Sociology: Health, Illness, Sports & Globalization

Administrative Announcements

• Exam Scope: Students will be examined on all units, from Unit $1$ to Unit $7$. This is a directive from the Head of College.

• Course Coverage: The course content is expected to be finished before Week $13$, allowing approximately one to two weeks for final exam preparation.

• Assignment $3$ Deadline: The Dropbox for Assignment $3$ will close tomorrow (Tuesday) before midnight. Late submissions without valid reasons will incur mark deductions. Students with valid reasons for late submission (e.g., fee issues) must email the instructor from their personal Gmail account, stating the issue, without attaching the assignment itself.

• Assignment $2$ Feedback: Kalesi has been asked to mark Assignment $2$ quickly to provide feedback that will assist students with Assignment $4$ (the essay), which is due in Week $12$. She has a maximum of two weeks to provide this feedback.

• MSTs (Mid-Semester Tests): Students who have not yet picked up their MST papers should do so to clear Kalesi's desk.

• Special Exam Applications: Tomorrow (morning) is the last day to submit applications for special exams, as they require approval from the Head of College. Applicants must fill out a form and provide evidence for missing the MST on September $4$. The special MST will be given next week, Thursday (Week $10$), with exact time and location to be emailed to approved students.

Unit $4$ Recap: Health and Illness

• Lecture Delivery: The Unit $4$ lecture was recorded and is available on Moodle, along with a video explaining the requirements for Assignment $3$. Students are encouraged to review these.

• Key Definitions:

  • Health: Defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the absence of disease or illness, encompassing physical and psychosocial fitness for holistic well-being.

  • Disease: Anything that attacks organs or the body, causing sickness (e.g., tuberculosis, measles, dengue fever).

  • Illness/Sickness: Social signs or symptoms indicating unwellness (e.g., runny nose, headaches, sneezing for flu; wearing a jacket in hot weather due to feeling cold).

• Sociological Relevance: Studying health and illness is crucial because a healthy population is proactive, active, and productive. An unhealthy population leads to reduced productivity, social concerns, and significant costs (e.g., doctor visits, prescriptions).

• Health and Illness in the Pacific Context:

  • Paradox: Despite access to fresh fish, fertile land for crops, and vegetables, Pacific Islanders have the highest obesity rates globally. This is often attributed to cultural eating habits, especially at functions (e.g., prevalence of meat, lack of greens).

  • Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): High obesity rates contribute to high NCD numbers in the Pacific. Examples include diabetes, respiratory issues, cancer (from smoking), stroke, and high blood pressure. Many individuals with physical disabilities (e.g., limb loss) in the Pacific suffer due to diabetes.

• Healthcare System in the Pacific Islands:

  • Morbidity Rate: Refers to the prevalence of specific diseases in a population that cause sickness (e.g., dengue fever causing child deaths in Samoa).

  • Mortality Rate: Refers to death rates. Infant Mortality Rate specifically refers to children dying before their first birthday. This rate is very high in the Pacific Islands compared to developed countries due to several factors:

    • Lack of Medical Professionals: Doctors and medical staff immigrate for better pay and working conditions.

    • Budget and Resources: Insufficient budgets and resources for tracking pregnant mothers' health or providing adequate facilities.

    • Remote Locations: Many pregnant mothers live in remote areas, far from health centers (e.g., one to two hours drive).

    • Hospital Conditions: Hospitals can be unhygienic and outdated (e.g., CWM Hospital built during World War $I/II$ being