Introduction
In the medical field, there are many internal and external factors that define the quality and effectiveness of offered care. The relationships between the personnel and patients may be discussed through the prism of functionalist, conflict, and symbolic-interactionism perspectives. Some forces like technology, standards, and practices strengthen and stabilize care, while such issues as healthcare costs and treatment options continue plaguing the field. In this essay, attention will be paid to understanding the existing social forces and their promotion in medicine and healthcare and their impact on patients and my life as a medical professional.
Social Forces in Medicine and Healthcare
Human health is a multidimensional concept that includes a person’s emotional, mental, physical, and social well-being. It may be determined by different factors, including social forces under which people are born, have to work, and live. In most cases, care and health conditions depend on the patient’s socioeconomic status, level of education, physical environment, and employment (Artiga & Hinton, 2018). The state of healthcare in modern society is not perfect because people of color might face unequal treatment, rural working-class individuals suffer from financial instability and poverty, and not all women cover their health needs.
From the point of view of functionalism, health is a critical requirement for society’s stability, and a sickness is a form of deviance that results in the inability to perform the required roles and duties. To ensure treatments, standards, and practices are followed, the medical staff should identify and fulfill their responsibilities and use available resources to help patients. Sick people, in their turn, are obliged to share true information and report the problems as soon as they create challenges. Patients should make decisions following the recommendations given by healthcare providers (Artiga & Hinton, 2018). This issue affects my practice because I know that some patients prefer to choose treatment regarding their physiological characteristics, insurance, and family support.
Conflict theory is another perspective that reveals the existing healthcare costs, technologies, and practices. According to this approach, social inequality in health care exists and cannot be ignored. People with disadvantaged social backgrounds may receive inadequate care if they are not able to identify health risks and threats (Artiga & Hinton, 2018). Physicians and nurses promote initiatives to enhance patients’ awareness of their health and the damage caused by the environment or their lifestyles. Relying on this aspect of care, I want to implement as many new ideas and practices at different levels to reduce the number of diseases and comorbidities through education and communication.
Finally, there is a perspective known as symbolic interactionism, according to which health and illness are socially constructed. It means that society, not healthcare providers, defines health or illness. Cooperation, community support, and even religious beliefs may affect people’s choices and decisions (Artiga & Hinton, 2018). I believe that my work in the medical field should focus on the differences individuals share in the neighborhood, but the quality of treatment and care has nothing in common with all those social determinants, and I try to do my best to follow subordination and respect patients and colleagues.
Conclusion
In conclusion, as a medical professional, I need to know as much as possible about the social forces that could govern the medical field and the relationships between healthcare providers and patients. The examination of the state of health care in modern society is a unique chance to understand the connection between costs, treatments, technologies, and standards. Addressing functionalist, conflict, and symbolic-interactionist perspectives, I can recognize what I should do to improve the quality of care and help people maintain physical and emotional health through education, cooperation, and support.
Reference
Artiga, S., & Hinton, E. (2018). Beyond health care: The role of social determinants in promoting health and health equity. KFF. Web.