Discussion Question: You may have heard discussions regarding the current “opioid crisis” in the United
States. This refers to addiction to painkillers; however, research has shown that, in general, the American
health care model relies more heavily on pharmaceuticals for treatment than health care models in other
countries. Consider the following article: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/27/opinion/sunday/surgerygermany-vicodin.html (Links to an external site.)
What does the author’s experience reveal about cultural factors influencing health care and wellness? From
the standpoint of symbolic interactionism, how does this illustrate the social construction of sickness, health,
and even medical treatment? How would the perspectives of functionalism and conflict theory interpret this
experience?