Essay
UNIT 6 - P2
- Institution
- OCR
health and social care complete essay
[Show more]
Content preview
Shona ThomasP2 – Explain different sociological approaches to health and ill-health
Sociologists have different definitions of what it means to be healthy some only relate to
physical health, and others relate to mental and emotional health. Many sociologists like to
include all aspects of health including spirituality and social interaction and this is known as
a positive definition. Whereas the negative is when health is thought to be the absence of
disease so because you aren’t physically ill you are perfectly fine so the other parts of a
person’s life aren’t considered. The World Health organisation is the prime example of this
because they see being healthy as more than just a physical expectation, they believe health
involves “emotional, physical, mental, social, intellectual and spiritual aspects” 1
The Holistic approach think a healthy life would include a balance in terms of physical,
emotional, social and intellectual development to be engaged at a high standard and neither
of these are ignored. “So rather than focusing on illness or specific parts of the body, this
ancient approach to health considers the whole person and how he or she interacts with his
or her environment. It emphasizes the connection of mind, body, and spirit.” 2 So many
people see it as the approach to life rather than just health. In terms of holistic health
people accept responsibility for their own level of well-being and every day choices which
are made regarding their own health. An example of this would be an individual beginning to
eat healthier as well as exercise more often.
The individual perspective view health in terms of the individual in society. We are
responsible for our health so the body is seen as a machine. As a metaphor, the machine will
break now and again as it is not made to withstand the extremes, so every time it is
damaged it will always need help to regain what it once used to be. The individual’s body is
given time to get back into the state it once was through rest and will enable the body to
have a quicker and more efficient recovery. An example of the individual perspective would
be that we are all responsible for our health. “Diabetes exemplifies as much as any chronic
disease the extent to which individuals' behaviours influence outcomes. The behaviours of
the individual—diet, energy expenditure, medication taking—have a direct impact on the
fundamental disease process of energy metabolism.”3
1 OCR textbook
2 https://ahha.org/selfhelp-articles/holistic-health/
3 www.medscape.com/viewarticle/778595_2
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller sheonathomas. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £6.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
77973 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now