Providing Better Understanding of Health and Health Care through Sociology and Psychology - Essay Example

? Providing Better Understanding of Health and Health Care through Sociology and Psychology This essay aims to address a two-fold objective to wit; (1) to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of human behavior in health care setting, psychological concepts and their relevance to health and health care, and demographic impact of social constructs to health and health care provision; and (2) to be able to apply psychological and sociological concepts and theories to issues relating to health and health care, evaluate alternative explanations of the socialization process, and outline the main psychological impact associated with mind and behavior. Providing Better Understanding of Health and Health Care through Sociology and Psychology Introduction Sociology and Psychology are two interrelated disciplines in the field of health and health care. The unprecedented changes in sociology and psychology influence ones understanding of the current health care system and the relationship of these disciplines to health and human behavior. In order to provide an in-depth knowledge, let us define first sociology, psychology, health, and health care. Sociology is derived from the Latin word socius meaning companion and the Greek word logus meaning study of (Taylor & Field, 2007, p. 3). As a discipline, sociology is the social scientific study of society including the interactions between people and society and the influence they imposed on each other (Hyde, Lohan & McDonnell, 2004, p. 3). On the other hand, psychology refers to the scientific study of human behavior which includes how an organism act, think, feel, learn, perceive, interact with others and understand themselves (Barkway, 2009, p. 2). Health is a holistic discipline and is defined by the World Health Organization in 1946 as “ a state of physical and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity” and health care refers to the delivery of health services of health professionals to achieve state of equilibrium (Harari & Legge, 2001, p. 2). Understanding the role of sociology and psychology to health and health care doesn’t end in knowing the core definition but rather, by careful analysis of the underlying principles, perspectives, alternative explanations, issues, influence on human behavior and general implications on the population to determine and entail the relationship between psychology, sociology, health, and health care. Human Behavior in Health Care Settings In a health care setting, health providers deal with people of different behavior and beliefs. Most of these people have complicated illnesses and behavioral reactions toward health care delivery and settings vary. Human behavior towards health care settings depends on several factors. It may be political, social, economic, and environment. There are culturally held beliefs about illness, disease prevention, treatments, as well as appropriate health behaviors and identification of the sick role. Health care providers must be aware of a person’s cultural norms to avoid culture shock and must start at the most basic level to foster health-promoting behaviors towards health care. Let us take the example of human behavior with regards to counseling in a health care setting. People may imagine the scenario as two individuals facing each other. Most of the times, patients behave in a way to show their feelings and being uncomfortable at closeness but there are also individuals who feel comfortable about this closeness and likely behave to confide in a health care staff and asks questions. In some instances, patient’s find it comfortable to verbalize their feelings and reasons of their behavior with the health care professional informally, checking their intravenous infusion or massaging them, rather than the formal set-up which is a one-on-one basis, facing each other (Barkway, 2009, p. 155). Human behaviors directly affect the status of health care. Negative human behaviors such as distrust in health care professionals and failure to obtain preventive health services may lead to severe increase in mortality and morbidity among specific population. Meanwhile, positive human behaviors geared towards health promotion, disease prevention, and acquisition of health services contribute to improved health care (Issel, 2009, p. 144). Relevance of Psychological Concepts to Health and Health Care Psychological concepts and theories have significant relevance to health and health care in which human behavior are being studied to explain response to health or illness(Berryman, Ockleford, Howells, Hargreaves,& Wildbur, 2006, p. 114). In fact, the psychological theories and methods are applied to the practical aspects of everyday life as well. On the other hand, psychology is integrated in the health care system in promoting health, preventing illness, and seeking health care. Psychology plays an important role in determining perceptions of health status and to predict health-related behaviors. Examples of these are theories of atitudes and stereotyping in dealing with HIV patients, the study of human development in developing specific plan of care for children and elderly in the health care system, and the application of the different learning theories on health-related areas such as eating, smoking, and