Health and Medicine Shayna Ingram, Bria Smith, Mary Baldwin, and Shelby Graves

Key Terms Health- the state of physical, mental, and social well-being Social epidemiology- examines how societal factors affect the distribution of disease within a population Health care- the prevention, management, and treatment of illness

Disability- any physical or mental impairment that limits a persons ability to perform a basic life activity Chronic disease- long term or lifelong illness that developed gradually or is present from birth Acute diseases- illnesses that strike suddenly and often disappear rapidly but can cause incapacitation and sometimes death

Alzheimer's disease- a progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the brain and impairs memory, thinking, and behavior Substance abuse- an over indulgence in and dependence on a drug or other chemical that harms a persons physical and mental health Medicine- a system of individuals, organizations, and institutions that provide scientific diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of illness, injury, and other health impairments.

Sick role- a social role that excuses people from normal obligations because of illness Medical-industrial complex- a network of business enterprises influence medicine and healthcare Medicalization- a process that defines a nonmedical condition or behavior as an illness, disorder, or disease that requires medical treatment

Global health and illness Health varies among individuals and societies All people experience disease Social epidemiology includes both the incidence and prevalence of illness or health problems within a population during a specific time period High income populations live longer

High income populations also have low infant mortality rate, spend more on health, but experience "disease of wealth" such as diabetes, heart disease, and various cancers

Health and illness in the US Many people live with a disability Others die at an earlier age than expected for a variety of macro and micro level reasons Three most important reasons for illness and early death are environmental, demographic, and lifestyle choices. After age 65 more people experience chronic diseases rather than acute diseases

Women tend to live longer than men but have more chronic diseases such as arthritis, asthma, cancer, and mental illness, and experience higher depression rates than men Top three preventable health hazards, in order of priority, are smoking, obesity, and substance abuse.

US and global Medicaid provides medical care for those living below poverty level Medicare provides healthcare to people age 65 or older, regardless of income

Functionalism Macro Health and medicine are critical in ensuring a society's survival and are closely linked to other institutions Illness is dysfunctional because it prevents people from performing expected roles Sick people are expected to seek professional help and get well

Conflict Macro These are gross inequities in the health care system The medical establishment is a powerful social control agent A drive for profit ignored people's health needs

Feminist Macro and micro Women are less likely than men to receive high quality health care Gender stratification in medicine and the health care industry reduces women's earnings Men control women's health

Symbolic interaction Micro Illness and disease are socially constructed Labeling people as I'll increases their likelihood of being stigmatized Medicalization has increased the power of medical association parents and mental health advocates and the profits of pharmaceutical companies