No Free LUNCH!

As, this topic has come up a few times in class i thought you all would like to check it out. I look forward to reading your last responses of the semester.

http://www.nofreelunch.org/index.htm

I am truly melancholic to inform you that this will be your last Medical Sociology entry... Its been a great semester. You lot are some of the brightest Medical Sociology students yet. I Hope that you've been able to take something out of this class that will help you down the road.

I wish you the best in you final semesters here,

Sincerely,

Ms. Simmons

Medicalization

Hey Class, here are some practice questions.

Also, please remember that part of your participation is tied to your blog participation so make sure you leave comments! Some of you have been leaving some very interesting observations...

1. Define medicalization of society?

2. What is the main premise of social constructionism?

3. In the second half of the twentieth century medicalization has proliferated. What are TWO indicators/trends which evidence this phenomenon?

4. Define demedicalization

5. Define social control

6. Describe how the dominance of the ‘scientific’ paradigm in the West has helped to further medicalization.

7. The capacity to create (medical) knowledge in the West is socially distributed. List three groups who have produced medical ‘knowledge’. Give examples of the ‘knowledge’ each group has created.

8. In what ways have ‘deviance’ and ‘crime’ been medicalized?

9. How is informal social control different from formal social control?

Extended Essays

A. Direct to consumer advertising has increased exponentially in recent years. Consider the (positive and negative) effects of this trend for society.

B. With reference to a specific case-study, describe how pharmaceutical companies have contributed to processes of medicalization.

C. The institution of (bio)medicine has been afforded increasing authority to define categories of deviance/normalcy. Consider why and how this has occurred AND consider the effects of this trend on society.

Direct to Consumer Advertising

Hi Guys, Professor Campbell had asked me to post this link during our discussion on the role of direct to consumer advertising. Its a really fascinating snippet. Please leave a post on it, or something associated with it.

Myths of Obesity

Hello Class,

We are finally getting down to the last few weeks of the semester. In class we've been discussing how medical knowledge is socially contingent. The power that medical doctors and scientists have to produce facts around health is so normative and ideological that we precieve them as truisms. In our society, we precieve obesity as something that is unhealthy, something to be medicalized, however is this the case? Below is a link to a a book entitled obesity myths. I'd am looking forward for some good, well thought responses.

http://www.obesitymyths.com/myth4.1.htm

Selling Sickness

As we discussed in class medicalization is the process, by which the normal human condition increasingly become defined as pathological. A key component in medicalization is what some consider to be disease mongering, which refers to the process by which healthy people are persuaded that they are ill.




I'm sorry this video is not working properly. I will post a link to the video on youtoube. Its just over 4 minutes long.

De-Stress-oR!!

ALoha. For those of you who are feeling stressed out you might want to think of trying some yoga. It might be a better way to deal with the stresses you face everyday. While doing yoga you try to bring your body back to is optimal functioning by... relaxing your breathing, strengthening your muscles and alleviating stress that may cause tension throughout you body. I don't know much about yoga, but take some time to check it out.. maybe give it a try. Yoga Today is a good resource for those of you who don't have access to yoga classes. It provides a weekly class, and you can do it in the privacy of your own home so you don't have to look like a fool. Here is a link to the website...

http://www.yogatoday.com/

Sociology in the NEws

How the First Nine Months Shape the Rest of Your Life

This is an interesting article on how a child's early life experiences affect ones health later in life. The title will link you to the article in Time Magazine. In your response try to incorporate the ideas we discussed in class.. cognitive emotional appraisal, copying, stress, learned helplessness. As the semester is coming to its peak you should be well on your way to using your sociological perspective. Always think in terms of the social structures which influence ones health.

Practice Questions

Practice Questions
Here are some sample exam questions. Good luck.

Short Answer Questions

1. Social epidemiologists aim to identify patterns of morbidity and mortality, define morbidity and mortality.

2. Epidemiological studies have shown dramatic increases in life span worldwide. List 3 other patterns of morbidity and mortality indicated through epidemiological studies.

3. Outline the main difference between reformist and materialist epidemiology

4. How do socio-economic factors shape the distribution and consumption of food, and what are some of the consequences of this patterned distribution/consumption?

