Structure Matters: Examining Illness Behavior Using Parsons's Sick Role

<p>Although Talcott Parsons’s sick role theory, as described in 1951 in The Social System, has been severely criticized for its inapplicability to chronic illnesses, a portion of the theory is still a relevant and necessary factor in terms of understanding and treating chronic illness today. Using data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, this study looks at the individual effects of sex, age, race, cohabitation, education and region of residence on the likelihood of chronically ill patients considering themselves limited in their amount or kind of work as an indicator of sick role adaptation. Results show statistically significant relationships between work limitation and sex, age, cohabitation, education and region of residence, when controlling for the duration of the respondents’ condition. Further evaluation of these results is provided.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Sociology

Year

2013

Author dc:creator

• Byrd, Angela D.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Jerry Daday (Director), Dr. Steve Groce, Dr. Donielle Lovell

• sociological theory
• illness behavior
• health disparities
• medical sociology
• Talcott Parsons's sick role theory
• Inequality and Stratification
• Medicine and Health
• Public Health Education and Promotion
• Sociology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1310

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.wku.edu:theses-2313