Sociology of Health: Analyzing Biomedicine's Role in British Society

This essay delves into the sociology of health, specifically examining the rise and impact of biomedicine in contemporary British society. It defines key terms like health, illness, and biomedicine, outlining how the latter explains health through biological factors. The essay analyzes biomedicine's relevance, including its emphasis on understanding the body, providing guidelines for health, and its role in diagnosing and treating diseases. Furthermore, it explores the influence of conflict theory (Marx), Parsonian Functionalist theory, and the Germ Theory in shaping the biomedical model. The discussion covers the development of public health, the germ theory's impact, and the importance of preventative healthcare. The essay concludes by highlighting the significance of these theories in understanding the interplay between society and health, emphasizing the role of biomedicine in contemporary healthcare practices and its implications for the well-being of individuals within the British community.

Sociology of health
Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Discussion on the rise of bio-medicine and its relevance to health and illness in contemporary
British society.........................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
The concept of Sociology of health is mainly associated with the examination of the
interaction and correlation between the heath and society. The term health can be defined as a
state of well being of an individual in terms of positive physical, mental and social state of a
human that merely represents the absence and lack of disease or infirmity within an individual
(Germov and Hornosty, 2016). On Contrary, the term illness is mainly associated with the
condition where some unhealthy condition are present in the body or mind germs which causes
any kind of illness or some specific sickness. The term Biomedicine is mainly associated with
the branch of medical science that is applied and related with the biological and other
physiological principles of the clinical practice. The current assignment is based on main theories
of Biomedicine in sociology which consists of description of Conflict theory (Via Karl Marx)
and Parsonian Functionalist along with the analysis of ‘Germ Theory’-the use of Antibiotics.
MAIN BODY
Discussion on the rise of bio-medicine and its relevance to health and illness in contemporary
British society.
A recent rise is seen the bio - medicine which is taken as a Modern western scientific
medicine called as biomedical or bio medicine which is important and relevance to health and
illness because it tend to explain health in terms of biology (White, 2016). Apart from this, the
rise of bio-medicine in British contemporary society is also based on the fact that it attaches
much more importance to learning and effective understanding about body structure or anatomy
along with all other physiology systems in particular to grant and have better understanding
about some vital mechanisms of human body comprises of heart, arteries, nerves, brain and
many other vital aspects of health.
Apart from this, an analysis can be made that the concept of Health is mainly seen as a
state or situation where all the parts of the human body function normally for which the bio-
medicine has offered a particular and distinctive way of seeing and evaluating understanding of
the bodies and health. Beside this, a improved set of guidelines is also provided by bio-medicine
about relating to human health along with dealing with the through looking after to a vital set of
systems which are essentially needed to take care and proper maintenance by their own body and
physical health (Dmitrieva and Frolov, 2020). Thus, an implication can be made out that bio-
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medical accounts and count for one of the most relevant and effective branch that provides and
gives a better explanation of health with the help of analysis of physical and biological factors
that offers and leads to more effective method for repairing and treatment at the time when body
is not functioning properly and working correctly.
The relevance and effectiveness of bio-medical can be analysed with the fact that
conduction and leading out of some test establish and offer what is wrong and ill within a
physical body. Further, it has been also analysed that the biomedical model has become a more
integral and vital part of a western culture because of the way it perceived better healthcare.
Further, the rise and relevance of bio-medical has also based in the fact that the efficient rise of
biomedicine has lead to provide better knowledge and more effective understanding about the
cause of infectious disease (Dmitrieva and Frolov, 2020).
Further, the rise of bio-medicine in contemporary British society as with the greater and
enhanced level of urbanisation which is seen during the Industrial Revolution many widespread
disease came into existence which led to start and conduction of the public health movement. It
has been also analysed that the key tenet of public health theories was tend to based on the fact
that the health and disease are merely arise and result of the relationship of individuals and
populations that is taken as the base of rise of Bio medical. Beside this, leading and reflecting a
better understanding about the natural or manufactured environment of an individual’s is also a
key factor of bio- medical which have direct impact an influence in the health that is reflected in
the theories and branch of bio –medical (Kronenfeld, 2016). Thus, the rise of bio- medical
branch is based on the fact that the promotion and effective advertising for better health and
wellbeing of individuals tend to require a more effective intervention in order to modify or
transform their physical environment. Further, the rise of bio-medical is also see because of its
significance in leading better health after the public health theory was challenged by the germ
theory of disease which suggested that disease was caused by bacteria. This development of
Germ theory basically resulted in and reflected as an enhanced status and use of laboratory
science along with better development of hospital medicine and surgery that is taken as a main
cause and reason for rise of bio-medical especially in field of medicine and surgery. Further, the
development and rise of Bio-medical in contemporary society of UK is also based on the fact
that it is not enough to just cure a present diseases but it also vital and important to find and
prevent diseases and illness that are taking place today (Beckfield, 2018). Thus, this scenario has
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made development and rise of bio-medical model to relevant and important that comprises of
taking test and sample of the patient to analysis and evaluate the signs of the any kind of illness
within individuals (White, 2016).
