Hem sjuka hem : En verklig konstruktion och dess sociala bestämningar
(2007)- Abstract
- Each society, culture and era has its own illnesses. Characteristic of the late modern, western society of today are 'diffuse' or 'medically unexplained' syndromes. These phenomena have in common a vague criteria for diagnosis, a subjective and elusive character of the symptoms and a lack of medically accepted explanations for the symptoms described. One example of such a diffuse syndrome is the sick building syndrome (SBS).
This thesis deals with SBS in two ways. The prevalence and distribution of housing-related SBS in Malmö, Swedens third largest city, is examined through a random sample survey. The analysis shows that there are major differences between social groups. High education, a non-Swedish background,... (More) - Each society, culture and era has its own illnesses. Characteristic of the late modern, western society of today are 'diffuse' or 'medically unexplained' syndromes. These phenomena have in common a vague criteria for diagnosis, a subjective and elusive character of the symptoms and a lack of medically accepted explanations for the symptoms described. One example of such a diffuse syndrome is the sick building syndrome (SBS).
This thesis deals with SBS in two ways. The prevalence and distribution of housing-related SBS in Malmö, Swedens third largest city, is examined through a random sample survey. The analysis shows that there are major differences between social groups. High education, a non-Swedish background, unemployment and young age are all factors associated with a higher risk of reporting SBS. The study also shows that subjective aspects of the housing situation, in particular general housing satisfaction, have a significant influence on the tendency to report SBS. In conclusion the empirical analysis suggests that symptoms related to the physical indoor environment are concentrated to houses constructed between the years 1976-85.
Taking its point of departure in critical realism, the thesis further discusses the metatheoretical question of the relationship between different types of explanations. SBS and other diffuse syndromes have so far mainly been studied as medical or 'micro-psychosocial' phenomena. It is suggested that models of explanation on these lower levels ought to be linked to theories on a macro-social level if the origin and character of these phenomena are to be fully understood. It is further argued that theoretical development on the macro-social level can help alleviate the stigma associated with psychosocially caused (psychosomatic) illness in general. The discussion ends with a model being presented that accommodates and integrates explanations on different levels and thereby illustrates the interplay between nature and culture. The model is applicable not only to SBS but to all illnesses that reside on the boundary between the 'physical' and the 'psychological', the 'real' and the 'constructed'. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Popular Abstract in Swedish
Varje samhälle och var tid har sina sjukdomar. Karakteristiskt för dagens västerländska, senmoderna samhälle är den 'diffusa ohälsan'. Gemensamt har dessa fenomen flytande diagnoskriterier, symptomens vaga och undflyende karaktär samt frånvaron av medicinskt accepterade förklaringar till deras uppkomst. Ett exempel på denna typ av ohälsa är sjuka hus-syndromet (SBS).
Den här avhandlingen närmar sig fenomenet SBS på två sätt. Den empiriska delen bygger på en enkätstudie omfattande ett slumpvis urval av Malmös vuxna befolkning. Analysen visar att det finns stora skillnader mellan olika befolkningsgrupper vad gäller benägenheten att drabbas av boenderelaterade SBS-symptom.... (More) - Popular Abstract in Swedish
Varje samhälle och var tid har sina sjukdomar. Karakteristiskt för dagens västerländska, senmoderna samhälle är den 'diffusa ohälsan'. Gemensamt har dessa fenomen flytande diagnoskriterier, symptomens vaga och undflyende karaktär samt frånvaron av medicinskt accepterade förklaringar till deras uppkomst. Ett exempel på denna typ av ohälsa är sjuka hus-syndromet (SBS).
Den här avhandlingen närmar sig fenomenet SBS på två sätt. Den empiriska delen bygger på en enkätstudie omfattande ett slumpvis urval av Malmös vuxna befolkning. Analysen visar att det finns stora skillnader mellan olika befolkningsgrupper vad gäller benägenheten att drabbas av boenderelaterade SBS-symptom. Högutbildade, utlandsfödda, unga och arbetslösa är grupper som är överrepresenterade i detta avseende. Studien visar också att den upplevda boendesituationen, i synnerhet graden av trivsel, har stor betydelse för benägenheten att rapportera SBS. Den empiriska analysen indikerar avslutningsvis att de i fysisk bemärkelse hälsovådliga inomhusmiljöerna främst är koncentrerade till byggnader uppförda under perioden 1976-85.
