EXPLAIN TWO SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES AND THE RELATIOSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL FACTORS AND HEALTH

In 1981 a document was published that showed the death rate for men in a lower social class was twice that of a man in a higher social class. This document was known as the Black Report. The Black Report demonstrated that although health improved since the introduction of the welfare state, there were still widespread health inequalities present, the main cause of this was economic inequality.
A health issue which may affect a particular social class could be alcoholism, as a group we decided to look at how cultural and social factors influence health whilst looking at functionalist theory and conflict theory.
Functionalist theory is known as a macro-sociological theory, which means that the society an individual lives in influences them. For eample; a teenager whos parents enjoy a glass of wine or a beer with their dinner everynight, as they get older they may see this as a normal part of life.
There are four key features of Functionalist theory, consensus on norms, values and roles in which everyone agrees how the society should operate. Integration and interdependance, means that because functionalists believe society is made up of lots of different parts, these parts all need to work well together. If society doesn't work well together it is seen as dysfunctional and the individuals involved are seen as deviant. Stability and continuity involves the passing on of norms and values from generation to generation. Research has shown that children of alcoholics are more than likely to become alcoholics themselves.
Conflict Theorists believe there is alot of conflict in society