Notes on Medical Sociology

Moreover, medicine is a mixer institution of normative coercion, and medical sociology studies non only the subjective experience of wellness and illness but also the favorable, economical, and political context at heart those experiences take part. We said that medicine Is coercive since doctors forge our lives through medical treatments and conceptualizing society (for example crime and rebellious acts). Thus, we can talk about a medical regime and a medical political science (p. Xiv).Historically speaking, from the creation of medical sociology as a specific subfield of sociology (in the 1 asss), It has been focus on the study of the relation between doctor-patient with vital Importance of the sick piece (Parsons). But It must(prenominal) study beyond that relation social class, ethnicity, gender, age, demographical issues, epidemiology, globalization All these elements become relevant nowadays (p. Xvi). Chapter 8 The new medical sociology Our origination has witnessed a huge International change called globalization.It has changed social and economical relations, and also political. Health issues such as WAITS have been spread by globalization (the accession of tourism, more than flights, migration, trade So on). Globalization has integrated world health into a single, highly Interconnected system (p. 270). Thus, globalization spreads diseases (97 lion people traveled by air from the states to other countries by the randsass). Medical sociology has studied health and illness and medicine as a social institution. Also, it has created a complete frame of knowledge, but we need to make a greater emphasis In other elements wish economics, politics, rights, and citizenship, all of them key elements In the contemporary society. In a few(prenominal) words, we need a new medical sociology since we have a new medical economy, which is based on the pharmaceutical industry, insurance companies, research and development in emetics, microbiology, Informat ion science, management of life processes (reproduction, aging, death ) (p. 271). In more direct terms. He medial economy Is based on the production, reproduction, and management of the military personnel body (p. 272). The newfangled context of medicine The medical barter used to rest on political mightinesss and on the trust of the public. This statement entails the existence of a medical dictum and the existence of a consulting ethic. But these elements have changed because of the globalization (a global and corporate medical system) and the commercial potential f health and illness, changing the relations between doctors and patients.However, not always doctors have got such a great social prestige medical discoveries corresponding Immunization, or Improvement In surgery Like anesthesia, electrolyte physiology, or cardiopulmonary physiology in the 20th century, had established medicine as a FIFO clientele attenuator Ana a prestige protesters. Nevertheless, meal technology N AS move and it ruined medicines autonomy, but these technological advances entail risks and dangers for social rights (p. 273). All these things have repugnd the rust in medicine and doctors as professionals (p. 74). Any understanding of medicine in contemporary society will have to examine the economics of the corporate structure of medical practice and locate that corporate structure within a set of global processes (p. 274). The new medical economy has spread diseases and old pandemics, panicking society in specific cases like AIDS (Hollywood films have reflected that panic/fear). In this way, the new medical sociology must draw attention to citizenship and civil rights, like a clean environment, adequate food and water applies, medical services P. 275). The centralization of health and medical care has changed, as well, the model of health care. Nowadays we must study internationalist health policies, which entail vital chores because of the nations sovereignty and intern ational treatments (like the human rights). As we see, politics are really related to the new medical economy (p. 276) NP SE habit De medicine alternative, peer sit down SE llama alternative pursue hay nun dominate.Thus, the new medical economy is liked with the rise of neo-liberal policies and ideology, and hey do not suit with the social- upbeat-working-class ideology of atomic number 63, where the health is a social and public issue (centralized more or less by the state), whereas in the States health is a private-individual matter (related to philanthropy as well) (p. 277). The mod development of corporate control over medical care as contributed to the decline of professional autonomy, initiative, and social status (p. 278).Furthermore, the free-market policies has undermined the welfare state in Europe and increased more the gap between classes in the US, increasing the poverty rates and the infant mortality. Also, the changes within the medical care system have brought phys icians vista to incline since now in that location are more specialists (p. 279). The centralization of health care has also undermined the trust in doctors, since there are lots of opposite possibilities in the market (p. 279) NP SE ha period conflate en la medicine o en Los mdiscos com functionaries pblocs.Se deaconess De la technological o De la biracial. Reproductive technologies, microbiology, and genetic engineering have supposed huge changes within the medical system and the public confidence in the medical professionals. Moreover, hey have entailed a medical revolution which affects to all social rights (p. 280). This revolution is a threat to traditional institutions and religious cosmologies, but it may also challenge the processes of political governance (p. 281). Thus, the new medical sociology must take into account the concept of risk society/global risk.This notion of risk has to do with the inadvertent and unexpected results of medical research and experimentati on (p. 281). In this way, the globalization and the expansion of capitalism have introduced private business into public universities and research entrees, creating bias within the investigations and doing less critical works. Moreover, within the new system there is a big problem with the patents of drugs (p. 282). (Examples De problems con patents en ?Africa y USA pg. 283).Regulation, the professions, and scientific knowledge Globalization has intensified the dynamic relationship of risk and regulations (p. 284). Regulations and deregulating play a complex game influenced by global cog pneumatically companies Ana tenet drugs sloe erects are economy an protected, in many cases, by federal laws and federal agencies in the States. Some drugs constitute