Sociological Imaginations on Obesity - Term Paper Example

Sociological Imaginations on obesity Obesity is a disease that results from having a lot of body fat and not necessarily overweight. It results from pleasure of overeating. Obesity is a major issue in the United States and other western countries, and it comes with many disadvantages such as increased cost of clothing, high blood pressure, reduced life spun and complications of bones. Increased consumption of junk food from fast-food outlets is one of the major causes. People have busy schedules in their lives and no time to cook quality food with less adverse effects. Obesity is therefore, mostly because of changed economic and social patterns in the modern times (Malnor, 2006:2). Even though obesity is a clear private matter, the sociological imaginations of the public usually exists. Obesity is associated with life threatening diseases such as hypertension, cardiac diseases, diabetes, and even cancer. The public may condemn the obese people on various issues, such as overburdening of health care systems in the country. They believe that this lead to overworking of health care providers and increased taxation of the public in general. The public may also think that the country will suffer loss of the work force due to deaths caused by such diseases. Such diseases are also associated with laziness and such people may find it difficult getting employment since all most all employers seek for healthy and active staff who will work productively. There is a social imagination that public policies have contributed to obesity, by allowing fast food industry that provides available and inexpensive harmful food. The poor and the less educated who cannot afford quality food end up consuming such food, which contains calories and low nutrition. Students and even the working class who are obese, most of the time get a lot of ridicule from colleagues, ending up with low self-esteem (Malnor, 2006:5). 2. Features of Chronic Illness Self Management This is a low cost-system of managing chronic illnesses. It helps people with such illnesses to learn how to manage and improve their health. Unlike the traditional approach, that manages chronic illnesses using only medicine, this system is holistic and focuses more on the illness than on the person. This model of management mostly occurs in community settings such as churches, hospitals, senior centres, community clinics, libraries and town halls in various communities. People with such illnesses normally gather to get lessons on various health management strategies. It is organized like a workshop, and a community health worker organizes the people in groups according to the diseases, which they suffer from. This way such people socialize and discuss their experiences with such illnesses. With time, the community health worker stops attending since the people such people will have learnt enough and can continue the process by themselves. The people learn several subjects such as pain management, appropriate use of medication, nutrition, exercise, communication with family and friends and decision-making (Pescosolido, 2011:43). Benefits Diabetes is very costly to treat and most people cannot afford medication. However, with this system the affected people can afford it since it is low-cost and easily accessible. It cuts costs of outpatient visits, hospitalization and medication. The model benefits the patient in terms of improvement of health status by learning factors such as handling pain and fatigue, stress and depression, improvement in exercise, self-independence, self-efficacy, symptom management and good communication with physicians, family and friends. Benefits of e-health are quite similar. Accessibility is easy and the patient does not need to join others in gatherings to get such information since the internet provides it (Pescosolido, 2011:61). Barriers Even though the modules are quite effective, there are some drawbacks. In a situation where the patient has a physical limitation, resulting from an illness or injury then regular exercise is impossible. Monetary barrier also exists since some foods are so expensive for some people to afford. Some people cannot afford the internet costs and therefore miss out the benefits of e-health. With e-health, one cannot interact with the trainer and the other people with the same problems. 3. Medical Dominance and challenges on the Society Medicine has for many years, maintained a dominant state in the health occupation. It has maintained its power since it emerged. However in the recent years, decline of such dominance has occurred. This is because other health occupations have emerged and several other factors like engagement of the government in health policies such as insurance, corporatization of healthcare systems and public skepticism. Other factors that have contributed to decline of medical power are competition within the profession, over supply of medicine, and increasing interest in alternative health care. Majority of people in the third world still depend on traditional medicine and other measures to treat diseases. This is despite the fact that modern medicine has made huge advance. People have developed an interest in alternative healthcare because it is affordable and holistic in nature. This is a great challenge to medical dominance in a contemporary society (Newman, 2009:27). Doctor-patient relationship in contemporary society The work of doctors has really undergone transformation due to changes in the contemporary society. Doctors use this doctor-patient relationship to help in healthcare decision-making. This relationship enables the occurrence of a medical interview as a medium of healthcare. Through this interview, the physician can achieve three important factors important in providing healthcare. These are gathering of medical information, developing a therapeutic relationship and relaying good information to the patient. A change in the contemporary society through increased use of alternative healthcare has instilled distrust to the patients towards the medical practitioners. If a patient dislikes or distrusts a doctor, then information is not completely disclosed and will most likely not comprehend any information provided by the doctor. Such communication will not help much during treatment of the patient (Newman, 2009:29). Some patients will completely rely on alternative or traditional medicine and the doctor’s work is at stake. Doctors running private medical facilities are most likely bound to get losses since fewer patients will visit their clinics or hospitals. 