Theoretical Perspectives on Health and Medicine: Videos & Practice Problems

The functionalist perspective views illness as a social dysfunction disrupting societal stability, with the "sick role" allowing temporary exemption from responsibilities while encouraging recovery. In contrast, the conflict perspective highlights how capitalism and socioeconomic status create health care inequalities, emphasizing the commodification of medicine and systemic racial and gender disparities. Both perspectives underscore the importance of social structures, such as health care systems, in shaping health outcomes, while addressing issues like social stratification, access to care, and the social determinants of health within capitalist societies.

Functionalist Perspective on Health & Medicine

The functionalist perspective on health and medicine views illness as a dysfunction that disrupts the smooth operation of society by preventing individuals from fulfilling their social roles. In this framework, the stability and order of society depend on people performing their expected roles, and illness threatens this balance. To address this dysfunction, healthcare and medical systems have developed as social structures aimed at alleviating or preventing the negative impact of illness on society.

A key concept within this perspective is the "sick role," introduced by sociologist Talcott Parsons. The sick role is a temporary social role that individuals adopt during acute illness, granting them specific rights and responsibilities. Those in the sick role are excused from their usual social duties, such as work or school, recognizing their need to recover. However, they also bear the responsibility to seek medical help and to actively work toward regaining health. The legitimacy of the sick role can be reinforced through interactions with healthcare professionals, who validate the individual's condition.

This theory emphasizes the importance of individuals "acting sick" to justify their temporary withdrawal from societal roles, with the ultimate goal of returning to full participation in society. This return is crucial for maintaining social stability and order. However, the sick role concept has limitations, particularly in its failure to adequately address chronic illnesses where individuals may never fully resume typical social roles. Additionally, it overlooks social inequalities, such as economic constraints that prevent some people from taking time off work or accessing medical care.

Despite these criticisms, the functionalist perspective highlights how health and illness are intertwined with social structures and roles. It underscores the societal mechanisms that support individuals during illness and the expectation that they will recover to sustain the functioning of society. Understanding this perspective provides insight into how health systems and social expectations shape the experience of illness and recovery.

Theoretical Perspectives on Health and Medicine Example 1

According to Talcott Parsons' concept of the sick role, when an individual is recognized as being ill, they are temporarily excused from their usual societal roles and responsibilities. This exemption is a fundamental aspect of the theory, highlighting how society accommodates illness by allowing the sick person to step back from normal duties. However, illness itself is not viewed as a functional part of society; rather, it is considered a dysfunction that disrupts social stability. In contrast, institutions like the healthcare system serve a functional role by addressing and managing this dysfunction. Additionally, the sick role carries with it certain expectations: the individual must acknowledge their illness and actively strive to recover, which includes seeking appropriate medical treatment. This dual responsibility ensures that while the sick person is relieved from normal obligations, they are also motivated to regain health and reintegrate into society.

Tatianna comes down with mono during her first year of college. Which of the following is not part of the expectations for the sick role?

• A. Tatianna can email her professor with a doctor's note and ask for an extension on her paper.
• B. Tatianna's friends bring her soup.
• C. Tatianna is allowed to miss club meetings to rest.
• D. Tatianna is given extra responsibilities as treasurer of the running club.

Answer: (D)

Conflict Perspective on Health & Medicine

The conflict perspective in sociology critically examines how social structures, such as the health care system, contribute to and sustain inequality. This viewpoint highlights economic, class, racial, and gender disparities within health care access and quality. Central to this perspective is the critique of capitalism’s role in shaping health care, particularly through the commodification of health care. Commodification refers to treating health care as a product to be bought and sold rather than as a fundamental human right or public good. Under capitalist systems, access to health care often depends heavily on an individual's socioeconomic status (SES), where those with higher SES enjoy better access to quality care, while those with lower SES face barriers or receive lower-quality services.

Conflict theorists also emphasize the profit motive embedded in for-profit health care systems. This incentive structure can lead to overprescription of medications and unnecessary medical procedures, as these actions generate more revenue for providers. Additionally, in some countries, health care companies advertise treatments directly to consumers, further commercializing health care and potentially prioritizing profit over patient well-being.

