Medicalization in Social Context.
ANSWER
- People with cancer a) Strongly Agree to b) Reason: Cancer is widely accepted as a medical condition because it involves abnormal cell growth that can be diagnosed, treated, and researched within the medical field. It has well-established biological markers and treatments.
- Depressed people a) Strongly Agree on b) Reason: Depression is recognized as a medical condition by the medical community. It has biological and psychological components that can be diagnosed, treated with medication or therapy, and studied in the medical and psychological fields.
- Obese people a) Neither Agree nor Disagree b) Reason: Obesity can have medical implications, such as increased risk of certain diseases like diabetes and heart disease. However, it is also influenced by various social, cultural, and lifestyle factors. Whether it is classified solely as a medical condition depends on the individual case and perspective.
- People who are attracted to members of their same-sex a) Strongly Disagree b) Reason: Sexual orientation is not considered a medical condition. It is a natural variation in human sexuality and is not inherently associated with illness or disease.
- People who are sexually attracted to children a) Strongly Disagree b) Reason: Pedophilic disorder is recognized as a psychiatric disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), but it is not classified as a medical condition. It is considered a mental health issue that requires psychological intervention, not medical treatment.
- People with racist beliefs and feelings a) Strongly Disagree b) Reason: Racism is a social and psychological issue, not a medical condition. While it can have negative health effects on individuals and communities, it is not treated as a disease or illness in the medical field.
Looking at the reasons for ranking each condition, it becomes clear that some conditions are considered medical because they involve physiological or psychological abnormalities that can be diagnosed and treated within the medical system. Others, such as sexual orientation, are not considered medical because they are natural variations of human diversity and are not associated with illness.
This relates to social constructions of illness, health, and medicine because it highlights how societal norms, cultural beliefs, and the evolving understanding of health and well-being influence these classifications. It also demonstrates that the boundaries between what is considered a medical condition and what is not can be complex and subject to change over time as our understanding of health and society evolves.
QUESTION
Description
This week we looked at medicine from a social constructionist standpoint. While people often think of the field of medicine in purely biological terms, medical sociologists point out the many ways in which our social meanings and interactions with people define and shape their practices and outcomes. A key concept of this lens is medicalization, or the process through which something becomes defined as medical in nature and requiring medical assistance.
For this week’s activity, you will explore the concept of medicalization by thinking about your reasons for classifying something as medical or not. A key part of this is thinking thoroughly about your reasons for placing something into one category or another. Take notes, as you will submit your reasons for credit (note, this isn’t a right or wrong activity but rather one that helps us see the social construction of thought and knowledge. Feel free to play “devil’s advocate” so you can capture a range of answers.
You are also welcome to do this activity with a partner.
Medicalization Activity Instructions
Below is a list of six different conditions. Think about if you feel each condition is like a disease or illness:
“ (e.g. people with cancer)” have a medical condition, like a disease or illness.
As you move through the list,
a) rank each on a scale of agreement:
Strongly Agree Neither Agree or Disagree Strongly Disagree.
b) provide reasons for your ranking.
- People with cancer
- Depressed people
- Obese people
- People who are attracted to members of their same sex
- People who are sexually attracted to children
- People with racist beliefs and feelings
Last, look at all your reasons for ranking each condition. Did you use any of the same reasons to justify something being medical and something being not medical? How does this relate to social constructions of illness, health, and medicine?
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