Sociology Concepts in Health and Ill Health

This report examines the sociology of health and illness, discussing various theoretical perspectives, healthcare delivery models, and the impact of social inequalities on health. It highlights the importance of health promotion and education in improving health outcomes.

Sociology Concepts in
Health and Ill Health

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
1.1:...............................................................................................................................................3
1.2:...............................................................................................................................................4
1.3:...............................................................................................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
2.1:...............................................................................................................................................5
2.2:...............................................................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
3.1:...............................................................................................................................................6
3.2:...............................................................................................................................................6
3.3:...............................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
The sociology of illness and health, is considered to be an effective interaction or
interrelation among health related factors and society (Ogunrotifa, 2020). Present report will be
considering the different theoretical perspectives to illness and health, stigmatization and
potential effects of it on users. Apart from this, two different models of healthcare delivery are
also going to be enclosed in the assignment. Including this, social inequalities influence the life
chances and health status of individuals is also going to be enclosed in this report. Lastly,
assignment will put light on use of health promotion and health education to enhance health
conditions of the country.
TASK 1
1.1:
There are a range of theoretical perspectives that can be seen in current time linking to
illness and health. In present context, Symbolic Interactionism and Social Constructionism are
said to be the two major perspectives which are discussed underneath:
Symbolic Interactionism:
This is said to be the crucial illness and health perspective, which focuses on symbolic
significance considering ‘health’ or ‘unwell’ within the society. Basically, perspective in present
context is that considering or utilising symbols while communicating shows the meaning which
has been place above social or physical objects. Including this, it can be said that symbolic
interactionism approach is being formulated while focusing on language where, the belief is that
within any social setting where communication occurs, there is an exchange of these symbols
takes place (Germov and Hornosty, 2016).
Social Constructionism:
This is another crucial perspective to illness and health where this particular approach has
showed the improvement within jointly-constructed understandings to world that form the basis
for shared assumptions about reality. Including this, the particular approach, which is specifically
being utilised is interpretation process, where mediation is involved considering the symbols
which encourage behaviour and consequential reactions (Allen, 2019). Basically, illness and
health are said to be the two crucial social constructions, where it means that only when mental

and physical conditions are defined as such by members of society that these conditions may
effectively be classified as health conditions as they have no objective reality.
1.2:
Talcott Parsons' work depended on crafted by Emile Durkheim. Parson’s sick role put
together his work with respect to the natural relationship, implying that he recognized similitudes
among society and the human body. Embracing a perspective that ailment is a type of
abnormality that upsets the social capacity of the general public is presumably the most ideal
route from a sociological point of view of understanding the idea as per Parsons (Knapp and
Hall, 2018).
Including this, the individual who is sick is in reality actually debilitated and will receive a
particular social job. Here, there are a bunch of acknowledged rights and obligations dependent
on accepted practices connected to being wiped out. As per the debilitated job hypothesis an
individual who is to be seen as truly sick and absolved from ordinary social obligations should
meet a few desires. The debilitated job recommends a bunch of rights and commitments and isn't
considered liable for their ailment (Rikala, 2020).
The individuals who are wiped out ought not be seen as having caused their own medical
issues. Including this, for instance if heftiness and weakness happens as a result of an unfortunate
eating regimen and absence of activity happens and the outcomes of which is a coronary failure
there is an inclination for less compassion depicted than the individuals who have followed a
solid eating routine and way of life who create malignancy.
1.3:
Stigmatization can be defined as the beliefs and attitudes which may effectively lead
individuals to avoid, reject or develop fear considering those individuals who perceive as an
individual personality. Apart from this, if it is talked about the other individuals then these are
the ones who specifically stays unavailable while contributing in a group to survive. In present
context, they are specifically considered as a threat for society (McCartney and et. al., 2020).
Away with this, in relation with health and social care it can be said that behaviour or look
of an individual might not be considered in a society “Norm”. On the other hand, it is
additionally seen that vilification can be seen, genuine or it could be both as a person. In setting
with stigmatization, social avoidance conveys a tremendous impact of barring the marked
'mental patient' from ordinary associations (Steggals, Graham and Lawler, 2020). Here, thought

of naming hypothesis would help individual in zeroing in on various scope of suspicions like
ordinary conduct held by specialists inside the specific field which results into wrong attribution
of marks for instance schizophrenia. In context with mental health, it can be said that there are
powerful negative characteristics present within the social relations, where mental health services
users and is even worst within developing countries (Rodgers, 2017).
TASK 2
2.1:
In present time, it has been found that there are a range of models of healthcare delivery
that can be found to gain deeper knowledge in relation with healthcare delivery. Some of these
are presented underneath:
Biomedical Model of health: This is specifically being considered as a crucial traditional
biomedical model, which was found in 19th century, to health care delivery until recently. This is
specifically being considered as a scientific measure which was undertaken by doctors to find out
the reasons behind a particular disease. In present context, it has been found that biological
reasons are specifically being considered to learn in relation with illness (Törrönen and et. al.,
2020). On the other hand, it was developed at the time when medical practice and health care
were dominated by traditional natural sciences. Considering this approach, it can be said that
adoption of a crucial curative approach, would help in understanding the main philosophical
belief which would help in finding out the science and medicine could effectively cure all the
diseases as well as illness.
Biopsychosocial model: Biopsychosocial model was created as an option because of the
impediments, thinness and limitations of the Biomedical model. It has been clarified that the
social and mental impacts of the present medical issues don't fit with the limitations of the
biomedical model. This model additionally fits with the WHO's meaning of wellbeing – who
announce that it is a 'Condition of complete physical, mental, and social prosperity, and not
simply the nonattendance of infection or illness'.
2.2:
Considering the case of Mr. Raymond Palanca, who is 94 years’ old the best suitable
healthcare delivery model is biopsychosocial approach. The reason that came in front was the
incompetence of Biomedical model of health, where the particular model was linking with

