SOCL250 Midterm 3!

Obesity

Excessive body weight, indicated by a BMI over 30.

Food Deserts

Geographic areas where residents do not have easy access to high-quality affordable food.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

A measure of body fat based on height and weight.

Sociology of the Body

A field that focuses on how our health and illnesses are affected by social and cultural influences.

Sick Role

Patterns of behavior that a sick person adopts to minimize the disruptive impact of their illness on others.

Health Disparities

Inequalities in health, health care, and health behaviors across different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.

Health Literacy

One’s capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services.

Vaccine Hesitancy

The reluctance or refusal to have oneself or one’s children vaccinated.

Gini Coefficient

A standard measure of a country’s economic disparity, where 0 represents perfect equality and 1 represents maximum inequality.

Biomedical Model of Health

The set of principles underpinning western medical systems and practices.

Homogamy

Dating or marrying a partner similar to oneself.

Graying

A term used to indicate that an increasing proportion of a society’s population is over 65.

Disengagement Theory

A functionalist theory of aging that holds that it is functional for society to remove older adults from traditional roles.

Socioemotional Selectivity Theory

The theory that adults maintain fewer relationships as they age, but those relationships are of higher quality.

Activity Theory

A functionalist theory of aging that suggests busy, engaged people are more likely to lead fulfilling lives.

Ageism

Discrimination or prejudice against a person on the grounds of age.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio

The number of people ages 65 or older divided by the number of persons aged 18-64.

AARP

US advocacy group for people aged 50 or older.

Generational Equity

The striking of a balance between the needs and interests of members of different generations.