drinking behaviors (Berryman, Ockleford, Howells, Hargreaves, & Wildbur, 2006, p. 114). Aside from explaining human behavior, psychology is also responsible for health-related actions and the corresponding emotions for doing a specific action. The reason and the emotional attachment to a health-behavior is the most important tool for health promotion activities such as initiating change in behavior. For instance, most of us know that lifestyle changes is one of the key factors to achieve a healthy life. As we integrate psychology to this issue, we came to understand why some people behave in a way that would harm their health (e.g., cigarette smoking, alcoholism, substance abuse) or find it difficult to adapt changes despite benefits in health or longevity. With understanding of these health-related behaviors, comes the challenges in health care arena to integrate psychology in each health professionals to motivate individuals to initiate, adapt, and sustain health changes that would promote good health thereby reducing incidence of hospitalizations and cost of care, and increasing quality of health and health care. Impact of Social Constructs Upon Health and Health Care Provision Social constructs has contributed to the understanding of nature of health and illness, experience of health and illness, and the social context of health care provision of services (Hyde, Lohan, & McDonnell, 2004, p. 3).The impact of social constructs upon health and health care provision are reflected from the social issues concerning socioeconomic status,stereotyping, and health policy and lifestyles. Social classes or divisions in society create inequalities in health. Kronenfeld (2000) stated that health is directly linked to ones location in social hierarchy and that low status individuals tend to have more health-risk behaviors than upper class individuals (p. 122). Understanding that health problems arises as a product of social class, sociologist deviced biomedicine to reduce poverty and inequality in society by improving quality of life in depressed areas. Social constructs have increased the importance of patient’s perspectives on health and the changing health care context, focusing on care (prevention, monitoring, and rehabilitation) rather than cure. Sociology underlines other factors affecting health status aside from pathological factors. The case of HIV patients clearly demonstrates that aside from pathological needs, these people also have social and moral needs that should be addressed. The stereotyping relating homosexuality to HIV is a psychosocial factor under holistic care (Kronenfeld, 2000, p. 177). Social constructs also created an impact in organizing provision of health services to the practice of health care in society. Some of the examples are the invention of hospitals to deliver health services, the development of community care as a policy trend, and the application of sociology in promoting healthy lifestyles (Hyde, Lohan & McDonnell, 2004, p. 12). Application of Psychological and Sociological Concepts and Theories to Issues in Health and Health Care Sociology and Psychology portray conceptual and theoretical issues in health and health by means of models. Sociological models of health include the biomedical model, socio-medical model, and social model of sickness. Psychological models, on the other hand, include social cognition theoryand self-regulatory theory. The biomedical model focuses on human function, disease prevention, and treatment or cure(Taylor & Field, 2007, p. 25). Biomedicine significantly influences the overall patterns of health and poses issues on the major determinants of health which is environmental. The environmental influence gave rise to socio-medical model which is based on disease prevention and health promotion and focuses on individual behavior and lifestyle choices, exploration of people’s immediate social environment, and general socioeconomic and environmental influences. One core issues of socio-medical model is the prevention of heart disease and stroke in England by encouraging people to stop smoking, increase physical activity, and reduce intake of saturated fats and sodium (Taylor & Field, 2007, p. 32). Social model of sickness discussed the revolution of diseases from acute to chronic illness and disability and causes social consequences on people’s lives in terms of coping, social status, and identity. In 1951, Parson conceptualize sickness as a social threat, a potential threat affecting the work-centered norms of society (Taylor & Field, 2007, p. 37). Sickness and disability are often stigmatized, leading to assault of social integrity. An example stated earlier is people with HIV who are often socially stigmatized and denied of social acceptance. Meanwhile, one of the psychological theories is the social cognition theory. Social cognition explains health-related beliefs and predicts health-related behaviors. (Walker, Payne, Smith & Jarrett, 2007, p. 185). There is debate among health-related behaviors associated with stress. The core issue is that health related behaviors such as smoking, drinking, and substance abuse are actually coping strategies for stress. Under social cognition, it is the health-related behaviors that should be addressed but critiques of social cognition stated that stress is the source of health-related behaviors and must be dealt first to overcome