physical, mental, and social prosperity (Morsello and Moretti, 2017). Also, in the case mental
health of Mr. Palanca, it can be said that he was dealing with a range of issues. On the other
hand, social prosperity and physical health conditions were also said to be some of the crucial
problems in case of Palanca.
TASK 3
3.1:
Social inequalities can be explained as the indifference among different sectors of
economy on the basis of caste, sex, income, class and many more. This section will cover the
impact of these factors on the health status of different individual. The person having low socio-
economic situation will have higher chances of having poor health condition. The low social
economic situation defines the inability of the individual's earning capacity which have
influenced their health status. Health inequalities are the systematic difference in the health status
of different sectors of the economy by impacting their inabilities of maintaining the class and
health status in the economy.
The impact of social factors on health status is not evenly distributed. Poverty is an
important factor which affects the life expectancy rate of the economy. It is also a cause of
premature deaths. Also, there are different health factors in different regions which impacts an
individual. It is necessary to tackle disparities in the social sectors to reduce the health
inequalities among the social groups. Distribution of ill health and diseases creates a burden on
society and different social groups. The wellbeing of an individual includes education
employment and other factors which also affects the health of an individual and also becomes a
reason for health inequality. In different countries it is observed that health of individual is also
effected by their external environment which creates inequalities in health (Bayen, 2017).
3.2:
Health is a serious issue for any individual which can’t be taken lightly. Mortality means
an individual is suffering from a disease and this rate must be as low as possible. Health
mortality rate differs according to the change in social factors and external environment. The
behaviour and perception of individual also affects the mortality rate and their health status.
There are three behaviours of an individual: smoking, health and physical activity that affects the
mortality rate. These behaviour factors determine level of an individual's wellbeing. The

objective of this study is to find out the government measures for the health mortality in UK. The
government measures the death rate of different individuals on the basis of male and female
classification in a fixed interval of time.
This helps in determining the health status of the country and where they are lacking in the
health sector. This also helps in finding out the steps to be taken for the improvement in the
health. Strong health status provides the country an advantage of maintaining the population and
growth level. A person having high mortality rate defines that the individual needs immediate
medical attention they are suffering from more than one disease. In UK, the mortality rate is also
used to keep the records of the patients currently active in the country. Mortality rate can be
permanent or periodic in nature which determines the health status of an individual. (Fitzgerald,
Rose and Singh, 2016)
3.3:
Health promotion and health education specifically diminishes unexpected losses. By
zeroing in on counteraction, wellbeing advancement diminishes the costs (both money related
and human) that people, managers, families, insurance agencies, clinical offices, networks, the
state and the country would spend on clinical treatment. In people group associations and
government organizations wellbeing teachers help a network distinguish its necessities, draw
upon its critical thinking capacities and assemble its assets to create, advance, execute and assess
methodologies to improve its own wellbeing status (Morsello and Moretti, 2017). Wellbeing
instructors do network coordinating and exceed, alliance building, support and create, produce,
and assess broad communications wellbeing efforts. Also, it can be said that health promotion
along with health education plays an important role to enhance the health education in much
effective and in efficient ways.
CONCLUSION
With the help of above mentioned report, it is concluded that social factors impact on
individual’s health conditions. It is also summarised that considering different models like
Biomedical Model of health and Biopsychosocial model including the theoretical perspectives,
Symbolic Interactionism and Social Constructionism would help in better understanding the term
social health conditions.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ogunrotifa, A. B., 2020. The alternativisation of healthcare: A sociological framework for
analysis. Cogent Social Sciences, 6(1), p.1776463.
Germov, J. and Hornosty, J., 2016. Second opinion: An introduction to health sociology. Oxford
University Press, USA.
Allen, D., 2019. Institutionalising emergent organisation in health and social care. Journal of
Health Organization and Management.
Knapp, T. and Hall, L., 2018. The Social Determinants of Health in a Community Context:
Lessons for Sociological Practice. Journal of Applied Social Science, 12(2), pp.67-81.
Rikala, S., 2020. Agency among young people in marginalised positions: towards a better
understanding of mental health problems. Journal of Youth Studies, 23(8), pp.1022-1038.
McCartney, G. and et. al., 2020. Using inequalities in power to operationalise fundamental
causes theory and focus action to reduce health inequalities. Sociology of Health &
Illness.
Steggals, P., Graham, R. and Lawler, S., 2020. Self-injury in social context: an emerging
sociology.
Rodgers, D., 2017. Community music as a vehicle for tackling mental health-related
stigma. London Review of Education, 15(3), pp.474-487.
Törrönen, J. and et. al., 2020. ‘Social health’,‘physical health’, and well-being: Analysing with
bourdieusian concepts the interplay between the practices of heavy drinking and exercise
among young people. International Journal of Drug Policy, p.102825.
Morsello, B. and Moretti, V., 2017. Your health in numbers. A sociological analysis of two
Quantified-self Communities. Salute e Società.
Bayen, N., 2017. A Sociological View of Management of Health of the Migrant Workers in
Kolkata. Journal of the Department of Sociology of North Bengal University, 4, p.31.