5. Our social position (within the socially structured hierarchy) affects our access to material resources for health and wellness. How does access to transportation affect our health?

6. What do we mean by the ‘feminization of poverty’?

7. List three socio-cultural variables which shape how food is used.

8. How have macro political and economic factors shaped transportation in the US?

9. How are environmental harms socially distributed?

10. What do placebo studies suggest about the mind/body relationship?

11. What social groups are most at risk from dramaturgical stress?

12. List and outline/define the three factors which determine how susceptible one is to stress.

The second part of the exam will entail an extended essay. Here are some sample questions. You will be expected to write at least 1-2 pages in response.

Extended Essays

Medical sociologists claim that people’s choices are constrained and enabled by their material surroundings and their social standing in society. Consider this notion by exploring specific material and environmental factors which lead to differential outcomes in regard to mortality and morbidity.

How does social status affect health? Consider both the physical and environmental factors impacting health, as well as the research examining social-relationships, cultural symbolism, and so on.

Food Distribution and Consumption

This week you assignment is to go to a Hannafords, Shaws or Walmart with 10 dollars in an attempt to feed a family of 4 for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Post what food your family had for each meal and identify the ways in which this meal is good for the individuals, as well as, where this meal is lacking. For instance, what nutrients does it provide? Where is it lacking? How many calories does it provide to each individual, ect.

You don't actually have to spend the money and buy the meals.

Embodied Inequalities and Epidemiology

In Class, we discussed the ways in which morbidity and mortality are affected by inequalities (Social Class, Gender/Sex, Race/Ethnicity, Nationality/Global Inequality). You guys nicely displayed 1. the relationship between mortality/morbidity and theses forms of inequality. 2. the main arguments that are used to explain these relationships; and 3. you indicated the methodological shortcomings associated with the data-collection.

You guys are not required to write responses to this entry. It is a resource for the exam.

Social Class

1. The higher the social class, the lower the infant mortality rate. Lower social class is correlated with higher morbidity/ mortality rates. Life expectancy is increasing, but it is increasing faster for the higher class in comparison to lower classes. Those in the lower class are 2x more likely to suffer neurotic disorders. The poor have a higher chance of smoking, drinking, obesity, and death from accidents. The lower class has a higher rate of low birth weight babies, infant mortality and mortality rate under 5yo.
2. Lower social classes participate in unhealthy behaviors (smoking, diet, ect). Lower classes have less control over their lives (polluted work environments, crowded environment, accident risks, bad housing/transportation, and less access to resources that will help with improve their health (gym memberships, vegetables, medical care, ect). Drift Hypothesis: the sick drift down social ladder. Psychosocial explanations: less variation between class/ the healthier society I as a whole.
3. Social class is constantly changing, so it becomes difficult to establish morbidity and mortality rates in relation to class. The numeration denominator problem (inaccurate death reporting/ inaccurate occupation reporting). Different definitions of class.

Gender/ Sex

1. Gender is associated with longer life. On average, women live longer than men (Men: 74 Women: 80). Men die earlier of more life threatening illnesses; Women are more likely to visit the doctor. (In an interview, 19% of women had gone to their general practitioner in the last 14 days vs. 13% for men.) Women are more likely to have neurotic disorders; men: mental health disorders. Healthy life expectancy is 69 for women and 67 for men. The global infant mortality rate is greater for boys that girls.
2. Biological: genetic and physiological differences. Psychosocial: personality differences (masculinity/feminity). Behavioral: risky behaviors. Occupational and work related factors. Social roles and relationships. Power and resources with in the home. Social Structural differences with in society.
3. Accuracy of death certificates. Differences in illness reporting and the interpretation between the sexes. Accuracy/ Methods of the surveys. Historical Contexts. Cultural and social differences.

