Connecting Sociology and YOU!

Chapter 14: Health, Illness, and Medicine

Resource Details:

Medical sociology, the sociological analysis of social interactions, organizations, and systems related to health, illness, and medicine

health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity

social stigmaa negative label characterized by one or more personal traits that form a stereotype about the individual

medical-industrial complexthe multi-billion-dollar enterprise consisting of doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, insurance companies, drug manufacturers, and hospital supply and equipment companies

chronic diseaseslong-lasting health problems that normally cannot be cured and only controlled, such as heart disease, cancer, and strokes

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)a system in which individuals purchase shares of food in advance of production from local farmers)

sick rolethe rights and responsibilities of those ill

deprofessionalisma decline in the power of a profession,

Hispanic mortality paradoxthe conditions by which Hispanics live longer despite lower income and health care access

employment-based health insurancea system in which an employer pays all or part of the health insurance premiums for the employee, the U.S. system is paid primarily by employers

Medicaida government program established in 1965 funding healthcare for qualified persons living below the poverty level and/or who have disabilities, and Medicarea government program established in 1965 funding healthcare for the elderly, the disabled, and people receiving long-term treatment with dialysis. Medicaid

Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) is part of Medicaid and provides health insurance for low-income children. 

socialized medicinemedical and hospital care funded for all citizens by the government 

mental illness (HP), abnormal thoughts, behaviors, emotions, or actions that are a threat to the individual or society,

herd immunitya population’s ability to resist disease as a result of a high percentage of its members being immune.

physician-assisted suicidea process in which a doctor provides a terminally ill patient with the means to end their life at the time of the patient’s choosing. 

medical tourismthe practice of traveling to another country to seek healthcare.