Another critical aspect of this perspective is the focus on social determinants of health—factors like poverty, living conditions, and food access that broadly influence health outcomes. For example, when addressing obesity, medical advice often centers on individual behavior changes such as dieting or eating healthier foods. However, this approach may overlook systemic issues like food deserts or economic constraints that limit access to fresh produce. Conflict theorists argue that addressing these broader social determinants is essential to dismantling health inequalities rather than solely focusing on individual-level interventions.

Racial and gender disparities are also key concerns within the conflict perspective. Historically, medicine has played a role in legitimizing and perpetuating inequality. For instance, the diagnosis of hysteria, derived from the Greek word for uterus, was historically used to pathologize women’s behavior that challenged male authority, despite having no biological basis. Similarly, racial disparities have been perpetuated through inadequate medical training, such as the historical failure to recognize skin conditions on people of color, leading to misdiagnoses or delayed treatment.

Overall, the conflict perspective reveals how health care systems can reinforce social inequalities through economic structures, profit motives, and historical biases, underscoring the need to address both individual care and the broader social context to achieve health equity.

Here’s what students ask on this topic:

What is the functionalist perspective on health and medicine?

The functionalist perspective views health and illness in terms of their impact on societal stability. Illness is seen as a dysfunction because it prevents individuals from fulfilling their social roles, which are essential for maintaining order in society. To address this, the healthcare system functions as a structure that helps alleviate this dysfunction. Talcott Parsons introduced the concept of the "sick role," which allows individuals who are ill to temporarily be excused from their normal responsibilities, like work or school, while expecting them to seek treatment and try to recover. This role helps maintain social stability by encouraging people to return to their roles once they get better. However, this perspective has been criticized for not adequately addressing chronic illnesses or social inequalities that affect people's ability to adopt the sick role.

How does the conflict perspective explain inequalities in healthcare?

The conflict perspective explains healthcare inequalities by focusing on how social structures, especially capitalism, create and perpetuate disparities. It views healthcare as a commodity rather than a public good, meaning access depends on wealth and power. People with higher socioeconomic status (SES) have better access to quality care, while those with lower SES face barriers. The profit motive in capitalist healthcare can lead to over-prescription and unnecessary procedures to increase profits. Additionally, this perspective highlights how healthcare often treats individuals without addressing broader social determinants like poverty or food deserts, which contribute to health problems. It also points out historical and ongoing racial and gender disparities, such as biased medical diagnoses and lack of training to recognize conditions in people of color.

What is the 'sick role' and what are its key components?

The "sick role," a concept developed by Talcott Parsons within the functionalist perspective, is a temporary social role that individuals adopt when they are ill. It grants them certain rights and responsibilities. The key rights include being excused from normal social roles, such as work or school, without blame for their condition. The responsibilities involve the expectation that the sick person will try to get better and seek appropriate medical help. This role helps society by allowing individuals to recover and eventually return to their social roles, maintaining social order. However, the sick role mainly applies to acute illnesses and does not fully address chronic conditions or social inequalities that may prevent some from adopting this role.

How does capitalism influence the healthcare system according to conflict theory?

According to conflict theory, capitalism influences the healthcare system by turning health services into commodities that are bought and sold for profit rather than treated as a public good or human right. This commodification means that access to healthcare is often determined by an individual's wealth and social status, leading to inequalities. The profit motive can encourage healthcare providers to over-prescribe treatments or perform unnecessary procedures to increase revenue. Additionally, capitalist healthcare systems may advertise treatments to consumers, further emphasizing profit over patient well-being. This focus on individual treatment often overlooks broader social determinants of health, perpetuating systemic inequalities.

What are some examples of how medicine has historically perpetuated gender and racial inequalities?

Historically, medicine has played a role in perpetuating gender and racial inequalities. For example, the diagnosis of "hysteria" was commonly given to women exhibiting behaviors that men in power found undesirable. This diagnosis, rooted in the Greek word for uterus, had no biological basis and was used to control women. Regarding racial disparities, medical professionals historically lacked training to recognize skin conditions on people of color, leading to misdiagnoses or missed diagnoses, such as skin cancer or rashes. These examples illustrate how medical practices have reinforced social inequalities by marginalizing certain groups and failing to provide equitable care.