Sociology 0011A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Sick Role, Health Promotion, Binge Drinking

• School: Western University
• Department: Sociology
• Course: Sociology 0011A/B
• Professor: Stephen Lin

Document Summary

Wellness = broad definition that includes physical, mental and social well-being (positive) Sickness = disease (bio-medical focus) or illness, whether we feel sick (subjective: why are we much better at measuring sickness than at measuring wellness, a: culture based on fixing problem. Wrinkles: how culture influences health beliefs, culture perceive the symptoms and remedies differently. All cultures have systems of health beliefs to explain what causes illness, how it can be cured or treated, and who should be involved in the process. The extent to which patients perceive their cultural relevance can have a profound effect on their reception to information provided and their willingness to use it. Western industrialized societies, such as the united states, which see disease as a result of natural scientific phenomena, advocate medical treatments that combat microorganisms or use sophisticated technology to diagnose and treat disease.