NCSU SOC 202 Final Exam 2023 Graded A+
Functionalist Perspective- Health and Medicine
Good health and effective medical care are essential for the smooth functioning of
society. Illness is "dysfunctional" because it reduces people's ability to preform their
roles in society. Society responds to illness not only by providing medical care but by
allowing people "sick role"
Sick Role
Patterns of behavior defined as appropriate for people who are ill. They must "look the
part". Sick role releases people from everyday obligations such as going to work.
Conflict Theory- Health and Medicine
Social inequality characterizes the quality of health and the quality of health care.
People from disadvantaged social backgrounds are more likely to become ill and to
receive inadequate health care. Partly to increase their incomes, physicians have tried
to control the practice of medicine and to define social problems as medical problems.
Social Constructionist- Health and Medicine
Health and illness are social constructions: Physical and mental conditions have little or
no objective reality but instead are considered healthy or ill conditions only if they are
defined as such by a society. Physicians "manage the situation" to display their
authority and medical knowledge.
Health
State of complete and physical, mental and social well-being.
Social Epidemiology
The study of how health and disease are distributed throughout a society's population.
Examines both the origins and the spread of the disease. Analyze how people's health
is tied to their physical and emotional environments.
Relationship Between Health and Social Class
Inequality is at the heart of the differences in health among different segments of the
population. All societies distribute resources unequally. Overall, the rich have far better
physical, mental, and emotional health than do the poor.
Disease Model
Patients are first diagnosed and then treated for illness. critics argue there is lack of
emphasis on prevention- evidence that prevention of many illnesses is possible but
focus is on health rather than illness.
Socialized Medicine
The government owns and runs the entire healthcare system. Pays for all healthcare
services.
United States Costs of Medical Care
18% of our gross domestic product, 3rd leading industry in the U.S. we spend 2x per
capita as the United kingdom or Sweden.
No National Program of Universal Healthcare (U.S.)
Most sectors of health care system are for-profit businesses i.e. hospitals and
pharmaceutical companies. Spending on prescription drugs has increased from 40
billion (1990) to 326 billion.
Medicare
Provides health insurance to older americans
, Medicaid
Provides health insurance to poor americans
Managed Care
a system of providing health care (as by an HMO or a PPO) that is designed to control
costs through managed programs in which the physician accepts constraints on the
amount charged for medical care and the patient is limited in the choice of physician.
Direct Fee System
patients are responsible for paying the fees the health care provider charges. insurance
companies may cover part of or all expenses.
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
an organization that provides or arranges comprehensive medical care to subscribers
for a fixed fee
Defensive Medicine
refers to the practice of recommending a test or medical treatment that is not
necessarily the best option for the patient, but an option that mainly serves the function
to protect the physician against the patient as a potential plaintiff.
2010 Patient Protections and Affordable Care Act (critical features)
1. Expansion of availability of health care insurance to all Americans
2. Insurance companies may not deny coverage to children (under age 19) because of
preexisting conditions
3. Elimination of lifetime coverage limits on insurance coverage
4. Insurance plans must cover preventive care, such as mammograms and
colonoscopies, without charging deductibles and co-pas
5. Young adults are allowed to stay on parents' plan until age 26
6. Early retirees keep their employer-sponsored benefits until they are eligible for
Medicare
2010 Patient Protections and Affordable Care (assessment)
Helping minimize number of uninsured people.
Critics argue that insurance costs will rise for companies
Inequality and Health
Health care institutions recreate structural inequality of society.
Medical options are not equally available to all Americans.
Unequal distribution of health care by social class, race, and gender
Health care is more readily available to whites than to others
Adults with no regular source of heath care (Source: CDC)
Whites - 19%
African Americans - 22%
Asian Americans - 21%
Hispanics - 34%
American Indians - 24%
Unequal distribution of health care by region
Annual deaths due to people living too far from a doctor or hospital.
