Explain The Different Sociological Approaches To Health

In 1946 the World Health Organisation (WHO) defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. This definition integrates the main concepts of health and identifies that health can be viewed differently by individuals and groups (Bowden, 2006). Health and well-being are the result of a combination of physical, social, intellectual and emotional factors (Dunkley, 2000a).

Naidoo and Wills(2001, p.47) “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’ - WHO (1946).” This definition falls into a holistic way of defining health, which believes that there are more areas to look at when thinking of health than just simply the absence of a disease. It considers the cause of why someone is ill and not just simply about ’fixing it’.

A negative concept of health concentrates on the absence of disease or illness. It suggests that you can only be regarded as being healthy if you have no disease or illness.

But over the past few decades, the definititon and concept of health has evolved to encompass more elements than just the physical well-being of a person. This is partly attributed to various researches and studies that have taken place around the world in the last 60 years. Already in 1948, the World Health Organization declared that health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not

In this essay, the terms social model and medical model will be explored. Then, aspects of sociological theory and how it influences the delivery of health and social care will be explored

The definition of health is fluid, ever changing and carries different meanings across individuals, societies and cultures. Although it is difficult

By looking at what different people say about health, it is clear that each one look at it differently. Therefore, there are many ways to define health. When we look at health, all physical, intellectual, emotional and social aspects should be considered because they all affect our health equally. Health can be defined in many ways, positively, negatively and holistically. It depends on how the individuals look at their health and how concerned they are about it. Our state of healthiness will depend on many things such as where do we live, what job do we do, what do we eat, who are our friends and everything else related to our lifestyle. Our choice about our lifestyle can make a difference to our health. If we are interested enough in ourselves, we can improve our own health. Some people think, that it depends only on the health care we obtain; however, it doesn't only depend on this. It is connected to our lifestyle as well.

Throughout society there are many different sociological approaches to health and ill health. Within society there are many different perspectives towards whom the responsibility for health falls upon and also what defines people as ill? Your health is defined by the general condition of your body and mind. An illness is defined by an impairment of normal physical or mental function. To help explain the different sociological approaches to health and ill health I will be referring to the case study of Aziz and Tamsela. Aziz and Tamsela have four young children; Tamsela’s elderly parents also live with them in their three bedroomed houses in a deprived and depressing area of London. Their house is in desperate need of repair; it is damp and

With there being such a plethora of cultures in the world, there are so many different beliefs and practices involving health and wellness, that almost everyone has a different definition of health, and different views on disease and illness in general. My definition of health involves many different aspects, but most importantly living a healthy lifestyle overall; being free from illness, and doing everything possible to stay that way. Eating a well-balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of sleep along with protecting your

The negative model is based on the idea that health is the opposite of disease. The definition believes that disease is a biological state where the individual is afflicted by a physical condition or illness (Walsh, 2011: 325). It views the body as a machine that may malfunction at times, because for some reason or another, its parts have stopped working. The damage to these machine parts is the disease. It a health care professional’s role to identify these fault and repair them. This is based on medical intervention via drugs or surgery. This can be a very negative outlook on health because some conditions could be caused by social factors, so a physical approach to

The “Sociological Perspective on Health and the Health Care” introduced perspectives about social structure, and social relations. The readers learn the sociological theory and the main misconceptions related to health care, and their policies. It provides an explanation of the production and the distribution of health care services. Firstly, structural functionalism focuses on individuals and groups in society and how it maintains a social role. Furthermore, symbolic interactionism focus on the conflicts in interaction amongst individuals. Moreover, social constructionism focuses on the medical facts and social authority and the reign over all in society. Also, gender and race influence the social conditions, and implications evident in Canadian health. Class conflicts with the control of power and the relationship between the employers and employees. It enhances the inequality evident in workplaces and the social stratification; ranking one by their assets. Materialism portrays that society is a social consensus rather than a conflict. However, this conflicts between the rich and the poor. Therefore, the healthcare impacts the minority, and affects it the most. Since the rich have an advantage of other options, however the minority struggles to afford private health care or buy their way around. Furthermore, the Marxist theory and oppression focuses on the exploitation by capitalism. It emphasizes on

The definition of health in the dictionary states that it is the general condition of the body or mind with reference to soundness and vigor: good health; poor health. For this essay, three interviews were conducted around the question "what is health or the individual 's understanding of health?" All the interviewee 's answers were along the same lines (note: I changed names to keep confidentiality). However, the interviews are based on people 's perspectives, on their definition of health; it 's not just physical health but mental and spiritual health as well. And for some, relating to the entire family as opposed to the individual. Furthermore, health has changed over the years and has become a more universal term with more meaning. I would argue that the dominant terms of lay perspectives in academic literature on health are different from the views of the people interviewed. In addition, I will discuss the differing views amongst the interviewees, the factors that may account for these differences, and how these views both conform and do not conform to findings in the academic literature on lay or amateur perspectives of health.

Health is a giant wheel subject with several aspects and it is nearly impossible to explain wellness and health without considering the aspects of illness. And just as health is multi-faceted, illness, too, is studied in different perspectives. And that includes sociological, lay and biomedical concepts.

WHO, 1986 defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. Therefore, it is viewed as much a social as a biological issue. "Healthy" is broadly used in the framework of “healthy environments” as to its impact on the benefit of humans.

Health is a concept that pertains to the state of one’s entire well-being. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (Potter & Perry, 2014, p. 2). In other words, the holistic view of a person’s life is taken into consideration when determining one’s health. I definitely agree with the World Health Organization’s given definition of health. The reason being is because whenever I personally define a healthy person, I think of their well-being as a whole. I believe a person is not only considered healthy based on the fact that they do not obtain any diseases or illnesses, but it includes their social and mental wellness as well. If a person is missing at least one of the three components listed, it can surely affect their holistic wellness as it ruins the whole balance. For example, imagine a person who is in a great shape physically and mentally, but is not socially active at all. He or she will