Race/Ethnicity

1. People born in Indian subcontinents have higher than average rates of heart dx, diabetes and Tb, but lower rates of certain cancers and bronchitis. Men born in Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland, West/South Africa have higher levels of mortality for all causes of death. Prenatal mortality rates: UK: 7.8, Bangladesh 10.5, Indian 10.8, Pakistan 14.5, Caribbean 15.4 per 1000 live births. Blacks have higher rates of hypertension and heart dx.
2. Biological factors and genetic variation. Migration: only the healthy migrate, migration is stressful and damaging. Socioeconomic factors: some ethnic minorities are over represented in disadvantaged economic groups. Culture, Beliefs, Behaviors: some groups may have unhealthy lifestyles shaped by culture of beliefs. Racism: people in fear of racial harassment are more likely to report poor health. Health services access and use: unequal access to care with different ethnic groups.
3. There is not universally agreed definitions or categories of ethnic or racial groups. It is often defined as place of birth, which isn’t an accurate indicator. Is race social or biological? Not everyone is accounted for. Amounts and sources of immigration have changed. Inter-racial marriages effect might affect

Nationality & Global Inequality

1. Nations with higher GDP’s have higher life expectancies. The greater the gap in the distribution of wealth, the greater the rates of morbidity and mortality. Thus the more egalitarian a nation, the better the nations health. Populations of displaced people result in a higher rate of disease. War related injury and death are devastating to the health and well being of a country (Afghanistan has the 4^th highest rate of mortality under 5 yo).
2. A lack of social cohesion lowers self-esteem, while increasing anxiety and stress.
3. Life expectancy doesn’t account for a variation of subgroups within a particular society. Life expectancy reflects past experiences of people rather than its present distribution of income.

Nutrition Around the World:

This week your blog assignment is to post your responses to this weeks in class assignment. You can post these responses as a group, but you must identify each of the individuals in the group. By sharing these cultural patterns with the class we can develop a bigger perspective on nutrition and food distribution and consumption around the world. These responses may provide to be a good reference for the upcoming exam.

1. How does your chosen culture's style of eating and nutrition differ from nutritional patterns in the United States?

2. Identify social and cultural factors which give rise to these differing patterns.

3. How is the health of your cultural group impacted by their nutritional preferences?

The China Study

In leu of skipping out on the selected readings of Collin T. Campbell, this weeks blog assignment will be to visit the web site posted below and leave a response. As well as one interesting thing you discovered.

http://www.tcolincampbell.org/

Here is a bit of back ground on Campbell. Campbell grew up on a dairy farm. He is a notoriously famous nutritional biochemist and epistemologist. In his college years, Campbell did research on an impoverished population. He assumed that by providing protein (in the form of chicken) to a portion of society, those individuals would live a longer and healthier life. This results of this study indicated that the portion of population who received the chicken actually died younger than the rest of society who survived off of small farms/ plants and vegetables. This early study led Campbell to develop his research on the China Study.

Contemporary Issues of social construction

This video is a horrible and yet hysterical example of how gendered norms can be internalized. Ideologies like this help socially construct the bodies of men and wonem.

In class on wednesday, we considered ways in which gender influences contemporary research. .... How might this video be impacted by scientific research? How might ideologies like this one influence scientific knowledge that construct gendered bodies? For instance: caloric intake, waist circumference, BMI, ect. Feel free to respond to this video in anyway you want. I would like to see you applying some ideas that we've been discussing in medical sociology. You can respond to the video... to someone else's response, you can come up with a contemporary issue or a way in which gendered norms become internalized and impact social bodies.

Using a Sociological Perspective

Read through this article and Respond:

When executives for companies that sell soybeans went to the Food and Drug Administration requesting permission to claim that soybeans prevent heart attacks, they didn't expect the scientific community to start to look for harmful effects from eating soybeans.

Two more studies show that extracts of soybeans, called isolfavones, cause cancer in mice. When isolfavones get into your body, they act like weak estrogens. Estrogen helps strengthen bones and prevent heart attacks, but excessive or prolonged exposure to estrogens causes cancers.

The June issue of the respected medical journal, Cancer Research, shows that injecting genistein into newborn mice for 5 days, causes uterine cancer (1). The doses were only slightly higher than infants receive from drinking soybean milk. In fact, genistein from soybean caused a higher rate of cancer than DES, the artificial estrogen that is an established known cause of uterine and vaginal cancer in humans. The July issue of Nutrition and Cancer will feature an article from the University of Missouri showing that genistein causes breast cancer in mice (2).

