Critical Analysis of Healthcare Readings: Course Essay

This essay presents a critical analysis of three healthcare readings by Germov (2014), McMurray (2003), and Thompson (2011). The analysis begins by outlining the main ideas presented in each article, including Germov's exploration of health problems as social issues, Thompson's examination of the medicalization of inequality, and McMurray's focus on creating and maintaining healthy communities. The essay then delves into a critical evaluation of these ideas, incorporating the student's own perspectives and insights derived from the readings. Germov's work on the biomedical model and social determinants is discussed, along with the concept of Cartesian dualism. Thompson's analysis of health inequities and medical discourse is examined, emphasizing the impact of social and cultural factors. McMurray's focus on community health and ecological perspectives is also explored. The essay utilizes additional references to support arguments, demonstrating a clear understanding of the course material and an ability to present well-organized and logically sound arguments.

Running head: HEALTHCARE
Topic: HEALTHCARE
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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Introduction
Healthcare have been a pivotal part of the wealth as well as economy of the country.
The access to various facilities to the healthcare vary across communities, countries, as well
as individuals. It is considered as one of the most important component of the social
determinants of health. Healthcare and the various services pertaining to it is important as an
efficient system as it has an important contribution as a significant part of the country’s
development, economy as well as industrialization. The concept of social work is important
in healthcare as it helps in provision of solutions to families and their patients. Moreover, the
interaction between families and their patients are strengthened through the work of a social
worker. The main role is important for the escalation of their health.
This assignment is an analysis of the three articles by the authors Germov (2014),
McMurray (2003) as well as Thompson (2011). Moreover, this article would involve a
critical analysis of the main ideas highlighted in the articles and it would involve my
perception regarding the ideas highlighted in the articles which is arising from the key ideas
in the reading.
Germov, J 2014, ‘Imagining health problems as social issues’, in J Germov (ed.), Second
opinion: an introduction to health sociology, 5th edn, Oxford University Press, South
Melbourne
In this paper, Germov have highlighted the concepts of health and its effective amalgamation
with the theory of illness. He has introduced the sociological perspective and its use in a
broad range of health issues. According to him, the special concept of sociological
imagination helps in describing the distinctive features involving the sociological perspective
as well. It depends on the sociological imagination of the various cultural, historical structural
as well as critical factors. The author has also accepted the social origins of illness and health

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which has been prior to the development of sociology. This concept was then recognised as
public health i the area of social health, and community medicine. In this article the author
has been successful in linking the social determinates and well-being of people according to
the specifications of the biomedical model. The amalgamation of the ideas of social well-
being and illness has been constructed on the biomedical model which assumes that there is a
specific cause behind every ailment which affects humans in a predictable and uniform way.
It involves the mechanical view of the body which is considered to be made up of various
interrelated parts like the circulatory and the skeletal system. He has highlighted the
Cartesian dualism which believes that the influence behind the scientific discoveries like
organs which have eventually endorsed particular beliefs in the separation of the soul and the
body. This dilemma between the mind and the body has been termed as the mind body
dualism. Thus the author pinpoints the relation of the principle of Cartesian dualism with
biomedical model where a particular diseases has been located in the body and been linked to
the mental state which has been considered as unimportant. This theory and concept has been
contradicted as well as supported by many authors. According to Mtahews (2017), the origins
of dualism has been important as it plays an important role in highlighting the historical
forms of the politics involving gender. Escaping from the dualist mind-set would involve
countering the various theories of dualism and tendencies which are inherent in theory.
Halfon et al (2014) have focused on the biophyschosocial models of health which has been
instrumental for the variation in factors influencing health which has replaced the simplified
models of diseases causation. He has supported the author’s concept of the biomedical model
to be different from models of life course health development as they have emerged from
behavioural, biological and social science disciplines. According to the various concepts of
lifestyle as well as nutritional strategies have been formulated for a more holistic approach
according to the principles stated by the biomedical model.

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During the critical analysis of the paper I found the interrelation between the concepts
of the biomedical models of heath along with the concept of Cartesian dualism to be very
intriguing. Moreover the concept highlighted in the sociological analysis of the health
concepts enlightening the personal problems as well as broader issues have been clearly
mentioned by the author.
Thus the paper by Gernov and his reflections on the re-imagination of the various
health problems in terms of social issues has been successful in connecting the individual
experiences along with broader social context. The author has been effective in relating to the
various issue according to the biomedical model of health. This perspective based on the
biomedical model varied from the shift of health problems to the effects on the social
determinants of health influencing the lives of people based on economic, social and cultural
contexts.
Thompson, N 2011/2018, Chapter 5: ‘Health and the medicalization of inequality’, in
Promoting equality: working with diversity & difference, 3rd or 4th edn, Palgrave
Macmillan, London.
According to the paper by Thompson (2011), there has been a clear explanation of the
concept of medicalization of inequality. The central theme has been focused around health
and related concepts. The author have discussed the concepts of the sociology of health along
with the critique involving the medical model. The author have focused on the social
construction of health .There has been various complexities of the sociological, biological as
well as psychological concept which amalgamates the notions of health, sickness as well a
disease. The medical model has been considered as reductionist in the sense that ll illness and
diseases have been reduced casually to the number of specific biochemical
mechanism.Moreover the author has highlighted the concept of social iatrogeneisis which has

