Sociology Health and Illness The medical definition of health is: the state of being whole and free from physical and mental disease or pain, so that all the parts of the body carry on their proper function". This is a negative definition where health is defined as to be free from pain and discomfort. (Critchley, 1978, p.784).
The World Health Organisation (WHO) definition of health (1947), states that “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. This is a positive definition which defines health as being fit and able to undertake reasonable task.
The criticisms are that the definition deals with “a state rather than a process” and puts no boundaries on what is considered as ‘health’. (Macionis J. et al 2012 p. 741) The conditions recognised as illnesses differ quite significantly from one society to another. Illness is thought to be any obvious departure from a sickness that is subject to medical treatment. There is difference of opinion in most people mind between who think they are ill or and those who are really ill. In modern society doctors have the role of deciding who is truly ill. If the doctor decides that a person is ill then a series of benefits will follow either formal or informal. Formal help is where the doctor will give medical help such as treatment or time off work or college. Whereas informal help is like giving sympathy or release the ill person from household duties and so on. However, if they decide that a person is not really ill, that person will receive no benefit and could be open to accusations of malingering. (Macionis J. et al 2012 p.741)
For doctors to decide who is really ill, they used a particular scientific measure of health and illness. This is known as the biomedical model. This model is widely used in western countries. In Britain it is