Topic Summaries

Social construction of health, illness, and disability

A-Level > Sociology > AQA > A Level Sociology Topic Summaries > Health > Social construction of health, illness, and disability
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Exam overview
  • 👤 Parsons (1951): the “sick role” defines rights and obligations of the sick. People are exempt from normal roles but must seek treatment and try to recover.
    • 👤 Freidson (1961) argues this model ignores patient choice and is less applicable to chronic illnesses.
  • 👤 Illich (1975): identifies iatrogenesis, where medicine causes harm: clinical (harm from treatment), social (medicalisation of everyday life), and cultural (loss of traditional coping).
    • Critics note modern medicine has greatly reduced mortality.
  • 👤 Oliver (1996): distinguishes between impairment (physical/mental limitation) and disability (socially created disadvantage), arguing that society disables people through barriers.
    • The medical model focuses on the individual, ignoring discrimination.
  • 👤 Zola (1973): sees medicalisation as expanding medicine’s control over life areas once handled by religion or law.
    • Some medicalisation has improved health outcomes and reduced stigma.

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