a whole lifestyle, like Approach or Pixel. The sociology of health and illness must study the measures of controlling these risks and the social agents that can make it possible either the state or medical profession (p. 286).In the s ass Parsons published The Social System, developing the concept of the sick role, and the notion of medical profession as a completely autonomous profession capable of manage its business and make a beneficial contribution to the medical academy. Moreover, he verbalise the existence and need of a medical power which consists in a deiced regime that must be accepted by the patient in order to return to a normal/ healthy state (since nausea is a kind of deviance). However, medical profession has proved that it is not so autonomous and it depends in these days on economical powers and financial relations (p. 86). In Britain, successive governments have tried to create medical markets in order to create medical competence (and they were successful as well as the changes within education system). The professions are disappearing, the professions are not and cannot be effective regulatory devices in a global-risk society (p. 288). The risk society has complex socioeconomic relations, th us, governments need specialised and expert opinions. But the scientific knowledge is profoundly linked with political issues and ideology.In many cases the chosen option attends more to political matters rather than health and welfare issues (p. 289). Furthermore, the scientific knowledge itself has become more complex and expertise do not always agree to each other. Also, the time is a vital problem for health policies and the management of risks. Drug tests and medical experiments need long periods of time, and this influences on the policies and on the economical/financial relations between companies, states, and universities (p. 290). Moreover, there are incorrupt problems with organ transplants and cloning (p. 91). Technology, law, and the body The new medical sociology has to take into account international and national law since globalization creates new unregulated risks that must be regulated (like cloning, reproductive technologies, or organ transplants). These laws have to constraint the bad unintended results of medical experimentation and investigation. Since neo-liberal ideas claim for a free market, the regulation of drugs and reattempts (of human rights) must be carried out by government and policies.Nevertheless, some authors think that those advances are going to be abided to capitalist economy, however, as Max Weber stated even the capitalist system needs a legal framework in order to work and legitimate its dynamic (p. 292). Thus, medical corporations involve a free market in order to get more benefits albeit they need some kind of law to protect themselves and their products (p. 293). Medical citizenship The new medical sociology does not have to construct a concept of citizenship according to moral values (like human rights), since it is a positive science.Instead of that, sociology has treated citizenship in social terms, and I has acknowledge the central importance of health and medical technologies in the political struggle these d ays (p. 293). Thus, health is considered as a social right, but there is scarcity since our expectations (baby boomers expectations above all) are much more higher than the actual capacity of medicine for providing treatments and solutions. Furthermore, tenure Is a Dalliance Detente get economical Detentes Ana get inanely Testicles (p. 294). Neo-liberal policies increase social inequalities and damaged social solidarity.Thus, social citizenship would be a good political response to bring up social Justice to our consumer culture. Since there is scarcity both social capital and social status play vital roles to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and this type of lifestyle is socially lovable since it is embedded in our consumer culture (probably because of capitalism but also because of the neo-conservative ideas you fight against scarcity and the high budgets = they passed the responsibility to individuals), and this is vital because nowadays there are more chronic diseases which need l ong-term social resources (p. 295 and 296).Thus, medical demands are (and will keep being) central in political campaigns, and social citizenship institutions would protect individuals from capitalist free-market. This authority that sociology has to take into account this new political dimension very related to rights, freedoms, liberties, medicine, welfare (which is not the same as medicine), moral boundaries (p. 297). Moreover, the new medical sociology has to face the changes occurred within democracy. Since we live in a globalizes world, the boundaries of social rights have changed, as well as the concept of citizenship is more complex.Are outsiders subject o be medically treated? (p. 299). On the other hand, the new medical sociology must pay attention to the situation of women, since we live in a post-forbids society which keep the patriarchy as main element of gender dominance (p. 301). Equality and health We need to distinguish between morbidity rates and mortality rates since they steer us changes over time (p. 302). Age, gender, ethnicity, class have to do with those health inequalities (p. 303). Cambiums en lass unfermented (important) en la paging 304. Neoconservatives and economic deregulation Keynesian era has ended and deregulation are common since the Cold War.The idea is to avoid free riders and let the market be free of political constraints. The public sector, thus, is transferring competences to the private sector, to individuals, and to charity and philanthropy. This entails a change in the very notion of social citizenship created by the welfare states (p. 307). Moreover, neoconservatives encourages the voluntary sector not because they want to create an active citizenship, but because it would decrease the public expenditure and he welfare services = public cost (p. 309). Conclusion globalization, citizenship, and social capitalNeoconservatives is dangerous for individuals health, for social cohesion (social capital) and for social rights since it diminishes governments authority (p. 310). Contemporary West is tied up to serve to market logic and economical rationalism (p. 311). The new medical sociology must explain those asymmetrical relations and connect our personal problems with the global social structure (as Wright Mills said) (p. 312). Sociologists have the moral role to illuminate and criticize the social problems of the period in which he or she lives (p. 312). Personal experiences are linked with bigger structures (p. 313).