Environmental Sociology Summarized
Examines people's beliefs and behavior about the environment, and
The ways in which the structure of society contributes to environmental problems
Dominant Social Paradigm (DSP)
Functionalist Perspective- Health and Medicine
Good health and effective medical care are essential for the smooth functioning of
society. Illness is "dysfunctional" because it reduces people's ability to preform their
roles in society. Society responds to illness not only by providing medical care but by
allowing people "sick role"
Sick Role
Patterns of behavior defined as appropriate for people who are ill. They must "look the
part". Sick role releases people from everyday obligations such as going to work.
Conflict Theory- Health and Medicine
Social inequality characterizes the quality of health and the quality of health care.
People from disadvantaged social backgrounds are more likely to become ill and to
receive inadequate health care. Partly to increase their incomes, physicians have tried
to control the practice of medicine and to define social problems as medical problems.
Social Constructionist- Health and Medicine
Health and illness are social constructions: Physical and mental conditions have little or
no objective reality but instead are considered healthy or ill conditions only if they are
defined as such by a society. Physicians "manage the situation" to display their
authority and medical knowledge.
Health
State of complete and physical, mental and social well-being.
Social Epidemiology
The study of how health and disease are distributed throughout a society's population.
Examines both the origins and the spread of the disease. Analyze how people's health
is tied to their physical and emotional environments.
Relationship Between Health and Social Class
Inequality is at the heart of the differences in health among different segments of the
population. All societies distribute resources unequally. Overall, the rich have far better
physical, mental, and emotional health than do the poor.
Disease Model
Patients are first diagnosed and then treated for illness. critics argue there is lack of
emphasis on prevention- evidence that prevention of many illnesses is possible but
focus is on health rather than illness.
Socialized Medicine
The government owns and runs the entire healthcare system. Pays for all healthcare
services.
United States Costs of Medical Care
18% of our gross domestic product, 3rd leading industry in the U.S. we spend 2x per
capita as the United kingdom or Sweden.
No National Program of Universal Healthcare (U.S.)
Most sectors of health care system are for-profit businesses i.e. hospitals and
pharmaceutical companies. Spending on prescription drugs has increased from 40
billion (1990) to 326 billion.
Medicare
Provides health insurance to older americans
, Medicaid
Provides health insurance to poor americans
Managed Care
a system of providing health care (as by an HMO or a PPO) that is designed to control
costs through managed programs in which the physician accepts constraints on the
amount charged for medical care and the patient is limited in the choice of physician.
Direct Fee System
patients are responsible for paying the fees the health care provider charges. insurance
companies may cover part of or all expenses.
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
an organization that provides or arranges comprehensive medical care to subscribers
for a fixed fee
Defensive Medicine
refers to the practice of recommending a test or medical treatment that is not
necessarily the best option for the patient, but an option that mainly serves the function
to protect the physician against the patient as a potential plaintiff.
2010 Patient Protections and Affordable Care Act (critical features)
1. Expansion of availability of health care insurance to all Americans
2. Insurance companies may not deny coverage to children (under age 19) because of
preexisting conditions
3. Elimination of lifetime coverage limits on insurance coverage
4. Insurance plans must cover preventive care, such as mammograms and
colonoscopies, without charging deductibles and co-pas
5. Young adults are allowed to stay on parents' plan until age 26
6. Early retirees keep their employer-sponsored benefits until they are eligible for
Medicare
2010 Patient Protections and Affordable Care (assessment)
Helping minimize number of uninsured people.
Critics argue that insurance costs will rise for companies
Inequality and Health
Health care institutions recreate structural inequality of society.
Medical options are not equally available to all Americans.
Unequal distribution of health care by social class, race, and gender
Health care is more readily available to whites than to others
Adults with no regular source of heath care (Source: CDC)
Whites - 19%
African Americans - 22%
Asian Americans - 21%
Hispanics - 34%
American Indians - 24%
Unequal distribution of health care by region
Annual deaths due to people living too far from a doctor or hospital.
Environmental Sociology Summarized
Examines people's beliefs and behavior about the environment, and
The ways in which the structure of society contributes to environmental problems
Dominant Social Paradigm (DSP)
