Theorizing the Social Determinants of Health



Theorizing the Social Determinants of Health

Introduction

Growing up in today's society is becoming harder as innovations emerge with the advancement of film production, fashion, business, etc. In this society, people play multiple roles in life. Women have to work full time and have dinner ready by night. The society puts a lot of pressure on upcoming teens and adults to do their optimum best at any cost. Women are more likely than men to experience a traumatic breakdown due to many factors such as stress, home life, and work stress. Most women who experience Bulimia have suffered a traumatic event such as obesity or an unstable home life such as alcoholic parents. Bulimia Nervosa can be diagnosed by warning signs such as low self esteem, frequent trips to the bathroom, and the need to regularly watch calories and weight. After eating, they purge food and or use other methods such as vomiting or using a laxative to get rid of it (Raphael, 2004). Treatment consists of many different types of behavior sessions to try and change the patients' perception of his or her self image. The most effective treatment is cognitive-behavioral therapy and family support. Through analyzing the social determinants, constructive, and intersectional perspectives, we can better understand how and why this disease has occurred.

Discussion

Social Determinants Perspective

Bulimia is the outcome of several social factors such as environment, social status, and child development. In chapter 2, Dennis Raphael explains an approach called the “Materialist Explanations” which depict connections of living conditions to an individual. Raphael notes that the experience of material living conditions, psychosocial stress, adoption of health threatening behaviors (Germov, 2005), dictates the individual's behavior and the primary cause of the illness. Women who are mentally ill suffer stress from the pressure of family, work, and society in order to uphold a certain image. For example, if an individual belongs to a sport oriented family, the child might grow up with weight conscious problems leading them to issues such as Bulimia. Individuals who choose sports or modeling as their profession might move place to place for games or move in hopes of finding a new contract. Their material living conditions could change and range from poor to sufficient housing. In turn, they do not have anyone to support them which provoke life threatening behaviors. Bulimia Nervosa can also get worse and evolve into other health illness such as gum disease, osteoporosis, kidney disease, heart disease, and finally death (Goljan, 2011). Chapter 17 refers to the Social Exclusion of society with individuals that do not think they meet the expectation of a particular group and ultimately produce unequal outcomes and women choose to overeat and then binge in order to feel accepted by their peers so that they fit in (maintain a particular image). For instance, actors must present themselves in a particular way for a part and stay connected with the ongoing fashion.

Social Constructionist Perspective

Bulimia is most typical amongst the wealthy people and perfectionist in ...