TASK 1: SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
P4: Explain the contribution of concepts of health, ill health and disability to service provision in a
local health and social care setting.
CASE STUDY:
Alf is 60 years old and a laboratory technician. He lives alone in a large house that he cannot afford to
heat well, so he struggles to keep warm. He is lonely and depressed. He has never enjoyed cooking and
usually eats ready-meals or take- away food. His house is unclean, untidy and fast deteriorating. He
smokes heavily and does not exercise. Every winter, he suffers from bronchitis and has recently been
diagnosed with lung cancer. Alf is poor and has no interest in looking after himself.
The World Health Organisation defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-
being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Health can be defined as physical, mental,
and social wellbeing, and as a means for living a full life. It refers not only to the absence of disease, but
the ability to recuperate and recover from illness and further issues. Physical and mental ill health can
be considered and treated as an individual concern, necessitating diagnosis and treatment and the
expertise of the medical professions to guarantee recovery. Alternatively, the symptoms of physical and
mental ill health may best be addressed by considering environmental factors that are leading to
distress and increased illness. Ill health may be an outcome of poor housing and a poor diet, and mental
illness, the consequence of abuse or loneliness. It could be disputed that, in order to address the
requirements of the patient or service user, both methods frequently need to be utilised. The expertise
and resources of the medical professions are used to address ill health and the expertise of social care
staff is required to recognise and address the fundamental social causes that may have led to ill health.
Alf most likely has been experiencing poor health due to his house being untidy and not clean and it he
may find it more difficult to maintain it due to how big his house is. Dust mites are microscopic bugs that
increase on the moisture and heat provided by our bodies—and they live in every home. Since Alf has
bronchitis, dust mites can set off a reaction that is uncomfortable and debilitating.
Factors for good health comprise genetics, the environment, relationships, and education. A healthful
diet, exercise, screening for diseases, and coping strategies can all boost a person's health. WHO further
elucidated that health is: "a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive
concept emphasising social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities." This implies that
health is a resource to support an individual's function in wider society. A healthful lifestyle provides the
means to lead a full life. More recently, researchers have well-defined health as the capability of a body
to adjust to new threats and ailments. They base this on the idea that contemporary science has
intensely increased human consciousness of diseases and how they work in the last few decades.
Mental and physical health are the two most frequently discussed types of health but there is spiritual
health, emotional health, and financial health. These have also been linked to lower stress levels and
mental and physical wellbeing. (Medical News Today, 2019) Good health is a state where the body and
mind are managing well with the everyday challenges of disease, reacting to infections sufficiently,
, growing as required, and having the strength to function and to survive. Alf lives alone, hence the fact
why he is lonely and depressed; this may be making his physical health conditions deteriorate due to his
mental issues. Eating ready-made foods instead of homemade foods is contributing to his ill health as
ready meals are often high in salt and fat and low in other nutrients. So if he eats ready meals regularly,
he will increase his risk of related conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes and will
deteriorate his cancer. Having mental health issues such as depression is causing Alf debilitating fatigue
and which makes the simplest activities, such as getting out of bed, too difficult to manage. This fatigue
is making him tired all the time, hence the reason why he does not bother making his own meals and
decides to buy pre-made food instead. This fatigue is also demotivating him to do exercise as he may
have temporary body pains after exercising which is making his lung cancer worse. On top of that he
also smokes heavily which is also another big contributing factor of his lung cancer. (Medical News
Today, 2019)
A negative concept of health is one that focuses on the absence of disease or illness. It implies that you
can only be considered as being healthy if the individual have no disease or illness for instance, if you do
not have any symptoms of disease, pain or distress. Individuals with this interpretation will believe that
good health is normal and they will think there are well. They believe that they do not need to do
anything to keep healthy. Moreover, they might not think of themselves as ill when they have minor
discomforts like a fever, headaches or when they feel tired or depressed. However, a positive concept
of health is when an individual might feel well even if they have a disease. It concentrates on
psychological and social well-being of individuals for instance their choice of food, by taking exercise and
other activities they believe will keep them well. Such people are probable to feel accountable for their
own health. They will take credit for the constant absence of disease and hold themselves responsible if
they develop symptoms. Positive health consists of six dimensions: bodily functions, mental functions &
perceptions, spiritual dimension, quality of life, social and societal participation and daily functioning.
(Zonmw.nl, 2019) Although Alf is aware of his numerous health conditions, he does not take
responsibility for them and does not try to improve his health which is making it worse.
The holistic concept of health can be defined as an approach to life. Instead of focusing on illness or
specific parts of the body, this approach to health considers the whole person and how he or she
interacts with his or her environment. Holistic health highlights the connection of mind, body, and spirit.
The goal is to attain maximum well-being, where everything is working at the highest level conceivable.
The concept of holistic health encourages people to accept accountability for their own level of
wellbeing, and daily choices that affect their health. (Ivy.edu.au, 2019) The holistic concept of health
includes physical, spiritual, sociological, environmental and psychological health. Considering all aspects
of a person when providing health will allow health professionals to deliver care while considering all
factors which may be affecting the patient. Physical health refers to the state of the body, its
compositions, development, functions and maintenance. Physical health also means the ability to carry
out daily task without becoming exhausted. Mental health refers to the cognitive ability and skills to
enhance quality of life. It is the ability to reason out, analyse, evaluate, create and make rational
decisions. Emotional health is our ability to accept and cope with our own and others feelings. It involves
understanding and liking ourselves. Social health refers to the capability to build and sustain
