the quality of healthcare services and
health outcomes of the people residing in the society. People belonging to poor and
disadvantaged social backgrounds show an increased likelihood of becoming ill and
receiving inadequate healthcare services. With the aim of partially increasing their
incomes, physicians have time and again tried to resist medicine practice and
describe social harms as medical difficulties. Thus, this conflict approach most
commonly underlines on the inequalities that exist in healthcare access, its delivery
and the well-being of people.
Social inequalities are defined along the lines of race, gender, social class,
and ethnicity and are directly manifested in terms of health related quality of life
(Weiss & Lonnquist, 2017). Individuals from the disadvantaged social class are more
vulnerable to fall ill, and upon getting affected, the presence of inadequate treatment
services makes their situation more difficult and worsens the situation. Thus, the
theory is grounded on evidences of vast disparities in access to healthcare. The
conflict theory also criticises the efforts that have been taken by different medical

4SOCIOLOGY
practitioners over the years, with the aim of controlling the practice of the medical
field. On one hand, they hold the belief that medical professionals are most qualified
and have the capability of diagnosing problems and subsequently ensuing the
treatment that follows (Luhmann, Baecker, & Gilgen, 2013). On the other hand, it has
also been recognised by the physicians that there will be an improvement in the
financial status, following their success in typifying the social problems in the medical
domain, and monopolising their treatment. Therefore, power struggles that occur
over control of resources of the society and the world, portray the conflict viewpoint.
This conflict might have legal, political, economic, or familial realms. The prevalence
of chronic diseases increases with age over 65 years, and people living longer must
resort to medical institutions for their optimal health and wellbeing (Ritzer &
Stepnisky, 2017). Conversely, the primary reason that contributes to the increased
longevity of women, in comparison to men is the fact that the latter participates in
occupations that take a toll on their health, in addition to increased rates of addiction.
The role of race can be illustrated by the fact that African Americans have more
mortality rates from pneumonia, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.
This is in complete contrast with the biomedical model that considers health to
constitute the freedom from pain, disease and/or defects, thereby making a normal
person healthy. The difference with the biomedical model of health can be illustrated
by the fact that the latter primarily focuses on biological factors and eliminates the
role of environmental, psychological, and social influences on health. It is measured
as the mainstay approach for healthcare specialists in Western countries, to detect
and treat an illness (Halfon et al., 2014). Owing to the fact that the biomedical model
focuses on the biological and physical aspects of illness, it completely defies the role
of the society.
Conclusion
To conclude, there exist noticeable differences in the patterns of onset and
prevalence of diseases across different societies. Medicine and health are the vital
areas of sociological concentration, but to hurried global challenges, they are
varying. The normality needs to be put into a meaningful context by geographical
origin, gender, and the living conditions of the individual. Hence, there is an urgent
need for change that can be brought about by evaluation of the sociological model of
health.

5SOCIOLOGY
References
Ayers, D. C., Franklin, P. D., & Ring, D. C. (2013). The role of emotional health in
functional outcomes after orthopaedic surgery: extending the biopsychosocial
model to orthopaedics: AOA critical issues. The Journal of bone and joint
surgery. American volume, 95(21).
Burrell, G., & Morgan, G. (2017). Sociological paradigms and organisational
analysis: Elements of the sociology of corporate life. Routledge.
Bury, M. (2013). Health and illness in a changing society. Routledge.
Campbell, W. H., & Rohrbaugh, R. M. (2013). The biopsychosocial formulation
manual: A guide for mental health professionals. Routledge.
Deacon, B. J. (2013). The biomedical model of mental disorder: A critical analysis of
its validity, utility, and effects on psychotherapy research. Clinical psychology
review, 33(7), 846-861.
Halfon, N., Larson, K., Lu, M., Tullis, E., & Russ, S. (2014). Lifecourse health
development: past, present and future. Maternal and child health
journal, 18(2), 344-365.
Kahn, R. S., & Keefe, R. S. (2013). Schizophrenia is a cognitive illness: time for a
change in focus. JAMA psychiatry, 70(10), 1107-1112.
Luhmann, N., Baecker, D., & Gilgen, P. (2013). Introduction to systems theory.
Cambridge: Polity.
Pilgrim, D. (2015). The biopsychosocial model in health research: its strengths and
limitations for critical realists. Journal of Critical Realism, 14(2), 164-180.
Ritzer, G., & Stepnisky, J. (2017). Modern sociological theory. SAGE Publications.
Sarafino, E. P., & Smith, T. W. (2014). Health psychology: Biopsychosocial
interactions. John Wiley & Sons.
Smith, R. C., Fortin, A. H., Dwamena, F., & Frankel, R. M. (2013). An evidence-
based patient-centered method makes the biopsychosocial model
scientific. Patient education and counseling, 91(3), 265-270.

6SOCIOLOGY
Weiss, G. L., & Lonnquist, L. E. (2017). The sociology of health, healing, and illness.
Routledge.