Comparison Between Different Approaches of Health and Illness

Question: Describe about the Comparison Between different approaches of health and illness? Answer: Introduction Sociological perspectives of health and illness underpin the interaction within the society and health of its members. A healthy person has normal functioning of body systems. In contrast, illness is the status of human, when the normal body functioning hampered by other external as well as internal factors. Therefore, the sociological perspectives of health and illness deal with the factors contributing to the healthy and ill status of society members (Alaszewski and Brown 2012). The objective of the sociology of health and illness involve the way how social life influences the morbidity and mortality rate and vice versa. This booklet would focus on the comparison of different theoretical perspectives of the health and illness. Comparison Between different approaches of health and illness The functionalist approach focuses on the social structure and social functions. The major theorists involve Herbert Spencer, Robert Merton, Gabriel Almond and others. This theory looks society through the macro-level orientation, focusing on the social structure shaping the society as a whole (Alaszewski and Brown 2011). Herbert Spencer presented the parts of society as organs', which works as a complex network for the proper functioning of the body' as a whole (Alaszewski and Brown 2011). These perspectives highlighted the sick role,' which is used in the case of sickness and rights, the obligation of the individuals playing sick roles. The concept was created in 1951 by Talcott Parsons. Denny and Earle (2005) argued that, a sick person enters a role of sanctioned deviance,' therefore, a sick person cannot be considered as a productive member of society. Hence, this deviance should be policed by the medical profession. One of the contemporary examples of functionalist approach is l aw having many facets making up a functional society. In this system, police, lawyers, judges, criminals have distinct role in justice system and form an entire system with independent parts. This is the functionalism as a whole. The conflict theory claims that economic and political structure of the society makes the social division, inequalities, and other conflicts, which finally reflects the health of the society members. Sociologists like Karl Marx and Wright Mills has been discussed different views of this theory. According to this theory, the capitalism inevitably creates tension in the society, which ultimately leads to its destruction. According to the viewpoint of Conrad and Leiter (2013) social structure is created by the conflicts among people having different interest and resources. The modern conflict theory by Mills depicts that, the policies and power elite of the society results in increased escalation of conflicts, which creates social violence and thereby affecting the health of the society members. According to this theory, the social inequality influences the quality of health care system. It is assumed that people from the poor sociological background are more likely to be affected by in adequate health care (Christakis and Fowler 2008). One contemporary example of conflict theory is the wealth and power inequality in a society. In modern society, upper class power elites systematically work for disenfranchising and exploiting lower class for maintaining and increasing their power. According to Interactionist approach, health, illness both are the social constructions. It depicts that, diverse physical and mental conditions have the minute objective reality though they are considered according to healthy or ill state. The perspective was developed by Erving Goffman, Cooley, Mead and it was built on the analysis of Georg Simmel that, the social meaning of the action of people and their behaviors cannot be taken for granted, as these meaning are a matter of dispute, these remind the society members the significance of micro dimensions of social life (Weitz 2013). The successful interaction with society members depends on impression management, attentiveness and information control, what is expressed by each member. Nevertheless, bodily disruptions and differences from this management are seen as illness and impairment within interactional challenges. One contemporary example of interactionist approach is the cigarette smoking of young people even when all objecti ve medical evidence points to the dangers of doing so. According to the labeling perspective of health and illness, mental illness is manifested as a result of social influence. This theory was developed in the 1960s, and it states the deviance from healthy social behavior is not inherited. It has been argued by Kendall (2012) that, the social construction of deviant behavior is important for the labeling process occurs in the society. It was first applied by Thomas Scheff in 1966 (Scimecca 1977). In this theory, hard labeling refers to individuals arguing that mental illness does not exist. On the other hand, the soft labeling is referred to the individuals, who believe in the existence of mental illness. The supporters of soft labeling believe that mental illness is not completely socially constructed. However, the hard labeling believers consider that little deviance from the norms of society make public to believe the existence of mental illness (Hackshaw et al. 2012). The labeling theory is used in the understanding of the deviant a nd criminal behavior within sociology. The functionalist approach highlights the high cost or capital of medical care and assumes the health care as a social institution, which attempts to maintain the well-being of society members. It assumes that, who is playing the sick role, does not contribute in society. Whereas, the conflict theory focuses on the social inequalities, which are assumed to be the major causes of inadequate health care, the interactionist perspective focused on social interactions. This perspective views the illness as the socially constructed, so one person can be treated as ill if society considers it (Kronenfeld 2013). The labeling perspective totally focused on the mental health of society members. After comparing all of these four perspectives, the functionalist perspective can be considered as most suitable one, as it emphasizes on the function of the complex network made by society and its member and its contribution on the health care system (Scambler 2011). Conclusion This section emphasized on different perspectives of sociology related to health and illness. Four different perspectives were discussed and compared including functionalist, conflict, interactionist and labeling theories. Each of the perspectives focused on the healthy and ill status of society members and highlighted the contributors of this status. Finally, after comparing those perspectives, the functionalist approach was assumed to be the best one to be considered in context of the current health care system. Reference List Alaszewski, A. and Brown, P. 2011.Making health policy. Cambridge, UK: Polity. Christakis, N. A., and Fowler, J. H. 2008. The collective dynamics of smoking in a large social network.New England journal of medicine,358(21), 2249-2258. Denny, E. and Earle, S. 2005.Sociology for nurses. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. Hackshaw, L., Bauld, L., and McEwen, A. 2012. Stop Smoking Service Clients Views Following the Introduction of Smoke-Free Legislation in England.Journal of Smoking Cessation,7(01), 47-54. Kendall, K. 2012. Medicine, Health and Society.Sociology of Health Illness, 34(8), pp.1266-1267. Kronenfeld, J. 2013. Social determinants, health disparities and linkages to health and health care. Bingley: Emerald. Scambler, G. 2011. Health inequalities. Sociology of Health Illness, 34(1), pp.130-146. Scimecca, J., 1977. Labeling Theory and Personal Construct Theory: Toward the Measurement of Individual Variation.The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology (1973-), 68(4), p.652. Weitz, R. 2009.The sociology of health, illness, and health care: A critical approach. UK: CAngage Learning.