Question

How does both individual and social perception affect health and medicine in our society (sick role, medicalization)?

Answer 1

Health perception are the subjective rating by the patient or affected individual of his or her health status. Sometimes poor social and economic circumstances affect health of one throughout his or her life.

Some peoples consider themselves as healthy despite even they suffer from one or more chronic diseases. This is a positive approach of an individual and will give him or her a confidence to live a healthy life. There are some people who perceive themselves as ill when no objective evidence of diseases can be found.

People who fit into the society are found to live a healthy life both physically and mentally. Other areas where the society affects the health includes the life long importance of health determinants in early childhood, effects of poverty, drugs, working conditions, unemployment, social support, good food etc. Social support in the work place or where ever in case of medicalisation is an important factor for the individual to have the confidence and self esteems in themselves to build up a better life till death.