Social Science & Medicine
(Health equity introduction)
Wut Hmon
20 OCT 2021
Understanding of human society and
social behavior.
Definition: Branches
Social Science - Anthropology
- Economics Behavioral Science
- Political Science
- Sociology
Relevant to Medicine
- Psychology
Understanding of human society and
social behavior.
Definition: Branches
Social Science - Anthropology
- Economics Behavioral Science
- Political Science
- Sociology
Relevant to Medicine
- Psychology
Sociology and Society
Sociology Society aka social group
Concerning with organization/ Concerning of Sociology, group
structure of social groups. (aka social members are aware of each other
structures)
- Physical level
- Behavior of mankind change - Psychological or mental level
depending on the relationship with - Mutual awareness and reciprocal
others in the same group. recognition
- Society
- Community
- Social Structures
- Social Institutions
- Role
- Socialism
Concepts of Sociology - Socialization
- Social control mechanism
- Customs
- Culture
- Acculturation
- Communication
- Social Problem
- Social pathology
- Social survey
Socialization – Learning socially important behavior
Primary socialization Secondary socialization
Interaction with family members School/ Agent of socialization
- Social development - School norms/ discipline rules
- Adjustment - Friends- teams of peers
- Survival skills in society
Functional aspects of society
1. Social norms 2. Customs and Habits
- Generation to generation -Personal Affair
- Traditions, followed simply
because followed in the past
3. Etiquettes and Conventions
- Porper form of doing something - Agreed upon procedure
in relation to other
4. Social Values
- Like social norms
- Standard of judgement (good/bad, moral or immoral,
beautiful/ ugly)
- Use as principle of human action/ criteria of selection
- Psychology of individuals within the
society
- Understanding the basis of
(Social) Psychology perception, opinions, decisions,
motivations etc
- How do they act/ react in society
and creating patterns (Behavior)
Dynamics of Behavior Responses
1- Physical Responses
"the total reactions (of an individual) 2- Organic Responses
accessible to external observation.
Thought and understanding are 3- Intellectual Responses
implicit behavior which are
observable not directly. but solely by
inference from other observable Causes
behaviors.”
1- Environmental stimuli
1- Health Behavior 2- Emotions and Feelings
2- Illness Behavior 3- Needs
3- Treatment Behavior 4- Motivation
5- Intellectual perception
Help seeking behavior
Ignore the symptom - Nothing would be done if (believe that) symptom is
inconsequential/ non-life threatening
- Certain symptoms are ignored because the person
experiencing it perceives it to be ‘normal’.
Self medicate/ self help - Helping themselves. Self prescribe medicine
Non medical help-seeking behavior - Non medically trained persons’ consultations
- including friends, peers, religious leaders
Medical help-seeking behavior - Patient- Doctor contact is made.
- registering in the Health care system
Why do behavior change programme fail?
(6 Common errors)
It is just common sense
It is about getting the message across
Knowledge and information drive behavior
People act rationally
People act irrationally
Understanding of human society and
social behavior.
Definition: Branches
Social Science - Anthropology
- Economics Behavioral Science
- Political Science
- Psychology
Relevant to Medicine
- Sociology
Anthropology Economics Political Science
• History • Production • Institutions
• 1- Physical • Distribution • Laws
• 2- Cultural • Consumption • Systems
• 3- Social • Resources
• 4- Medical
Social Determinants of Health
Diderichsen’s model of the social production of disease
(2001)
Unequal
distribution
of Power,
wealth and
risk
Take home message
• Sociology, Psychology (Medical related social science, important)
• A, E, PS (why people react how they react, behavior)
Causes and responses
• Interlinked between social context (political, cultural, Socio-
economics status, environmental, oocupational, educational) and
health
• Groups/ communities’ behaviors by generalizing the similar persons’
patterns of reaction to certain simulants.
Thank you.
