Sociology 2024 exam

Medicalisation

the process by which normal human behaviors or conditions are defined and treated as medical problems.

Foucault (1973)

argues the medical gaze gives growing power to the medical profession to exercise surveillance and control to the behaviour of the population

Conrad (1992)

argues medicalisation resulted in obesity, depression and childbirth redefined as serious medical problems only doctors can solve.

Biomedical model

The biomedical model views health as the absence of disease, focusing on biological factors and medical interventions. It often neglects social, psychological, and environmental influences on health. Critics argue that this reductionist approach can lead to over-reliance on medical treatments and overlook the patient's subjective experience of illness. Illness is always seen as caused by an identifiable and visible physical reason

Medical gaze

Describes the way medical professionals view patients primarily through the lens of their physical symptoms and medical conditions. Refers to the process of medical practitioners focusing on specific biological aspects of a patient's condition, often overlooking social, psychological, and environmental factors. This can lead to the dehumanization of patients, as they are reduced to their symptoms and diagnoses.

Iatrogenesis

any harmful mental or physical condition induced by a doctor or surgeon

Sociomedical model

The way social factors are involved in both defining health and causes of illness. Health is seen as relative concept, what is defined as health depends on what is regarded as normal in a society. More concerned about the environment and the lifestyle of an individual.

Erving Golfman total institution

in a total institution people become immersed in an organisation that consumes (or takes over) every aspect of their lives, dehumanising them.

Health inequality

unfair treatment/differences in healthcare among society and different groups in society.

The body is a social construct

sociologists argue that our understanding and perception of the body are not solely biological but are also shaped by social factors like culture, norms, and social expectation.

Turner

Embodiment as regulation: Sees embodiment as not just physical but also a social construction.
Deviance and conformity: Those who don’t follow body norms face pressure to conform. This shows how social control shapes our understanding of bodies.

Balsamo

1. Women lose ownership of their body once pregnant.

2. Lose rights as an individual. The foetus has an ascendant right and should be considered first

3. pregnancy is so ‘wondrous’ that women should endure anything to experience it.

Feminist approach

pregnancy and women are usually over medicalised. surveillance and policing are usually encouraged on women. Women’s health are usually based on their race, ethnicity and social class. Due to male dominance in medical care the treatment can be unequal. Women are set up with double standards that are often realistic and unhealthy.

Jebali (1993)

Critiques the biomedical approach to post-natal depression (PND). Argues that biomedical approach, which attributes PND to biomedical malfunctioning, is based on patriarchal assumptions about motherhood. Suggests that PND has social roots in society’s double standards on motherhood, which can lead to feelings of confusion, inadequacy and PND.

Postmodern approch

Rejects the biomedical model and scientific thinking. Postmodernists suggests that there are a range of other equally valid explanations and solutions for ill-health, such as those found in complementary and alternative medicines. those also argue that we now live in a consumer-led culture where people have more choice in their healthcare, including complementary and alternative treatment.

Oachly

Childbirth has been taken out of womens control. maternity services are more to do with control over women then care.

embodiment

the sociological notion of the body has both a social and physical thing. bodies are influenced by a range of social factors.