health-related behaviors (Walker, Payne, Smith & Jarrett, 2007, p. 194) Evaluation of Alternative Explanations of the Socialization Process Taylor & Field (2007) described socialization as a process where people learn different behaviors expected in social situations as well as the sick or disabled role (p. 41). This alternative explanation of the socialization process suggest that health care professionals reaction ones illness or disability corresponds to the social identity given by the health expert. In line with this is the ‘blind personality’ social role developed by Scott in 1969. Scott explained that being passive, docile, and compliant were learned from the socialization process between the health experts and patients. Health experts emphasized that during health promotion, patients are like blind persons accepting all health instructions given to promote health and prevent or treat diseases. Another alternative explanations of the socialization process is the adaptations to long-term illness. Based upon evaluation, socialization process has made adaptations a learned social role, with new ways of living, changes in self-concept, readjustment to work patterns, leisure, and personal relationships. These alternative theories may not have clinical validity but it could help in recognizing patient’s social and personal identities among nurses and other health professionals and in understanding phisical adaptations involved in coping with long-term illness. Main Psychological Impact Associated with Mind and Behavior The main psychological impact associated with mind and behavior is the promotion of health which is demonstrated in change in health belief and adapting positive health behaviors. Examples are following a healthy diet and eating in moderation, not driving a car while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, keeping up-to-date immunization, and regular health screening (Barkway, 2009, p. 126). The psychological impact associated with mind can be explained by cognitive approaches. It includes the health belief model and the transtheoretical model of behavioral change and focus holistic readiness of the indivual to modify certain health beliefs and make necessay changes. On the other hand, the psychological impact associated with behavior can be explained by behaviourist/learning theories which explains that human behavior changes throughout lifespan and changes are attributed to the changes in environment. Whether its psychological impact associated with mind or behavior, it is clear that psychology plays a vital role in understanding health-related actions and improving access and quality of health. Conclusion Sociology and Psychology provides a better understanding of health and health care. Sociology refers to the scientific study of society including the interactions and influence between people and society while Psychology refers to the scientific study of human behavior. In understanding the role of sociology and psychology to health and health care, health professionals analyze human behavior in health care settings. Most of the behavioral reactions are attributed to the presence of illness and directly affect the promotion of health and status of health care. Negative human behaviors lead to increase mortality and morbidity while positive human behaviors advocates health promotion thus, improve the health care system. Psychological concepts relates to health and health care because it is the behavioral reactions of humans to health or illness that is being studied. Psychology plays an important role in determining perceptions of health status and to predict health-related behaviors as well as the corresponding emotions for doing a specific course of action. Therefore, health promotion becomes effective when reasons and the emotional attachment to a health-behavior are identified. Social constructs also have relevance to health and health care which are reflected from social issues concerning socioeconomic status, stereotyping, and health policy and lifestyles. Among the influence of social constructs are the creation of inequalities in health due to social classes, increased importance of patient’s perspectives on health and the changing health care context, and the invention of hospitals, community care policy, and application of sociology in promoting healthy lifestyles. The psychological and sociological concepts and theories apply to the issues in health and health care. Sociological models of health include the biomedical model, socio-medical model, and social model of sickness while Psychological models include social cognition theory and self-regulatory theory. These theories were applied in the prevention of heart disease and stroke in England through smoking cessation, social stigma, social acceptance, and strategies in dealing health-related behaviors. In addition to these theories are the ‘blind personality’ social role and the adaptations to long-term illness. In general, sociology and psychology provide a better understanding of health and health care by laying out human behaviors and interactions as the key tool in health promotion, disease prevention, improved health outcome, and high quality health care. References Barkway, P. (2009). Psychology: An Introduction., Behavior Change., Communication in Health Care Practice. 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