4. Increase of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Alternative medicine is any medical practice used to cure various diseases based on cultural traditions and beliefs. It does not involve scientific approach like conventional medicine. Complementary medicine is type of medicine taken in addition to conventional medicine. I t is not based on scientific facts but is safe to use. Complementary and alternative medicines designated as CAMs. Most CAMs are safe to use and evidence show that some are effective in pain management, treating of stress and depression alleviating minor complications (Olver & Robotin, 2012:50). There are four categories of alternative and complementary medicine. They include biological-based practices, manipulative and body-based practices, mind-body practices, and whole medical approach. Biological-based practices include the use of herbal supplements and dietary supplements, Mind-Body practices involve the practice of meditation, yoga, and tai chi, manipulative and body-based practices include reflexology and massage. The whole medical approach includes acupuncture and ayurvedic medicine. Alternative medicine includes practices such as spiritism, prayer, and witchcraft. Complementary and Alternative medicines have increased in popularity in the modern day. Many people in the world are resorting to this kind of medicine. Several social and evidence-based factors have contributed to this. Most of these medicines are cheap readily available in and have been proved to be holistic in nature and safe to use. Some of them come from the same food people eat and therefore easily affordable. This includes availability of such commodities as vegetables, fruits and other herbs. They are dietary in nature, and people find it interesting to use food as medicine. Therapeutic practices such as yoga, massage, reflexology spritism and prayer are easy to use at home, and people adopt them to conventional medicine. Evidence-based facts show that acceptance of Complementary and Alternative medicine by most doctors has led to increased popularity of these practices. There is evidence that these non-orthodox practices have some scientific basis, and actually most doctors adopt and blend conventional medicine with complementary and Alternative medicine to achieve better results in a short time (Olver & Robotin, 2012:57). 5. Effects of social values on healthcare systems Social values and political processes usually influence the shaping of the healthcare system. The Australian healthcare system, also known as Medicare aims at providing primary healthcare to all citizens and all residents permanently living in Australia, regardless of any personal circumstances they are facing. The system allows citizens to backup their health care by taking up private health insurance. Patients receive treatment from a hospital free of charge. The Australian healthcare system follows certain core values that dictate provision of a comprehensive health care. The system also focuses on the health workforce by ensuring that all health professional including, doctors, nurses, midwives, and all hospital staff get adequate training. It incorporates education and research for the healthcare workforce (Willis, Reynolds, & keleher, 2009:26). The people of Australia usually participate in the planning and implementation of health systems. There is the focus on the provision of quality and safe health care provided by highly trained and skilled individuals. Funding of primary health care focuses on cost effectiveness, quality, and safety of the healthcare. All citizens contribute to this health system through paying taxes from their income. The system allows patients to have an entitlement to a doctor or any other specialist of their choice. The Government always makes sure that the private health insurance is affordable to relieve pressure off from the public health system. To achieve this, the Government makes sure that it reduces the cost of premiums of private health insurance. This has enabled half of Australian population to access private health insurance. The health system also ensures that people can have a hospital cover that enables them to acquire treatment as private patients in a public medical facility or even a private one. The health care also covers for services that are provided outside a hospital like optical, dental; and physiotherapy. It also provides community mental healthcare for those with mental disability and prevention and management of chronic diseases (Willis, Reynolds, & keleher, 2009:28). Bibliography Malnor, K. 2006. Fat Teen Trouble: A Sociological Perspective of Obesity in Adolescents. Available from: http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=soci_honors 12 October, 2012. Newman, S. P., Steed, L., & Mulligan, K. 2009. Chronic physical illness self-management and behavioural interventions. Maidenhead, England, Open University Press Olver, I. N., & Robotin, M. C. 2012. Perspectives on complementary and alternative medicines. London, Imperial College Press. Pescosolido, B. A. 2011. Handbook of the sociology of health, illness, and healing: a blueprint for the 21st century. New York, NY [u.a.], Springer. Willis, E., Reynolds, L., & keleher, H. 2009. Understanding the Australian health care system. Sydney, Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier. Read More