Social Production of Health

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the social production of health (SPH) with particular reference to Marxist analysis or political economy of health, fundamental cause theory and feminist analysis of health. Social production of health/disease refers to theoretical frameworks which argue that the structural inherent characters of human society, especially social and economic conditions, are fundamental causes of health inequalities. After examining the basic features of Marxism, this chapter proceeds with the discussion of the political economy of health (PEH), which is a macroanalytic, critical, and historical perspective for analysing disease distribution and health services under a variety of economic systems. This chapter traces the history of the Marxist analysis of health from classical ideas to recent proponents like Navarro Vicente, Hans A. Baer, and Howard Waitzkin. After some criticisms of PEH, the fundamental cause theory developed by Bruce G. Link and Jo C. Phelan (Journal of Health and Social Behavior (extra issue), 80–94, 1995) is presented. A fundamental cause theory tends to identify a factor that has persisted, fundamental or central despite changing circumstances, which can explain distribution of disease among groups in the society. Then, the feminist analysis of health, a form of dialectic (materialism) based on sex, which affects population health, is presented. The arguments start with reference to the classical ideas from Sexual Politics by Kate Millett, The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir, The Dialectic of Sex by Shulamith Firestone, and The Sociology of Housework by Ann Oakley. The chapter discusses the recent discourse on the feminist analysis of health in sociology with reference to the groundbreaking works of the 1970s and 1980s. The chapter also provides a theoretical explanation of engendered circumstances and experiences that affect women’s health.