Use different sociological perspectives to discuss
patterns and trends of health and illness in two
different social groups.
This report will be talking about the different sociological perspectives (including
natural/social selection, cultural/behavioural, materialist/structuralist) and explaining
how these trends can and do influence different patterns and trends of health and
illness, in two different social groups. The report will then go on to evaluating these
sociological perspectives, providing you with the pros and the critiques.
Cultural/behavioural perspective
The cultural and behavioural perspective is a sociological perspective introduced by
Pierre Bourdieu. Bourdieu focuses mainly on the lifestyle choices of the lower classes
within society. Bourdieu showed that lifestyle choices of an individual are linked to
chronic diseases – such as cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Many statistics
show that the people who belong to the lower social classes smoke, drink and eat
unhealthy diets, a lot more than those who belong to the upper classes in society.
These lifestyle choices lead to an increased morbidity rate, as well as a lower life
expectancy. Lifestyle choices include things like the consumption of harmful
commodities (e.g. junk food, drugs, tobacco, alcohol), choosing to exercise or to not
exercise, leisure time and safe sex. Lifestyle choices influence various trends and
patterns of health and illness such as the rate of morbidity and mortality. For example,
the use of tobacco is associated with an increased risk of several different kinds of
cancers including; lung cancer, larynx cancer and oral cavity cancer. The incidence of
some smoking-related cancers is decreasing however, due to the decrease in smoking
prevalence, which is proven by the fact that lung cancer has decreased in males, while
oesophageal cancer has decreased in females. However, the decrease in these
particular cancers are predicted to slow down and eventually come stop completely –
unless there continues to be further progress in smoking and other tobacco exposure.
As well as tobacco influencing morbidity rates such as cancer like discussed, tobacco
also influences mortality rates. The use of tobacco is the single most preventable
cause of death in the world. Smoking tobacco caused around 101,000 deaths in the
UK in 2010 – which is 18% of all deaths from all causes, almost a fifth! Additionally,
tobacco – both active smoking and environmental tobacco smoke) causes almost a
fifth (19%) of all cancer cases each year in the UK (www.cancerresearchuk.org).
Another lifestyle choice that affects the patterns and trends of health and illness is a
poor diet. Obesity, for example, is linked to several long-term health conditions – such
as diabetes, arthritis and joint disorders, as well as some cancers – and also premature
death. Various studies have shown that the rise in obesity could be caused by an
increase in the calorie intake, alongisde the decrease in physical activity. Studies have
shown that over the past 40 years, the consumption of take-away foods has also risen
alarmingly. As it is a known fact that eating out often leads to an excess of calorie
intake – thus increasing the risk of obesity – due to large portion sizes as well as
patterns and trends of health and illness in two
different social groups.
This report will be talking about the different sociological perspectives (including
natural/social selection, cultural/behavioural, materialist/structuralist) and explaining
how these trends can and do influence different patterns and trends of health and
illness, in two different social groups. The report will then go on to evaluating these
sociological perspectives, providing you with the pros and the critiques.
Cultural/behavioural perspective
The cultural and behavioural perspective is a sociological perspective introduced by
Pierre Bourdieu. Bourdieu focuses mainly on the lifestyle choices of the lower classes
within society. Bourdieu showed that lifestyle choices of an individual are linked to
chronic diseases – such as cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Many statistics
show that the people who belong to the lower social classes smoke, drink and eat
unhealthy diets, a lot more than those who belong to the upper classes in society.
These lifestyle choices lead to an increased morbidity rate, as well as a lower life
expectancy. Lifestyle choices include things like the consumption of harmful
commodities (e.g. junk food, drugs, tobacco, alcohol), choosing to exercise or to not
exercise, leisure time and safe sex. Lifestyle choices influence various trends and
patterns of health and illness such as the rate of morbidity and mortality. For example,
the use of tobacco is associated with an increased risk of several different kinds of
cancers including; lung cancer, larynx cancer and oral cavity cancer. The incidence of
some smoking-related cancers is decreasing however, due to the decrease in smoking
prevalence, which is proven by the fact that lung cancer has decreased in males, while
oesophageal cancer has decreased in females. However, the decrease in these
particular cancers are predicted to slow down and eventually come stop completely –
unless there continues to be further progress in smoking and other tobacco exposure.
As well as tobacco influencing morbidity rates such as cancer like discussed, tobacco
also influences mortality rates. The use of tobacco is the single most preventable
cause of death in the world. Smoking tobacco caused around 101,000 deaths in the
UK in 2010 – which is 18% of all deaths from all causes, almost a fifth! Additionally,
tobacco – both active smoking and environmental tobacco smoke) causes almost a
fifth (19%) of all cancer cases each year in the UK (www.cancerresearchuk.org).
Another lifestyle choice that affects the patterns and trends of health and illness is a
poor diet. Obesity, for example, is linked to several long-term health conditions – such
as diabetes, arthritis and joint disorders, as well as some cancers – and also premature
death. Various studies have shown that the rise in obesity could be caused by an
increase in the calorie intake, alongisde the decrease in physical activity. Studies have
shown that over the past 40 years, the consumption of take-away foods has also risen
alarmingly. As it is a known fact that eating out often leads to an excess of calorie
intake – thus increasing the risk of obesity – due to large portion sizes as well as
