Essay #2 - Sociology of Medicine
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medical_sociology_chapter_3__4.pptxChapter 3
The Social Distribution of Illness in the United States
Social Factors and Illness
Social Class
Race and Ethnicity
Age
Sex and Gender
Social Class
Individuals’ position within society’s economic/social hierarchy
Characteristic of individuals, groups, activities, neighborhoods, and societies
Social Class and Health
Higher social class = lower morbidity and mortality
Morbidity – symptoms, illnesses, injuries, impairments
Mortality – deaths
Link to health is strong and consistent
Link is stronger than to race/ethnicity
How Social Class Affects Health: Two Theories
Illness causes poverty (social drift)
Poverty causes illness (fundamental cause theory)
Much stronger evidence for fundamental cause theory
How Does Poverty Cause Illness?
Greater stress
Less control over stress
Less access to health-preserving resources
Case study: Health among the homeless
Race and Ethnicity
“Race” – a social construction
Ethnicity – a more accurate term
The following graphs show how race/ethnicity affect health.
Life Expectancy by Race/Ethnicity and Sex
Infant Mortality Rate by Ethnicity, United States
Infant Mortality Rates Per 1,000 Live Births
Table 3.1
Top Causes of Death by Ethnicity
African Americans and Health
Higher mortality at each age
Infant mortality
HIV disease
Homicide
Diabetes/kidney disease
Linked to income, racism, discrimination, and stress
Hispanics and Health
The “Hispanic Paradox”
Migrant farm workers face special risks
Native Americans and Health
Higher risks of
Post-neonatal infant mortality
Alcohol-related death
Diabetes
Asian Americans and Health
Overall excellent health
Higher mortality among newer, poorer immigrants from Southeast Asia
Linguistic and cultural barriers to health care
Case Study: Environmental Racism
What is environmental racism?
How does it affect health?
Consider: Ethnicity and Health
Take a moment to compare the effect of ethnicity on health for two ethnic groups and explain the similarities and differences between them.
Age
Mortality rates drop after infancy and rise after age 40.
Chronic illnesses predominate after age 65.
Effect of aging population
Effect of feminization of aging
Sex and Gender
What is sex?
Biological categories of male and female
What is gender?
Social categories of masculine and feminine
Sex, Gender, and Health
Women get sicker, but men die sooner
Biological reasons
Social reasons
Intersex
Having characteristics of both sexes
Gender ideologies and medical interventions
Intimate Partner Violence as a Health Problem
Consider: Intimate Partner Violence
Should intimate partner violence be regarded by doctors as a health problem? Why or why not?
Chapter 4
Illness and Death in the Less Developed Nations
Disease Patterns Around the World
More developed nations
Less developed nations
Least developed nations (among less developed)
Chronic disease as growing problem
Life Expectancy and Infant Mortality by Development Level
Table 4.1
Leading Causes of Death in Least, Less, and Most Developed Nations
Sources of Disease in Less Developed Nations
Poverty and malnutrition
Primary underlying cause of disease
Powerlessness and unequal access to resources
Role of international aid
Malnutrition Among Children Under Age 5
Infectious and Parasitic Diseases
HIV/AIDS
Tuberculosis
Diarrheal diseases
Malaria
Explaining Deaths from Infectious Diseases
Role of nutrition
Role of water
Role of sexual behavior patterns
Role of economic structures
Causes of Infant Mortality
Role of poverty
Role of women’s status
Role of infant formula manufacturers
Maternal Mortality
Role of women’s status
Role of unsafe abortion
Role of poverty
Consider: Women’s Status
How is infant mortality linked to women’s social status?
How is maternal mortality linked to women’s status?
Respiratory Diseases
Role of environmental degradation
Role of tobacco manufacturers
War: A Public Health Issue
More civilians than soldiers killed
Warfare itself only one cause of death
Long-term disabilities and health problems
Long-term mental health toll
Disasters
How can governments increase the risk of injury and death?
How can governments decrease the risks?
Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, after the 2010 earthquake
Consider: War and Disasters
Should war and disasters be considered public health issues?
