Sociology

Question 1

State the 4 models of the mechanisms of health inequality?

Answer 1

lifecourse
materialist
behavioural
psychosocial

Question 2

Describe the life course model

Answer 2

disadvantages accumulate through lifetime

Question 3

Describe the materialist model

Answer 3

hazards that are inherent in the present form of social organisation and to which some people have no choice but to be exposed

Question 4

Describe the behavioural model

Answer 4

class differences in behaviours that are health-damaging or health-promoting and in principle are subject to individual choice

Question 5

Describe the psychosocial model

Answer 5

feelings relating to inequality may affect behaviours (eg. social support, work)

Question 6

Define nuclear family

Answer 6

family group consisting of parents and their children, typically living in one home residence

Question 7

Define extended family

Answer 7

when 3 or more generations live together in one household

Question 8

Define arranged marriage

Answer 8

a marriage planned by another individual or group

Question 9

Define symmetrical family

Answer 9

where a family divides all responsibilities equally between partners

Question 10

State some protected characteristics

Answer 10

age
gender re-assignment
pregnancy + maternity
sex
religion/belief
sexual orientation

Question 11

Define sex

Answer 11

biological differences between people who are male, female or intersex

Question 12

Define gender

Answer 12

how someone identifies

broad spectrum

Question 13

Define non-binary

Answer 13

not feeling that your gender identity fits naturally into the generic categories of male and female

Question 14

Define transgender

Answer 14

people whose current gender identity differs from the sex they were registered as at birth

Question 15

How can being a member of an ethnic minority group affect health?

Answer 15

more likely to experience forms of disadvantage that affect their health:

• poor job security, stressful working conditions, unsocial hours
• racial discrimination + harassment
• place-based disadvantage (eg. living in poorly-serviced areas)

Question 16

State some social factors that have been shown to affect health

Answer 16

education, employment status, income level, gender, ethnicity

Question 17

What is the effect of socioeconomic position on health?

Answer 17

lower socioeconomic position = higher risk of poor health

Question 18

What are the obligations of the patient under the sick role?

Answer 18

demonstrate motivation to get well

seek medical help + comply with the physician

Question 19

What are the rights of the patient under the sick role?

Answer 19

exemption from normal role responsibilities

not to be held responsible for their sickness

Question 20

What are the obligations of the doctor under the sick role?

Answer 20

to be technically competent

to be neutral + objective

Question 21

What are the rights of the doctor under the sick role?

Answer 21

to be allowed access to taboo areas (sick person’s body) - ask intimate questions + examine physically
to be treated by society as a professional with a degree of independence

Question 22

Describe the doctor’s role in diagnosing and legitimising illness

Answer 22

Parson’s model = illness is a temporary deviance from a person’s usual social role within a society that is oriented towards work + productivity
doctors = gatekeepers to sick role, legitimate sick role by naming + diagnosing illness

Question 23

Describe medical dominance

Answer 23

profession’s authority to determine what counts as sickness
dominance over patients
dominance over other health professions

Question 24

What is a key critique of the sick role?

Answer 24

lack of acknowledgement of chronic illness