Sociology Chapter 19 – Flashcards

Medical sociology is the systematic study of how humans manage issues of health and illness, disease and disorders, and healthcare for both the sick and the healthy.

the state of being free from illness or injury

stigmatization of illness often has the greatest effect on the patient and the kind of care he or she receives. Contested illnesses are those that are questioned or questionable by some medical professionals

The social construction of the illness experience deals with such issues as the way some patients control the manner in which they reveal their diseases and the lifestyle adaptations patients develop to cope with their illnesses.

Social epidemiology is the study of the causes and distribution of diseases.

Obesity, which is on the rise in high-income nations, has been linked to many diseases, including cardiovascular problems, musculoskeletal problems, diabetes, and respiratory issues. Rather, low-income countries must manage such problems as infectious disease, high infant mortality rates, scarce medical personnel, and inadequate water and sewer systems.

the infant mortality, which is the number of deaths in a given time or place, rate for blacks was nearly twice that of whites at 13.2 compared to 5.6 per 1,000 live births

Women are affected adversely both by unequal access to and institutionalized sexism in the healthcare industry.

The medicalization of pregnancy and childbirth has been particularly contentious in recent decades, with many women opting against the medical process and choosing a more natural childbirth.

We do not think about the relatively recent nature of the protections, unless, of course, we know someone constantly inconvenienced by the lack of accommodations or misfortune of suddenly experiencing a temporary disability.

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress that we all feel at some point, but anxiety disorders are feelings of worry and fearfulness that last for months at a time. Major mood disorders are depression, bipolar disorder, and dysthymic disorder.

ADHD is one of the most common childhood disorders, and it is marked by difficulty paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity.

Disability refers to a reduction in one's ability to perform everyday tasks. People with disabilities can be stigmatized by their illnesses. Stigmatization means their identity is spoiled; they are labeled as different, discriminated against, and sometimes even shunned.

Why is it considered acceptable to feel prejudice toward—even to hate—obese people? Puhl and Heuer suggest that these feelings stem from the perception that obesity is preventable through self-control, better diet, and more exercise.

public healthcare (government-funded) and private healthcare (privately funded)

Functionalism: health is vital to the stability of the society, and therefore sickness is a sanctioned form of deviance. Conflict: Theorists using the conflict perspective suggest that issues with the healthcare system, as with most other social problems, are rooted in capitalist society. Symbolic: interactionists focus on the specific meanings and causes people attribute to illness.

the pattern of expectations that define appropriate behavior for the sick and for those who take care of them

the changing of something not generally thought of as a commodity into something that can be bought and sold in a marketplace