Beside this, it has been observed that many theories are also there in relation to Bio-
medicine which is associated with biomedical model which comprises Conflict theory and
Parsonian Functionalist along with the analysis of ‘Germ Theory’. The conflict theory of bio-
medical was first provided by the and purported by the Karl Marx which stated that presently the
society is in the state of having a perpetual conflict among society and local community based on
the fact of prevailing high level of competition for the present limited resources (Mashford-
Pringle, 2016). The conflict theory of bio medical is vital and relevant for the current
contemporary British society as it holds and leads out to a social order that is maintained and
seen by the domination of a section of powerful society rather than by leading and reflecting the
consensus and conformity. Thus, the development of the conflict theory is based on the fact and
explains the exploitation of the working class by the capitalist societies present within in the
contemporary British community which lead to a negative impact on health of people and leads
to illness along with imbalance and lack of well being.
Apart from this, the Parsonian Functionalist theory is also implicated to have better
understanding about bio-medical model which is associated with functionalism within a society
which sees and reflects society as a vital system that is having a set of interconnected parts and
correlation which reflects and present them together as a whole. Apart from this, the theory of
Parsonian Functionalist also leads a view point of society as an interconnected system where it is
argued that every social system mainly has four basic form of functional prerequisites which
consists of adaption to prevailing situation along with goal attainment associated with proper
integration and pattern maintenance in the society (Allen and et. al., 2016).
At last, the most important and vital form of theory associated with the bio-medical
comprises of Germ theory that is vital for success of bio-medical model as at the time when
tuberculosis, pneumonia, influenza and diarrhea are the taken as the main cause of death at that
time germ theory of disease essentially eliminated these infectious diseases as the primary cause
of death. Apart from this, the Germ theory based on use of Antibiotics for Treatment and Control
of a disease are still remain the important part of bio medical theory that help laboratory testing
for better diagnose and monitor of any specific set of condition or disease (Germov and
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Hornosty, 2016). Thus, an analysis cam be made out that Germ theory is a vital part f Bio
medical which support its relevance and importance in British community for offering better
treatment and improved balance between health and wellbeing of people.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of essay a conclusion, can be made that the a rise is lead out and seen in bio
medicine based in the fact that it support modern western scientific medicine techniques and
explain health in better terms supported by biology of an individual. Beside this, it has been also
summarised that health is related with state of complete well being where as illness represent
any sense of disease or uncomforted in body lead out by some sort of sickness. At last, a
summarisation can be made out that Conflict theory and Parsonian Functionalist along with the
analysis of ‘Germ Theory’ plays a vital role in success and effectiveness of Bio-medical model
through presenting complete sense and effective connection between society and health.
REFERENCES
Books and journal
Allen, D. and et. al., 2016. The sociology of healthcare safety and quality. John Wiley & Sons.
Beckfield, J., 2018. Political sociology and the people's health. Oxford University Press.
Dmitrieva, E.V. and Frolov, S.A., 2020. Sociology of Health: from Theory to Practice (the Case
of'SMS for Mama'Communicative Program Realization). Sociological Studies, 7(7),
pp.118-127.
Dmitrieva, E.V. and Frolov, S.A., 2020. Sociology of Health: From Theory to Practice
(Methodology and Results of Communication Campaign). Sotsiologicheskie
issledovaniya, (7), pp.118-127.
Germov, J. and Hornosty, J., 2016. Second opinion: An introduction to health sociology. Oxford
University Press, USA.
Kronenfeld, J.J., 2016. Special Social Groups and Social Factors', Special Social Groups, Social
Factors and Disparities in Health and Health Care (Research in the Sociology of Health
Care, Volume 34) (pp. 3-13). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Mashford-Pringle, A., 2016. Aboriginal Health and Aboriginal Education are Interconnected',
Special Social Groups, Social Factors and Disparities in Health and Health Care
(Research in the Sociology of Health Care, Volume 34).
White, K., 2016. An introduction to the sociology of health and illness. Sage.
Online:
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What is biomedicine?. 2019. [Online] Available Through:<
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/body-mind/health/health-studies/what-biomedicine >.
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