HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE

UNDERSTANDING HOW SOCIAL FORCES IMPACT WELL-BEING

HEALTH
A STATE OF COMPLETE PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING
HEALTH IS AS MUCH A SOCIAL AS A BIOLOGICAL ISSUE FOR SOCIOLOGISTS HOW SO?

SOCIETY SHAPES THE HEALTH OF PEOPLE

PEOPLE JUDGE THEIR HEALTH IN RELATIVE TERMS PEOPLE PRONOUNCE AS HEALTHY WHAT THEY HOLD TO BE MORALLY GOOD CULTURAL STANDARDS OF HEALTH CHANGE OVER TIME HEALTH RELATES TO A SOCIETYS TECHNOLOGY HEALTH RELATES TO SOCIAL INEQUALITY

LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH

IN THE EARLY 1900s INFLUEZA AND PNEUMONIA TUBERCULOSIS STOMACH/INTESTINAL DISEASES HEART DISEASE CEREBRAL HEMORRHAGE KIDNEY DISEASE ACCIDENTS CANCER DISEASE OF INFANCY DIPTHERIA IN THE LATE 1990s HEART ATTACK CANCER STROKE LUNG DISEASE (NONCANCEROUS) ACCIDENTS PNEUMONIA AND INFLUENZA HIV/AIDS SUICIDE LIVER DISEASE AND CIRRHOSIS

HEALTH IN AMERICA
IN AMERICA, SOME CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE ENJOY BETTER HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

SOCIAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
THE STUDY OF HOW HEALTH AND DISEASE ARE DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT A SOCIETYS POPULATION

PRACTICING MEDICINE
THE SOCIAL INSTITUTION CONCERNED WITH COMBATING DISEASE AND IMPROVING HEALTH

THE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO MEDICINE

PATIENTS ARE PEOPLE

CONCERN FOR THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THE PERSON LIVES

RESPONSIBILITY, NOT DEPENDENCY

FAVORING AN ACTIVE PATIENT ROLE RATHER THAN A REACTIVE ROLE

PERSONAL TREATMENT
FAVORING A MORE PERSONAL ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH TO PRACTICE THE ART OF HEALING, SUCH AS THE PERSONS DWELLING

PAYMENT FOR SERVICES

A GLOBAL COMPARISON
CHINA
GOVERNMENT CONTROLS MOST HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS
RECENT CLAIMS OVER GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN SELLING ORGANS TAKEN FROM PRISON POPULATIONS

SOVIET UNION
MEDICAL CARE IS IN TRANSITION, BUT IT IS HELD THE ALL CITIZENS HAVE A RIGHT TO MEDICAL CARE

SWEDEN
COMPULSORY GOVERNMENT MEDICAL CARE OFFERED TO ALL

GREAT BRITAIN
MIXTURE OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES

CANADA
A SINGLE-PAYER GOVERNMENT PROGRAM, BUT, LIKE BRITAIN, IT HAS A TWO-TIERED SYSTEM

JAPAN
DOCTORS OPERATE PRIVATELY, BUT THERE IS A COMBINATION OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS

MEDICINE IN THE UNITED STATES

DIRECT FEE SYSTEM
THE PATIENT PAYS DIRECTLY FOR SERVICES PROVIDED BY DOCTOR

PRIVATE INSURANCE
IN 1992, 85% OF AMERICANS HAD ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE BENEFITS

PUBLIC INSURANCE PROGRAMS

MEDICARE FOR THOSE OVER 65 MEDICAID FOR THOSE IN POVERTY IN TOTAL, 35% OF AMERICANS RECEIVE MEDICAL ATTENTION VIA SOME FORM OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAM, INCLUDING SOME WITH PRIVATE CARE INSURANCE HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS AN ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL CARE TO SUBSCRIBERS FOR A FIXED FEE BUT, WHO MAKES DECISIONS IN SUCH ORGANIZATIONS, DOCTORS OR ACCOUNTANTS?

SINGLE-PAYER PROGRAM IN THE FUTURE?

GERONTOLOGY
THE STUDY OF AGING AND THE ELDERLY

BIOLOGICAL CHANGES AND ATTITUDES

ATTITUDE DEPENDS ON SOCIETAL VALUES IN AMERICA, A DIM VIEW OF SUCH CHANGES IS TAKEN

PHYSICAL CHANGES
GRAYING OF HAIR WRINKLES LOSS OF HEIGHT DECLINE IN STRENGTH CHRONIC ILLNESSES SET IN

REALITY
70% OF THOSE OVER 65 REPORT GOOD HEALTH WELL-TO-DO PEOPLE HAVE IT BETTER SINCE THEY CAN AFFORD PREVENTIVE CARE MINORITY GROUP MEMBERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO REPORT POOR HEALTH

PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE ELDERLY

BLATANT AGEISM
DENY A PERSON A JOB DUE TO AGE

SUBTLE AGEISM
WAYS WHICH CULTURE PERPETUATES STEREOTYPES OF THE ELDERLY
NEGATIVE CARTOON IMAGES JOKES AND OTHER VERBALIZATIONS

MINORITY GROUP STATUS?

NO, BUT THE GROUP DOES HAVE CHARACTERISTIC PLEASURES AND CHALLENGES

SOCIAL ISOLATION
THE DEATH OF A SIGNIFICANT OTHER AND RETIREMENT CAUSE ISOLATION
ISOLATION IS A LEADING CAUSE OF ANXIETY IN THE ELDERLY THREE-FOURTHS OF WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS REPORT LONELINESS AS THEIR MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM

WOMEN SUFFER FROM THIS MORE THAN MEN, DUE TO LONGER LIFE EXPECTANCY RATES
FAMILIES OFFER THE ELDERLY THE SOCIAL CONTACT THAT IS NEEDED DAUGHTERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO VISIT PARENTS THAN SONS

INCREASES IN STANDARD OF LIVING AND MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES WHICH INCREASE LIFE EXPECTANCY RATES REALITIES OF THE ECONOMY MAKE CHILDREN LESS DEPENDENT UPON (LESS APPRECIATIVE OF) THE ELDERLY MOST OLD AND VERY YOUNG DO NOT WORK
RECEIVE LESS PRESTIGE BECAUSE OF IT THOSE WHO WORK ARE OFTEN FORCED INTO JOBS THAT REQUIRE FAR LESS ACTIVITY

THE ELDERLY MAY BECOME MARGINAL PERSONS AS A RESULT OF LOST SOCIAL POSITION AND PRESTIGE BECAUSE OF MODERNIZATION, DISENGAGEMENT THEORY SUGGESTS THAT SOME ELDERLY WITHDRAW FROM SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AS SOCIETY MARGINALIZES THEM.