Chapter 12 - Health and Illness

health 

A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

illness

A period of impaired or abnormal functioning of the body or mind not caused by physical trauma

Health and illness are often viewed as a:

personal responsibility

sociology of health and illness

The interaction between society and health: how our social life impacts rates of disease and death in different population segments, how those rates compare to society.

social determinants of health

The sociological conditions of a person’s life that influence their health (including income, social status, employment, working conditions, education, literacy, childhood, physical location, social supports, health behaviours, access to health care, genetic endowments, gender, race, and culture)

Poverty and income inequality have significant influence on:

A person’s health

Lower income Canadians are less likely to visit a:

Physician

Dental procedures are not covered by:

public health care

Some of the most vulnerable people are on:

Social assistance

People of all income levels are affected by the reduction in:

social cohesion, causing increased stress and insecurity

The rates of smoking, COPD, and mental illness have decreased in higher income groups but have increased in:

Lower income groups

Compared to non-Indigenous populations, Indigenous people have:

A 10 to 15-year gap in life expectancy (with increased health issues w/ lower health care and environments)

Colonial policies have resulted in environmental:

Racism

Tuberculosis is still prevalent among:

Indigenous people

When newcomers arrive, they are generally ______ than the average Canadian

Healthier (due to requirements for entry)

Immigrants who experience racism have:

poorer mental and physical health overall

Women are generally more health:

conscious and proactive with their healthcare

Because women live longer than men, they are more likely to develop:

chronic health problems related to age

Much of health research only studies:

men and male animals (overlooking women health)

Women experience disproportionate rates of:

physical and sexual violence

There has been a rise in heavy drinking by:

Canadian women across the life span

Wine has become a culturally:

acceptable de-stressor for women

Male mortality is higher than:

female mortality

Medical personnel are often not trained to treat:

transgender patients

The medical system is not set up to serve and treat:

non-binary, intersex

Social Epidemiology

The study of the distribution and determinants of health and illness, and social-structural factors on health distribution

Incidence

the rate at which new cases of a specific illness occurs within a specific population within a specific time

Prevalence

total number of cases of specific illness

Morbidity

prevalence and patterns of disease in a population

Mortality

the incidence and patterns of death in a population

Life expectancy

The number of years that a person is expected to live

The average Canadian man lives:

79 years

The average Canadian woman lives

83 years

Functionalists believe that sickness must be:

Controlled (by system of medical care) because it prevents people from fulfilling their social roles

What is the Functionalist’s the Sick Role – Talcott Parsons?

People in the role are not held responsible for being sick, are exempt from regular responsibilities, must dislike being sick and do their best to get better and seek help from the appropriate medical professionals

Conflict theorists believe that medicine has become:

a major institution of social control

Medicalization

The process by which non-medical problems come to be defined and treated as medical (i.e., as illnesses or disorders)

Interactionists are interested in the meanings:

people assign to health and illness (making them the core status of a person), and in the roles played by health care professionals and patients

Feminists are interested in how:

gender is a social determinant of health, and medicalization of women’s bodies. Women’s reproductive capacity overshadows health concerns.

Until the 1950s, most Canadians were responsible for paying for their own

healthcare

What health care act was implemented in 1957?

Hospital Insurance and Diagnostic Services Act, covering necessary care and services in hospitals.

What health care act was passed in 1966?

Medical Care Act; Provided coverage for medical services provided by a doctor outside of hospitals

The Canada Health Act of 1984 did what?

replaced all other acts and consolidated their principles

What are the 5 universal principles of health care in the Canada Health Act?

1. Universal

2. Accessible

3. Comprehensive

4. Portable (b/w provinces)

5. Publicly administered

Costs of health care are:

Growing, partly due to aging population

By 2030, 1 in 4 Canadians will be a:

senior

Less urgent health problems involve:

Longer wait times (including doctor appointments, treatments in emergency, seeing specialist, getting elective surgery). Doctor shortages add to issues.

Mental health issues have:

gained increasing recognition over the years

Living in poverty or being at risk of losing one’s job, as well as interpersonal violence can have major effects on

Mental health

Conditions such as depression generate large:

Costs for the health care system

Access to marijuana for medical purposes was provided in:

1999

Most recent marijuana regulations have been established in:

2016

Cannabis has been shown to aid some people with:

pain, mood, and memory ailments

In 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada stuck down (rid) the Criminal Code provisions that prohibited:

Medical assistance in dying, through bill C-14 the Medical Assistance in Dying Act, passed in 2016. It allows Canadians with terminal illnesses to request assisted death.

What medical condition is most associated with assisted death?

Cancer

Many faith-based hospitals and care homes continue to refuse to allow:

medically assisted death on their premises

What contributed to the opioid crisis?

High rates of opioid prescribing by physicians, & emergence of strong synthetic opioids like fentanyl in illegal drug supply.

The majority of opioid overdose deaths are:

Unintentional

Opioid overdose is most rampant among people over the age of:

30