Answer to Question #258819 in Sociology for Araba

Question

compare and contrast the two perspectives being conflict theory and functionalist theoretical perspective on health and illness on the south african context and use examples from south africa during the current covid-19 pandemic

Answer 1

The functionalist perspective introduces the concept of the sick role in response to sickness as a form of deviance. This is where a sick individual, say Covid-19 patient, is said not to have been responsible for their condition and should seek remedy. From the conflict perspective, however, the difference in social class affects the health-seeking behavior of individuals. For instance, in South Africa, the most affected community by the Covid-19 is the lower class.