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been designated on the category of etiology compassing various forms. This concept coes
into terms when the concept of healthcare is usually turned into a standardized item when
there is s close conncetion between the concept of hospitability. According to the author
there has been the prevalence of alternative sources of health movements which have
changed the concepts of modernity as well as the struggle between the corruptions. The
emerging discourse involving the notion of holistic medicine has been helping people to
recognize the approaches like the medical model. Thus over all there has been the
proclamation of broader concept of health which has been explained in terms of social well-
being which has simultaneously reflected the movement away from the medical model and
the affinity associated with it. The author has next focused on the concept of health
inequities which has been considered as a major feature of the medical discourse and has an
individualistic focus. The race, gender, caste and other virtues has been important
determining factors from the concept. One of the important factors highlighted here has been
the importance of addressing mental health as they have been dependent on physical
treatment. Thus from a social constructionist perspective, the issue of mental health problems
have been connected to discourses and social relationships and not only depended on the
personal state. The concept of health inequities have been highlighted by the finding of
Krieger who have supported the author stating that discrimination often leads to the
emergence of health inequities which is often linked to distortion of scientific knowledge, and
links the idea of discrimination and health. Baum and Fisher (2014) have further extended the
research stating that there are various behavioral forms of health promotion which often
affect the concept of well-being among people who are economically disadvantaged. Thus
there is an important role of the social determinant of health in the reduction of potential
health inequities. Even the whole concept have been highlighted by the World Health

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Commission where recommendations have been made addressing the reduction of health
inequities among the nations. Thus the introduction of regulations is necessary for health.
I have found the concept of medicalizing inequality which has been determined by the
understanding of oppression understood by groups who often have been stereotyped as ill
mentally. Thus the concept of mediciliazing inequality have encompassed concepts like
medical discourses. The discourse have been aligned with the concept of the dominant
medical model which have viewed health as the absence of the diseases. Thus the approach
have helped in the dominant as well as biased thinking leading to the margilization of the
various groups. The notion of disability has been incorporated by the author where the
mental health has played an important role through the reinforcement of power relations
along with the need to legitimize the concept of norm.
Thus Thompson has been successful in relation the idea of health inequities with
oppression using various factors like the personal, cultural as well as structural factors.
Overall the link between the broader levels of structural, cultural contexts of the society has
been formulated. The author has been successful in creating the health problems considering
the cultural, structural as well the critical factors.
McMurray, A & Clendon, J 2012/2015, ‘Creating and maintaining a healthy
community’, Community health and wellness
This paper has focused on the concept and community and the growth of health communities
for the mental and physical well-being of the people. The author have focused on the concept
of ecological relationship which has linked the concept of health being a social as well as
ecological phenomenon. The main concept which has been highlighted depends on the
definition of health defined by World Health Organization. Here the concept of social
determinant of health has also been highlighted. Thus there is proper definition and

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correlation of the ecological and multilayered perspective of the social determinants of
health. The concepts of the ecological perspective along with the dynamic and determinants
of health followed by the concept of reciprocal and health literacy have been instrumental in
the definition of the concept of health. Thus the author has placed an importance on the
overall health and well-being of the community as well as wellness where a dynamic
relationship between the people as well as their environment has been there enabling
community health and well-being for increasing the quality of life. Sustainability has been
another term liked with the concept of wellbeing where the five principles of sustainable
development involving achievement of a sustainable economy along with promotion of good
governance is highlighted here. Thus the use of sound science is important for the mental
and social well-being of the people. Thus the concept of community empowerment is
highlighted which has been active in the decision making process affecting the health of the
members of the community. Further McMurray(2003) have been successful in establishing
his point involving the primary healthcare model thereby offering the community members
the fundamental right of participation involved in the planning and implementation of health
needs of the people.
I liked the connection between the concept of social and mental well-being with the
involvement of an ecological perspective. The concept of information and education has
been highlighted here considering heath as a socio ecological construct which can be
involved in the community as a bottom up approach empowering the community considering
the capacity of change in the social welfare concepts and condition of the people.
Thus over all the author has been successful in establishing the concept of ecological
empowerment with the hope of establishing a sustainable community. Moreover, the author
has be highlighted and reinforced the concept of community health from an ecological

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perspective thus considering the dynamic relations between the interactions of the individuals
within their environment.
Conclusion
Thus from the above paragraphs it can be understood that the critical analysis of the papers
by McMurray, Germov, Thompson has been an attempt in the exploration of the key concepts
and application regarding the analysis of the papers considered for review. Thus these ideas
has been helpful in proving my viewpoints and reflections which has been raised and
highlighted by these authors regarding the concept of health and its social connection along
with its amalgamation in the present environment.

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Bibliography
Baum, F., & Fisher, M. (2014). Why behavioural health promotion endures despite its failure
to reduce health inequities. Sociology of health & illness, 36(2), 213-225.
Germov, J 2014, ‘Imagining health problems as social issues’, in J Germov (ed.), Second
opinion: an introduction to health sociology, 5th edn, Oxford University Press, South
Melbourne,
Gonzalez-Bulnes, A., Astiz, S., Ovilo, C., Lopez-Bote, C. J., Torres-Rovira, L., Barbero,
A., ... & Vazquez-Gomez, M. (2016). Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
in swine: implications for animal production and biomedical
research. Theriogenology, 86(1), 110-119.
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.
Krieger, N. (2014). Discrimination and health inequities. International Journal of Health
Services, 44(4), 643-710.
Mathews, F. (2017). The dilemma of dualism.
McMurray, A & Clendon, J 2012/2015, ‘Creating and maintaining a healthy
community’, Community health and wellness, Elseiver, Chatswood,
Thompson, N 2011/2018, Chapter 5: ‘Health and the medicalization of inequality’, in
Promoting equality: working with diversity & difference, 3rd or 4th edn, Palgrave
Macmillan, London