Health - Sociology Vocabulary

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering sociological concepts of health, illness, and healthcare systems.

anxiety disorders

Feelings of worry and fearfulness that last for months at a time.

commodification

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

contested illnesses

Illnesses that are questioned or considered questionable by some medical professionals.

demedicalization

The social process that normalizes “sick” behavior.

disability

A reduction in one’s ability to perform everyday tasks; the World Health Organization notes that this is a social limitation.

epidemiology

The study of the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases.

impairment

The physical limitations a less-able person faces.

individual mandate

A government rule that requires everyone to have insurance coverage or pay a penalty.

legitimation

The act of a physician certifying that an illness is genuine.

medical sociology

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

medicalization

The process by which aspects of life that were considered bad or deviant are redefined as sickness and needing medical attention to remedy.

medicalization of deviance

The process that changes “bad” behavior into “sick” behavior.

mood disorders

Long-term, debilitating illnesses like depression and bipolar disorder.

morbidity

The incidence of disease.

mortality

The number of deaths in a given time or place.

personality disorders

Disorders that cause people to behave in ways that are seen as abnormal to society but seem normal to them.

private healthcare

Health insurance that a person buys from a private company; can be employer-sponsored or direct-purchase.

public healthcare

Health insurance that is funded or provided by the government.

sick role

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

social epidemiology

The study of the causes and distribution of diseases.

socialized medicine

When the government owns and runs the entire healthcare system.

stereotype interchangeability

Stereotypes that don’t change and that get recycled for application to a new subordinate group.

stigmatization

The act of spoiling someone's identity; labeling them as different, discriminating against them, and sometimes even shunning them due to an illness or disability.

stigmatization of illness

Illnesses that are discriminated against and whose sufferers are looked down upon or even shunned by society.

underinsured

People who spend at least 10 percent of their income on healthcare costs that are not covered by insurance.

universal healthcare

A system that guarantees healthcare coverage for everyone.