Changing conceptions of health and life course concepts

Abstract

Health as a social concept is very important in medical sociology. More complicated conceptions of health as a multi-dimensional concept have emphasized not only physical health status, but aspects of overall well-being. This article continues in the tradition of a multi-dimensional concept of health, but adds in the complexity of variation over the life course. As people age, chronic health problems become more common. Mobility and sensory limitations also increase. How does this impact how people view their health? How do more complicated understandings of the life course and variation by social factors link to an expanded model of health. This literature review article covers material on concepts of health and life course concepts. The concluding portions of the article focus on the need to improve measurement, to incorporate diversity related to social factors such as gender and race, and to incorporate a broader understanding of health problems into conceptions of health across the life course.