I am upset that the Food and Drug Administration allows soybeans to claim that they prevent heart attacks, because some people will think they should eat huge amounts because they are healthful. High doses of anything can expose you to chemicals that harm you. I don't think that reasonable amounts of soybeans are harmful. A study in the May issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention showed that Chinese girls who took in lots of soybean foods had a lower incidence of breast cancer (3). But eating excessive amounts of soybean products or taking soybean extracts may increase your risk for cancer.

1) Cancer Research June 1, 2001. 

2) Nutrition and Cancer July, 2001. 

3) Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention, May 2001. Checked 5/3/07

Link: http://www.drmirkin.com/nutrition/9288.html

I want you to take a look at this article in a critical way, not so much focusing on the “facts” being presented, but what these facts mean to society… how science and research may not be completely objective, and how this impacts our views of knowledge, health and nutrition. Try to use some of the ideas put forth in chapter 1 of Freund and Nettleton. You can think in terms of knowledge, social construction, whig history if you like. Be creative, you can pretty much respond anyway you would like. I am just hoping that you guys will try to use a sociological perspective; it will help you out on the papers and exams.

Sociological Vernacular

An important part of this class is going to be articulating your ideas in a sociological perspective, not focusing on opinion but rather theory. Throughout the semester I will be adding terms to this section of the blog that will help you enhance your articulation. The more you are able to make use of these terms the better you will do on assignments. Believe me… I know. Dr. Professor Campbell is a sucker for sociological words. If you hear any term in class that you might not know feel free to leave a comment and I will get back to you. Its likely that you are not the only one confused.

Theory is a systematically organized knowledge applicable in a relatively wide variety of circumstances: especially a system of assumptions, accepted principles, and rules of procedure devised to analyze, predict or otherwise explain the nature or behavior of a specified set of phenomena.

Sociology is the study of society. Its goal is to understand all aspects of society by looking analytically at social stratification, groups, institutions, values and norms ect.

Social Structures refer to the ways in which society is differentiated into certain groups. Eg: class, race, gender, Socioeconomic Status (SES), age, religion, political party ect. Where we fall as individuals in the greater social structure organizes our social relations. These relations instill a specific set of values and norms that help regulate us as being part of a specific social group, impacting the way we speak, act, dress and in the context of this class: our health. Theses structures create our individual identities, which we intern reinforce through out society.

Stratification: A social separation (hierarchy) based on class, gender, race, SES, etc

Social Institutions: These may be formal institutions like the education, government, religion, medicine, ect. Or they can be informal institutions like the family or media. Social institutions are groups formed and embedded in social structure. They surround the individual and govern the groups norms and values.

Normative Behavior : The latent rules set forth by dominant institutions that governs the ways in which an individual fulfills their social role

Epidemiology is the study of patterns of morbidity and mortality throughout social groups. This epidemiological shift we've been talking about in class refers to the evolution of rates of morbidity and mortality being caused mainly by infectious diseases to chronic diseases.

Morbidity: the rate of sickness

Mortality: the rate of death

Ideology is a set ideas or a beliefs that depict the natural order of social life. They reflect the interests of specific groups. Ideology is abstract; it is not theory. Ideologies are commonsensical.

Culture is the way of life for a society. It includes values, traditions, rituals, language, dress, religion, codes of manners and norms of behaviors. Within societies there are subcultures, which exhibit their own norms and ways of doing things.

Biomedicine is a form of western medicine that focuses on the biological sciences.

Biomedical model: (5 assumptions)
1) The mind and the body can be treated separately. When the body is injured we go to the medical doctor, and when the mind is injured we seek psychological help. This can be problematic in cases of depression. Depression is seen as a disorder of the mind, but it can impact digestion and other bodily functions. By treating the two separately the underlying problem may be masked.

2) The body can be repaired like a machine. This is a very impersonal approach to the healing process. This does not address the psychological or emotional effects that the disease or injury my illicit.

