Sociology P2 Essay

1633 Words7 Pages
p2P2. Explain different sociologicalapproaches to health and ill health. Positive health can be defined in terms of the absence of diseases, sometimes described as a negative approach to health. This is contrasted with a positive definition such as that provided by the world health organization. Ill health means different things to different people. How people view ill health depends on a variety of factors; if they've been seriously ill before, how knowledgeable they are about illness and also what they would class as a "severe" or "mild" illness etc. There are four main concepts of ill health are: The first concept is ill health as disease symptoms. This concept focuses on the symptoms associated with ill health, such as vomiting, diarrhea, pain and also visible symptoms, such as rashes and lumps on the skin. This is a common concept among patients, rather than health professionals, as it is about what the sufferer feels, rather than what the doctor or nurse is classifying those symptoms as. This concept of health is beneficial as people who have this concept will pick up on symptoms much quicker, and therefore will more readily seek medical advice. The second concept is ill health as a subjective sensation of illness. This is a general feeling of being ill or unwell. Malaise is a general feeling of uneasiness or discomfort, and is often an initial stage of an illness or disease. It is a general term for all sorts of non-visual symptoms (symptoms that are not physically apparent), such as fatigue, depression, and the general feeling of being run-down and exhausted. The third concept of ill health is ill health as a disorder or malfunction. This usually relates to more serious and life threatening diseases illnesses, such as heart disease, intestinal blockage or a brain tumor. The fourth concept ill health is some people they feel well but have
Open Document