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SOC101IntrotoSociology12ech16.pptxHealth and Aging
Chapter 16
Introduction to Sociology 12e
by Henry L. Tischler
Learning Objectives
Know what sociologists mean by the sick role.
Describe the basic characteristics of the U.S. healthcare system.
Understand the link between demographic factors and health.
Describe the three major models of illness prevention.
Describe the basic demographic features of the older population in the United States.
The Experience of Illness
The existence of a sick role
A shared set of cultural norms that legitimates deviant behavior caused by the illness and channels the individual into the healthcare system
Talcott Parsons (1951)
Four Components of the Sick Role
The sick person is excused from normal social responsibilities, except to the extent that he or she is supposed to do whatever is necessary to get well.
The sick person is not held responsible for his or her condition and is not expected to recover by an act of will.
The sick person must recognize that being ill is undesirable and must want to recover.
The sick person is obligated to seek medical care and cooperate with the advice of the designated experts, notably the physicians. In this sense, sick people are not blamed for their illnesses, but they must work toward regaining their health.
Healthcare in the United States
Organized around the cure or control of serious diseases and repairing physical injuries, rather than caring for the sick or preventing disease
American medical care system is highly technological, specialized, and increasingly centralized
The most advanced healthcare resources in the world
Gender and Health
Life expectancy for both men and women has increased
Increase has been greater for women
Race and Health
Life expectancies for whites and blacks differ markedly
Black health figures have changed in the last ten years
Hispanic Americans have:
Higher infant mortality rate
Shorter life expectancy
Higher rates of death from influenza, pneumonia, diabetes, and accidents
Social Class and Health
Lack of access to medical care based on social class
Nutrition and life circumstances contributed to poor health outcomes of lower classes
Age and Health
Medical science lengthened the life span of most Americans
Problem of medical care for the aged becomes more acute
Economic impact poses social problem
Education and Health
Death rates
College-educated death rates significantly lower than those who have not completed high school
Lifestyle choices impacted by level of education attained
Women in Medicine
2014 – 47.2 percent of new entrants into medical school were women
2014 – 36 percent of all medical faculty represented by women
Social perception of women in medicine
Women physicians perceived as more sensitive, more altruistic, and less egoistic then men
Patients attended by a female physician report a significantly higher total satisfaction level than those who see a male physician
Contemporary Healthcare Issues
Acquired immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
Health insurance
Preventing illness
AIDS
Caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Gradually incapacitates the immune system by infecting at least two types of white blood cells
Transmitted through sexual contact, piercing the skin with HIV-contaminated instruments, transfusion of contaminated blood products, transplantation of contaminated tissue
AIDS
The CDC estimates 1.1 million people living with AIDS
45% black
27% white
24% Hispanic
2% Asian / Pacific Islander
<1% American Indian / Alaska Native
Health Insurance – Coverage
Most pay for health services through some form of insurance
Poor people poorly protected
Premium costs
Out-of-pocket expenses
Some coverage through government-sponsored Medicare and Medicaid programs
Preventing Illness
Current system
Assumes that aggressive medical treatments and procedures work better than other approaches
Alternative system
Assumes that proactive focus on prevention mitigates need for aggressive and expensive treatments
Preventing Illness – Measures
Better diets
More whole grains
Less red meat, sugar, salt
No smoking
Regular exercise
Weight reduction and maintenance
Levels of Prevention
Medical
Behavioral
Structural
Levels of Prevention
Medical – directed at the individual’s body
Behavioral – directed at changing people’s behavior
Structural – directed at changing the society or environments within which people work and live
The Aging Population
Population shift to older population
Demography of aging population
Post-World War II baby boom
Medical impact on life expectancy – improved technology
Diversity of elderly Americans
The wealthiest and among the poorest in our nation
Variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds
U.S. Population Age 65 and Over
U.S. Bureau of the Census. 1976. Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970. Current Population Reports, pp. 25–1104, Table 2; U.S. Bureau of the Census. March 3, 2009. “Older Americans Month: May 2009.” Facts for Feature (www.census.gov/Press-Release/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/013384.html), accessed August 13, 2009; Jacobsen, Linda A., et al. 2011. “America’s Aging Population.” Population Bulletin 66(1), 2011.
Aging and the Sex Ratio
Women outnumber men at every age category
Women at any age are less likely to die than men
Approximately 105 male babies born for every 100 female babies
Higher male death rates cause the sex ratio to decline as age increases and, around age 35, females outnumber males in the United States
Aging and Racial Minorities
Black-white lifespan gap disappears and even reverses as the two races get older
Black survival of extraordinary mortality risks at younger ages
Aging and Marital Status
The power of marriage
Presence of a spouse provides a variety of resources in the household
Married elderly less likely to be poor, enter a nursing home, or be in poor health
Spouses primary caregivers to their partners
Female life expectancy makes them more likely than men to outlive their spouses
Also, men tend to marry women younger than themselves
Aging and Wealth
Three factors contribute to elderly control of a substantial and increasing portion of the nation’s wealth
Share of households headed by the elderly has been increasing, thereby increasing the aggregate wealth of older Americans.
Stock market growth has benefited the affluent elderly, who control a large portion of individual stock holdings.
Despite recent downturns, escalation in home values in many states has boosted the net worth of the elderly because most own their own home.
Global Aging
Percentage of the elderly population living alone varies widely among nations
Issue varies based on level of industrialization and long-established norms
Future Trends
Major consequences and implications for global life
Economic growth
Savings, investment, and consumption
Labor markets and pensions
Taxation and wealth transfer
Healthcare and cost of healthcare
Family composition and living arrangements
Immigration