I avhandlingen diskuteras även, med utgångspunkt i kritisk realism, den metateoretiska frågan om relationen mellan olika förklaringsmodeller. Förklaringar till SBS och andra diffusa ohälsofenomen har tidigare främst sökts på det medicinska eller det 'mikropsykosociala' planet. Argument framförs här för att dessa i högre grad måste länkas samman med teorier på 'makrosocial' nivå om en fullgod förståelse för fenomenen ska kunna uppnås. En sådan teoriutveckling på det makrosociala planet skulle även kunna bidra till att det stigma som är ofta är förknippat med att lida av psykosocialt orsakad (psykosomatisk) ohälsa, generellt skulle kunna mildras.
En modell presenteras avslutningsvis för hur interaktionen mellan natur och kultur kan förstås i relation till SBS. Modellen är ämnad att integrera förklaringsmodeller på olika nivåer och är tillämpbar på alla ohälsofenomen som befinner sig i gränslandet mellan det 'fysiska' och det 'psykiska', mellan 'verklighet' och 'konstruktion'. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/27017
- author
- Barmark, Mimmi Maria LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- professor Lidskog, Rolf, Örebro universitet
- organization
- alternative title
- Home Sick Home : The Social Basis of an Actual Construction
- publishing date
- 2007
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Sociology, late modernity, risk, models of explanation, housing, social explanations, social causes, Malmö, Sweden, survey, critical realism, environmental illness, sick building, medically unexplained, Social structures, Sociologi, risk, Malmö, Sociala strukturer
- pages
- 251 pages
- publisher
- Sekel Bokförlag
- defense location
- Palaestra, Lundagård
- defense date
- 2007-03-23 10:15:00
- ISBN
- 978-91-976529-6-4
- language
- Swedish
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 0d94fbc2-a008-4a39-a876-5e9aca9e586f (old id 27017)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-04 10:38:06
- date last changed
- 2021-11-26 11:59:01
@phdthesis{0d94fbc2-a008-4a39-a876-5e9aca9e586f,
abstract = {{Each society, culture and era has its own illnesses. Characteristic of the late modern, western society of today are 'diffuse' or 'medically unexplained' syndromes. These phenomena have in common a vague criteria for diagnosis, a subjective and elusive character of the symptoms and a lack of medically accepted explanations for the symptoms described. One example of such a diffuse syndrome is the sick building syndrome (SBS).<br/><br>
<br/><br>
This thesis deals with SBS in two ways. The prevalence and distribution of housing-related SBS in Malmö, Swedens third largest city, is examined through a random sample survey. The analysis shows that there are major differences between social groups. High education, a non-Swedish background, unemployment and young age are all factors associated with a higher risk of reporting SBS. The study also shows that subjective aspects of the housing situation, in particular general housing satisfaction, have a significant influence on the tendency to report SBS. In conclusion the empirical analysis suggests that symptoms related to the physical indoor environment are concentrated to houses constructed between the years 1976-85.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Taking its point of departure in critical realism, the thesis further discusses the metatheoretical question of the relationship between different types of explanations. SBS and other diffuse syndromes have so far mainly been studied as medical or 'micro-psychosocial' phenomena. It is suggested that models of explanation on these lower levels ought to be linked to theories on a macro-social level if the origin and character of these phenomena are to be fully understood. It is further argued that theoretical development on the macro-social level can help alleviate the stigma associated with psychosocially caused (psychosomatic) illness in general. The discussion ends with a model being presented that accommodates and integrates explanations on different levels and thereby illustrates the interplay between nature and culture. The model is applicable not only to SBS but to all illnesses that reside on the boundary between the 'physical' and the 'psychological', the 'real' and the 'constructed'.}},
author = {{Barmark, Mimmi Maria}},
isbn = {{978-91-976529-6-4}},
keywords = {{Sociology; late modernity; risk; models of explanation; housing; social explanations; social causes; Malmö; Sweden; survey; critical realism; environmental illness; sick building; medically unexplained; Social structures; Sociologi; risk; Malmö; Sociala strukturer}},
language = {{swe}},
publisher = {{Sekel Bokförlag}},
school = {{Lund University}},
title = {{Hem sjuka hem : En verklig konstruktion och dess sociala bestämningar}},
year = {{2007}},
}