Medicalization
A major component of the sociological discussion of health
and illness concerns an analysis of how problems that were previously not
considered medical in nature are now a part of the province of medicine. This
process, known as medicalization, describes how remedial efforts in the
nonmedical realm to solve certain social problems are now given over to modern
medicine as a topic of discussion and treatment. The purpose of this assignment
is to define medicalization and offer an important commentary about the spread
of this social trend in society today.
Instructions
Construct a 4-6 page paper that fully satisfies these four
areas:
1. Define medicalization in sociological terms.
2. Explain three major ways in which medicalization has been
able to flourish in modern society.
3. Describe one mental or physical illness that has become
medicalized, apply sociological concepts to analyze how this illness has become
medicalized.
4. Finally, offer a commentary about whether or not you
think the medicalization of this problem is warranted. In other words, do you
think that medicalization, in the example you’ve chosen, is unnecessary? Why or
why not?
The paper should be typed, double-spaced, 1” margins, arial
or times new roman 12 pt font, and saved as .doc. The paper should be in APA format (cover
page, running header, major heading, subheadings, in-text citations, and
reference list),
