Structural-Functionalist Approaches To Illness

Approaches to Illness The structural-functionalist and the conflict perspective approaches to illness differ in many of the following ways. “The structural-functionalist perspective is concerned with how illness, health, and health care affect and are affected by other aspects of social life (Mooney, Knox, Schacht 36).” To show how illness and health are affected by other aspects of life, one who supports the structural functionalist view will look for social patterns that give explanation for illness and health. For example, instead of looking at reasons for suicide. One who uses the structural functionalist approach will look for social patterns that give explanations for suicide rates. The structural functionalist view also focuses on
how changes in society affect health and illness. An example of this would be an increase of modernization and industrialization. An increase in both of these contributes to environmental pollution. Environmental pollution is a major health concern because it can negatively affect the nervous system, reproductive system, liver, kidneys, heart, and blood. According to the structural-functionalist view, when the state of health is changed, this leads to a social change.
An example of this is the increasing rise of HIV and AIDS in the United States of America. This emergence resulted in the gay male population to unite and rally gay rights and activists. Another example of this is the emergence of tobacco smoke. This is the greatest cause of disease and death in the United States and in other countries. As a result of this, California, Delaware, New York, Connecticut, and Main ban smoking in the workplace, restaurant, and bars. This helps to decrease the number of disease and death. The structural-functionalist perspective views the health care system as a social organization whose purpose is to maintain the well-being of members of society and return people to their normal social roles. Health care systems provide people with the services they need, no more or no less. Illness threatens the existence of society. Those who are ill are unable to perform certain obligations in society. A role is assigned to those who are ill, the sick role. The sick role makes certain that these members will receive the care and compassion at the same time. Those who are categorized in the sick role are expected to obtain medical advice, prescriptions, and to perform certain obligations in society when
healed. The structural-functionalist perspective also focuses on latent dysfunctions. An example of this is the use of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART).
“This reduces the viral loads of HIV-positive patients and delays their progression to aids (Mooney, Knox, Schacht 36).” As a result of this young people are engaging in unprotected sex, are promiscuous, and are more likely to use illegal drugs. Those who are using Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy believe that unprotected sex is not as risky due to the low levels of viral loads. Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy prolongs life which enables those who are infected with HIV to transmit the virus to other individuals. This shows how having more opportunities to infect others and practicing in risky behavior is a negative consequence of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy. “The conflict perspective focuses on how wealth, status, power, and the profit motive influence illness and health care (Mooney, Knox, Schacht 37).” This view believes that those who live in poverty and have little power are more likely to have health problems and have little access to health care than those who are wealthy and have power. According to the conflict perspective, the pharmaceutical and health care industry are criticized for placing profits first above peoples needs. An example of this is how Malaria is a common disease in poor countries. If malaria was a disease in wealthy countries this disease would not be common due to the money the
country has. This shows how a pharmaceutical companies budget is spent. They are not spent according to public health needs. The budget is spent increase profits of pharmaceutical and health care industries. Conflict perspective shows how research and health care are dominated and biased by males. An example of this was the emergence of Viagra. Some insurance policies covered Viagra or considered covering it. Women were mad about this. At that time female contraceptives were not covered. The research community also has been criticized for mainly focusing on male issues and not women issues. According to the conflict perspective, powerful groups and wealthy corporations influence health laws and policies. The powerful groups and wealthy corporations do this through financial contributions to politicians and political candidates. “Conflict theorists argue that the high cost of medical care in the United States is a result of a capitalistic system in which health care is a commodity rather than a right (Mooney, Knox, Schacht 37).” This perspective views power and concern for profits as the main problems to the U.S. health care form. The structural functionalist perspective and the conflict perspective differ in many areas. The structural functionalist perspective believes that health, illness, and health care affect how one operates in society and how society impacts the health of an individual. The conflict perspective believes that wealth, power, and status influence the type of health care that is received. Both views determines the state of one’s optimal health.