HEALTH RELATED ISSUES

What is disability, and how is it traditionally viewed?

Disability is traditionally seen as a deviation from a "normal" body, often regarded as a personal or medical problem that needs to be cured. However, sociologists argue that disability is a social issue, where individuals with impairments are marginalized due to societal barriers.

How do sociologists differentiate between impairment and disability?

• Impairment: A physical or mental difference that makes certain activities difficult.

• Disability: A social construct where people with impairments are viewed as inadequate and face social and economic barriers.

According to sociologists, how does society contribute to disability?

Society creates disability by organizing social and economic systems in ways that exclude individuals with impairments. Instead of focusing on curing impairments, society should remove barriers that limit participation.

What did Finkelstein (1980) argue about industrialization and disability?

Industrialization increased the segregation of disabled individuals. As factory work became dominant, people with impairments were seen as unproductive and excluded from the workforce, leading to institutionalization and treatment as medical cases.

What is medicalization?

Medicalization is the process of defining and treating non-medical issues as medical problems, often in terms of illnesses or disorders.

How does Zola (1983) describe medicalization?

Zola states that more aspects of everyday life are now controlled by medicine, making people dependent on medical professionals for issues that were once considered normal or social.

What is iatrogenesis, and what are its three types?

atrogenesis refers to the harm caused by medical intervention.

1. Clinical iatrogenesis – Harmful side effects from medical treatments.

2. Social iatrogenesis – Society becomes overly dependent on medicine.

3. Structural iatrogenesis – People lose their ability to cope with normal body changes.

How do Conrad and Schneider explain the medicalization of deviance?

They argue that behaviors once seen as sin or crime are now treated as medical conditions, leading to increased medical control over social behaviors.

What is institutionalization?

Institutionalization is the process of placing individuals, such as those with mental illnesses, in hospitals or prisons. It became common in the 1700s as industrialization led to the separation of the sick and dependent.

Why were institutions created, and how did they function?

Institutions were designed to keep physically and mentally ill people away from the general population, providing a strict, controlled environment. They remained dominant for over 250 years.

What did Goffman (1961) describe in his book Asylum?

He described institutions as “total institutions” that control all aspects of an inmate’s life, stripping them of personal identity and independence.

What was the goal of the 1960s deinstitutionalization movement in the U.S.?

It aimed to reduce the population in institutions and promote community-based care for individuals with mental and physical conditions.

What is morbidity, and how is it measured?

Morbidity refers to the presence of illness or disease in a population. It is measured using prevalence rates, which indicate how common a disease is.

How do class, gender, and ethnicity affect morbidity rates?

• Lower-class men have higher morbidity rates than upper-class men.

• Women report illnesses more frequently than men.

• Morbidity rates vary by ethnic group and geography

What is mortality, and how is it measured?

Mortality refers to death rates in a population. It is measured by the number of deaths per 100,000 people within a given period.

How do social factors affect mortality rates?

Mortality rates differ based on social class, gender, and ethnicity