Medical Care: Physical and Mental Illness Michael Itagaki Sociology 102, Social Problems

Problem in Sociological Perspective Health and Illness as a social problem, relative to other social issues

Table 10.1 (p. 313) The Most Important Problems Facing the Nation

Problem in Sociological Perspective Social nature of health and illness  Changing ideas about disease— Black lung disease  Effects of industrialization— Iatrogenesis  Medical incompetence

Problem in Sociological Perspective Social organization of medicine as a source of problems  Rising costs

Figure 10.1 (p. 315) The Nation's Medical Bill: Soaring Costs Note: The broken line represents estimates by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Source: By the author, based on Statistical Abstract of the United States 2003: Table 127.

Problem in Sociological Perspective Social organization of medicine as a source of problems  Rising costs  New technology & demand for latest treatments  Last-minute intervention vs. prevention  Medical care sold for profit

Problem in Sociological Perspective Social organization of medicine as a source of problems  Rising costs  Case of Caesarean sections  Two-class system of medical care

The Scope of the Problem Illness as a social problem  How much illness in the U.S.?

Table 10.3 (p. 317) Number of Days Americans Are So Sick That They Cut Down on Their Activities for More than Half a Day

The Scope of the Problem Illness as a social problem  How much illness in the U.S.?  Life expectancy

Figure U.S. Life Expectancy by Year of Birth. Page 271

The Scope of the Problem Illness as a social problem  How much illness in the U.S.?  Life expectancy  Infant mortality  Social factors: geography

Figure 10.3 (p. 318) The Geography of Death: Infant Mortality Rates Source: By the author, based on Statistical Abstract of the United States 2003: Table 114.

The Scope of the Problem Illness as a social problem  How much illness in the U.S.?  Life expectancy  Infant mortality  Social factors: geography  U.S. vs. rest of the world

Figure 10.4 (p. 319) Infant Mortality Rates Source: By the author, based on Statistical Abstract of the United States 1998: Table 1345; 2003: Table 1326.

Symbolic Interaction and Medical Care Giving meaning to the symptoms  Social Class/Culture differences Political meaning to illness  Ex. of homosexuality Definitions affecting perceptions  Alcohol abuse and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

Functionalism and Medical Care Who benefits?  Medical profession  Physicians, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies

Figure 10.7 (p. 326) How Much Does It Cost to Stay in the Hospital? One Day's Cost Compared to Inflation Source: By the author, based on Statistical Abstract of the United States 1998: Table 137; 2003: Table 171.

Functionalism and Medical Care Who benefits?  Medical profession  Physicians, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies  Patients

Conflict Theory and Medical Care Who benefits?  Medical profession, but not patients  Ex. of Medicaid  Exploitation of women  Ex. unnecessary hysterectomies  Exploitation of illness

Research Findings Historical changes in health problems

Figure 10.8a (p. 329) The Ten Leading Causes of Death in the United States Source: By the author, based on Rockett 1994; Statistical Abstract 2003: Tables 118, 119.

Research Findings Historical changes in health problems Superbugs in the Global Village (p. 331)  Use of antibiotics and mutation of bacteria and germs Social basis of AIDS

Figure (p. 332) Source: By the author, based on Centers for Disease Control 2004.

Social Policy Preventative medicine  Primary prevention  Secondary prevention  Tertiary prevention Primary prevention: Lifestyle choice?  Overweight in America

Social Policy Social organization of medicine as a source of problems  Are these contributing to depersonalization in medicine?  Patients treated as things, not people  Idea of holistic care