Question

List four reason sociologist claime that health is a societal as well as medical issue

Answer 1

Health is a state of complete well‐being: physical, mental, and emotional. This definition emphasizes the importance of being more than disease free, and recognizes that a healthy body depends upon a healthy environment and a stable mind. Medicine is the social institution that diagnoses, treats, and prevents disease. To accomplish these tasks, medicine depends upon most other sciences—including life and earth sciences, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Sociology assumes that a functioning society depends upon healthy people and upon controlling illness. In examining social constructs of health and illness, sociologist Talcott Parsons identified what he called “ the sick role,” or the social definition of, the behaviour of, and the behaviour towards those whom society defines as ill. Parsons identified four components to the sick role.

The sick person is

• Not held responsible for being sick.
• Not responsible for normal duties.
• Not supposed to like the role.
• Supposed to seek help to get out of the role.

Health is certainly as much a social issue as it is a medical one. This is because

1. So many of the medical issues originate from social issues.
2. Some unhealthy behaviours are tied to social traditions and values.
3. Society and our culture affect many of the things, that we do, that influence our health.
4. Poor social and economic circumstances affect the health of people.
5. People down the social ladder, are at least twice at the risk of serious illness.
6. Social and Psychological circumstances can cause long-term stress. These stressful circumstances would make people feel worried and anxious, and will damage their health.

From all these points it is well described that health is a social as well as medical issue.