3) The merits of technological interventions are sometimes overplayed. This is the ideology that to improve healthcare, we need more technology. This is imbedded in the capitalist consumer attitude that lavish and more expensive procedures and advances are more beneficial.

4) Biomedicine is reductionist in that explanations of disease focus on biological changes to the relative neglect of social and psychological factors. We tend to focus on the physical presence of the secular disease and deny the social factors that allow that disease to thrive.

5) Doctrine of specific etiology/Germ theory…assumes that every disease is caused by a specific, identifiable agent (disease). This approach ignores diseases not caused by a specific agent. Think of heart disease and it’s relation to the environment, stress and diet.

Whig History: looks at the historical benefits to self-legitimize current action. This trys to establish medicine as a "natural progression." Biomedicine had overplayed its advances, by selectively identifying the positive results of science. Such as the discovery of microorganisms, the eradication of certain infectious disease and the increase in the longevity of life.

Social Constructionism: This is the belief that knowledge and history are based on a socially created present. The views that we generally accept as truth are skewed by the value margins that our culturally contextual society puts on it.

Discourse: Is a fancy term for a the symbolic communication (literature, images, language) which socially construct meaning. One of Professor Campbell's favorite words!!

Radical Constructionists: don’t suppose the existence of an external reality; they believe that everything is socially created. We have created a discourse for understanding ourselves not through self-legitimizing truth but by the means through which we may describe ourselves. The techniques that we use and the terminology to describe ourselves and our environment are socially created. A good example of a radical constructionist would be Professor Campbell.

Realism: presumes the existence of an external reality, but argues that there are various competing accounts of that reality. There are innate truths but the process by which we use to describe it creates a cultural socket to which we affix present meaning.

Ethnocentrism: the belief that one's culture’s way of doing something is the best way.

Hegemony: A prevalent cultural dynamic that seems natural but is actually a social construction. An example of this would be the need to medicate and treat. Diseases, such as ADHD or Depression might be seen as examples.

Epistemology: the study of knowledge and justified belief.

Reformist: Interested in the individual (micro-level) and their interaction with their environment. This can be factors such as pollution, lifestyle, income and nutrition.

Materialist: This is a look at outside (macro-level) influences that shape society such as class relations.

Social Control: Society ability to exert force over bodies. This occurs through internalization of norms and values. We control our bodies by following certain norms ( not speaking while others are talking). There is also external social control which comes in the forms of sanctions. If you speak while someone is talking they are bound to reject you from their group or kick you out of class.

Social Class: the structuring of groups by economic or cultural assets.

Web of Causation: The extraneous factors affecting a certain phenomenon. These factors include the social, cultural and physical environment, ect.

McDonaldization: is the process of rationalization in which logic replaces tradition. Isn't it rational to pay 25 cents more for a supersize?

Welcome

Hi Medical Sociology Students,

This is the class blog for both sections A and B of Med Soc. Each week we'll be posting something topical here and you should post at least one comment per week. For now, please practice leaving a comment here and include one very interesting fact about yourself.

Thanks,
Professor Campbell and Ms. Simmons (class TA).

How To Blog

Here are some quick instructions to navigating the blog:

1) click on the link to the blog sent in email.

2) Posts appear in chronological order but they are archived in the sidebar.

3) Read the blog and from the main page, click the Comment link under the post on which you want to comment. On an individual post page, scroll down to the end of the post if necessary.

4) You can choose to sign-in and create a blogger account and profile (you will need a name and email address to do this)… If you choose to do this but are not comfortable with having your real name out there in blogger world, you can create a ‘name’ for yourself. Obviously you will have to let me know what your screen name is…

5) You can also leave posts anonymously, but you will have to identify yourself in the body of your comment so that I know who you are

6) You will need to post at least one comment in response to a blog.

7) The blog is public for now. However, if there are a lot of comments from people not in the class which are not appropriate, I can make the blog private (i.e. only the class will be able to access the blog).

8) If there are any inappropriate class comments I can delete the comment.. and I can also make the blog so that I moderate the comments before they’re posted (I’d much prefer not to do this.. so keep it clean and respectful…)

9) You should check the blog regularly – at least twice week.