Sociological Approaches to Long Term Conditions and Chronic Illness Flashcards
What is the difference between a chronic and long term condition?
Both very similar. Long term condition more favourable/pleasant term. Often used interchangeably.
What is a long term condition?
A condition that cannot, at present, be cured but is controlled by medication and/or other treatment/therapies. (2012)
What is a chronic disease?
Disease which current medical interventions can only control not cure. Life of a person with a chronic condition is forever altered- there is no return to ‘normal’.
Describe the sociological approach to chronic illness.
- Focuses on how chronic illness impacts on social interaction, role performance and everyday life
- Interested in how people manage and negotiate chronic illness in everyday lifestyle
There are two theories of ‘the experience of illness”. State them.
Functional- relationship between society and individual
Interpretive- how individuals make sense of illness
What is Parsons Sick Role?
A temporary, medically sanctioned from of deviant behaviour in which individuals are:
- Excused from usual duties
- Not considered responsible for their illness
- Expected to seek professional advice and adhere to treatments
State three limitations of Parsons Sick Role.
- Not all illnesses are temporary
- Doesn’t acknowledge difference between individuals
- Doesn’t acknowledge individual agency in defining and coping with illness
What is an illness narrative?
The story-telling and accounting practices that occur in the face of illness.
The sociological theory of chronic illness conveys ideas that there is ‘work of chronic illness’; state the five types of work.
- Illness work
- Everyday life work
- Emotional work
- Biographical work
- Identity work
What is illness work?
Managing the symptoms/dealing with physical manifestations.
Self-management is a part of illness work and often difficult to achieve optimal self management.
What is everyday life work?
Work required to allow individual to carry on with daily life; this involves learning to cope with illness and putting strategies in place to manage condition and it’s impact.
What is emotional work?
Work that people do to protect the wellbeing of themselves and others around them. E.g. trying to maintain friendships and appear ‘cheery’ to others.
What is biographical work?
Work done to prevent ‘loss of former self’/try to maintain identity.
State and explain the three types of Bury’s biographical disruption.
- Disruption of taken for granted behaviours
- Disruption in explanatory systems (Why me? Why now?)
- Mobilisation of resources (re-arranging personal and community involvements; lack of resources and support may make it difficult)
State three limitations with Bury’s biographical disruption
- Doesn’t deal with conditions from birth
- Some social groups expect illness more than others
- Older people may see chronic illness as ‘biographically normal’ e.g. part of them
