Tackling non-communicable diseases: Get the social scientists on board

There has been a tremendous rise in media coverage and medical research on the rapid increase of so-called non-communicable diseases. Such diseases have apparently reached epidemic proportions worldwide. In this article, I argue for the fruitfulness of investigating the communicable aspect of non-communicable diseases from a distinct sociological view of non-communicable diseases as infectious. I conduct a historical anamnesis of sociological theories that inform contemporary sociological thinking about contagion and/or collective action and the social clustering of (health) behaviour, with a particular focus on the notions of imitation, suggestion, and habitus formation. I argue that the notion of contagion is not only about biology but also about being actualised by lifestyle diseases. Based on the seminal work of Philip Strong on epidemic psychology, I discuss how – in dealing with the present threat to public order – a societal reaction in terms of a profound sense of public alarm and the generation of an outbreak of control strategies has emerged as another powerful epidemic or moral panic challenged by how to isolate the source of ‘infection’. The article concludes by asserting that there still very much remains a divide between the paradigms of the individual and the social in the production of scientific knowledge about these diseases and causality. Considering health-related risk behaviour as a socially organised rather than an individual phenomenon provides more useful data for public health interventions aimed at changing health lifestyles.

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The Role of Social Marketing in Preventing the Spread of Non-Communicable Diseases

Research Anthology on Improving Health Literacy Through Patient Communication and Mass Media ◽

10.4018/978-1-6684-2414-8.ch027 ◽

2022 ◽

pp. 481-496

Author(s):

Ines Mezghani Daoud ◽

Marwa Meddeb

Keyword(s):

Social Marketing ◽

Public Awareness ◽

Communicable Diseases ◽

Health Concern ◽

Effective Solution ◽

Non Communicable Diseases ◽

Social Community ◽

The Social ◽

Reduce Risk

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers have become a major health concern for most countries around the world. Different elements such as social, biological, and environmental cause the NCDs. But the only way that one can intentionally modify to avoid these diseases is the desire to reduce risk factors for physical activity, tobacco, and diet. Several prevention strategies have been launched worldwide thorough governmental programs by implementing policies/laws. However, these programs don't integrate active communicate participation and support with the social community. This chapter aims to bring out the priority of enhancing the level of public awareness of NCDs. To ensure public responsiveness, the focus of this research is to create an effective solution to prevent risky behavior. The authors focus on the construction of “Sahtek,” a social media solution developed on the fundamentals of social marketing, to better coach and promote awareness of NCDs prevention.

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On the Perils of Universal and Product-Led Thinking Comment on "How Neoliberalism Is Shaping the Supply of Unhealthy Commodities and What This Means for NCD Prevention"

International Journal of Health Policy and Management ◽

10.15171/ijhpm.2019.109 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Clare Herrick

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Communicable Diseases ◽

Determinants Of Health ◽

Non Communicable Diseases ◽

The Social ◽

Important Addition

Lencucha and Thow’s paper offers an important addition and corrective to the burgeoning body of work in public health on the ‘commercial determinants of health’ in the context of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Rather than tracing the origins of incoherence across policy sectors to the nefarious actions of industry, they argue that we need to be better attuned to the neoliberal ideologies that underpin these policies. In this commentary I explore two aspects of their argument that I find to be problematic: First, the suggestion that neoliberalism itself has some kind of deterministic or explanatory capacity across vastly different social, spatial, economic and political contexts. Second, I explore their concept of ‘product-based NCD risk,’ a perspective that disembodies and detaches risk from the social and structural conditions of their making.

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Dietary practices, physical activity and social determinants of non-communicable diseases in Nepal: a systemic analysis

10.1101/2021.06.22.21259340 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sudesh R Sharma ◽

Anna Matheson ◽

Danielle Lambrick ◽

James Faulkner ◽

David W Lounsbury ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Health System ◽

Social Determinants ◽

Communicable Diseases ◽

Junk Food ◽

Dietary Practices ◽

Dynamic Interactions ◽

Non Communicable Diseases ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Social

Background: The objective of this paper was to describe the role of dietary practices and physical activity in the interaction of the social determinants of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nepal. Method: The study was a qualitative study design guided by systemic intervention methodology. Qualitative data were collected through key informant interviews (n=63) and focus group discussions (n= 12), and case study-based thematic analysis was carried out. Causal loop diagram was utilised to illustrate the dynamic interactions of the social determinants based on the themes. The study also involved sense-making sessions with policy level and local stakeholders. Findings: Four key interacting themes emerged from the study. Dietary and physical activity practices have shifted significantly at community level contributing to increased risk of NCDs. The practice of healthy and locally produced meals was gradually being displaced by junk food and linked to junk food availability and declining agricultural activities. Health system was ineffective in preventing unhealthy practices. Gender and social economic factors were driving the poor dietary practices and physical inactivity. Conclusion: While the current dietary and physical activity-related practices within communities were poor, the broader determinants such as socio-economic circumstances and gender further fuelled such practices. The health system has potential to play an effective role in the prevention of the behavioural and social determinants of NCDs.

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