1.1 Biomedical model of health is the dominant approach to understanding the body as used as comparable to a machine, which goes wrong if not correctly maintained. The role of medicine is to encourage decent maintenance and to intervene if anything goes wrong. The importance of medicine is that cannot be overestimated, because most health care systems is such as National health Service (NHS) in Britain. Before the introduction of modern medicine techniques the level of death was much higher than today.
Nevertheless, the main model of medicine is the biomedical model, which underpins the power and status of doctor. This contributed to a process known as medicalization, which refers to the way social life are seen that is falling under the remit of doctors. In health and illness were simply the results of physiological factors, which would expect illness to be spread randomly across the various social groupings in society. (Sociology book Collins)
The world health organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity. Basically, any person is considered health unless whatever illness you are suffering from hinders you from accomplishing your daily needs within the limit of your illness or disability. However, a person's level of wellness is not always constant and it changes within time. It can be very high at one time and then suddenly, it can shift from very poor or to even death. Typically, all human beings have the ability to experience both level of health and illness at a varying degree. Despite the intensive health related education and positive attitude that people are developing towards health, personal level of wellness is still affected by many factors. These are what are called the risk factors. A risk factor is anything that increases the chance of someone acquiring a disease.
There are 5 major areas of risk factors that affect health such as age for examples, adults who are 50 years and above are more prone to Colon cancer. However, women after menopause - prone to esteoporosis due to decreased oestrogen levels. Also risk factor is unhealthy lifestyle - for examples - Sedentary lifestyle leads to Coronary Heart diseases and osteoporosis and multiple sexual partners - Cervical Cancer and Hepatitis B or Liver Cirrhosis. Moreover, chronic alcohol - can lead to Pancreatitis. Then stress can lead to increased blood sugar due to increased Cortisol hormone, depression and blood pressure. Furthermore, genetics - family history - Predispose a person to developing a disease. Therefore, obesity or overweight can lead to Diabetes, heart diseases, cholecystitis, autosomal disorders - Cystic Fibrosis and Sickle cell. Then vices such as smoking - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), lung Cancer, unhealthy diet - Increase in fibre and low fiber - Colorectal Cancer. When the person takes too much carbohydrate can lead to Cancer of Pancreas or decrease in fiber – Diverticulosis and finally alcohol abuse can lead to pancreatitis and Liver Cirrhosis. (Health 20/02/14)
Sociologist argues that our bodies are not just for us to function and the way we are looking at it and that this view have changed over time, they suggest that bodies are not just natural thing, but also social object.
For example of arguments over the idea of the body - and in particular what is regarded as normal or abnormal – is the issue of disability. Somehow its social stigma attached to being disabling, incapable to move on the daily bases. They also share this status with the people who are HIV- positive and those suffering from forms of cancer. The other stigmatized group is the mentally ill. Sociologists Durkheim’s worked with suicide issue. Death, sociologists argue is not the completely individual act that most people believe it to be, but takes place, and can be understood, within a social framework. (Sociology book Collins)
Nevertheless, health and