Health, Illness and Medicine -Sociological Perspective Assessment
Task 1 - Essay
Evaluate ideas about health, illness and medicine from a sociological perspective. Your evaluation should be in the form of a 2500 word essay.
Learners are to identify and research a chosen medical condition (addiction, pregnancy, dialysis etc) and examine how various models of health seek to provide assistance.
The essay should include an outline and evaluation of different concepts and models of health (e.g Biomedical model of health) whilst discussing sociological theories of illness (Parsons sick role, Friedson’s sociological types of illness etc) as a further factor.
Task 2
This will be an essay of 1400 (plus or minus 10%) words which will require you to analyse in detail two of the issues explained in task 1. Your essay title is:
Analyse possible ways of resolving at least two ethical dilemmas (from the supplied case studies) by individual care workers and/or agencies which demonstrates examples of good and bad practice. In this you should provide, from contrasting ethical perspectives, ethical justifications for conflicting decisions.
· Ensure you have read widely sources (text books, professional journals, using online sources) and have used your own words throughout, referencing any sources clearly (in-text and a bibliography).
· It is important to avoid personal opinions in your reasoning, such as ‘I feel’, ‘I think’ or ‘in my opinion’.
· In terms of bad practice, you need to consider the dangers of paternalism and making decisions which override human rights.
· Ensure you have clearly stated the word count of your essay. Work must not exceed the word limits given as this could affect the grading. Work that exceeds the word limit excessively will not be assessed beyond stated word allowance.
To achieve higher grades, carefully read through the merit and distinction guidance below.
Case Study:
Oliver is admitted to hospital as he has been found to have TB. He is being nursed in isolation and as, a result of investigations, he is found to have contracted syphilis. Oliver is a 33 year old married man who has recently been involved in casual sex with men. His wife is unaware that he is bisexual and Oliver has made it clear that under no circumstances is his wife to be informed. However, it is likely that his wife is infected so he wants the hospital staff to ask their GP to treat her without giving her a diagnosis. Oliver says he loves his wife and she will be devastated; therefore, it is his wish to do all he can to keep his marriage together. He demands that the medical and nursing staff respect his confidentiality or he will discharge himself. The doctors say Oliver’s wife must be told and that she cannot be treated without giving informed consent.
Ethical Dilemmas:
1. Confidentiality (avoiding inappropriate disclosure of information)
2. Autonomy (services users choice v paternalism)
3. Justice (distribution of resources)
4. Risk management (safety v promoting service user independence)
5. Beneficence and Non-Maleficence
