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Illness semantics and international health: The weak lungs/TB complex in the Philippines

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  • Nichter, Mark

Abstract

Attention is drawn to illness semantics and the need to move beyond health social science research on discrete diseases to sets of illnesses perceived to be interrelated within popular health culture. Considered is the weak lungs/TB complex as it is conceptualized in relation to other types of lung disease as well as predisposing factors which influence the moral identity of the afflicted and the social relations of illness. The illness category weak lungs is broad and covers a variety of symptom states inclusive of TB. While some people equate weak lungs with TB, many others think of weak lungs as a condition which may develop into TB over time. TB is recognized to be contagious, but many people do not perceive weak lungs to be contagious. Treatment practice is discussed in relation to perceptions of illness severity, economics, expectations from medicines and coexisting health concerns. Faith in biomedicine is strong. Broad usage of the term weak lungs affects self-treatment practices and over-the-counter purchase of TB medications. Several TB medicines are labeled in such a way as to give the impression that they are vitamins for the lungs. This association leads people to think that the medication is useful for all illnesses which weaken the lungs, even if taken for a short duration. Attention is drawn to the manner in which inappropriate use of TB medication increases the chances of drug resistance. Data presented on TB drug resistance in the Philippines suggests why a consideration of illness semantics is important.

Suggested Citation

  • Nichter, Mark, 1994. "Illness semantics and international health: The weak lungs/TB complex in the Philippines," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 649-663, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:38:y:1994:i:5:p:649-663
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    Cited by:

    1. Long, Nguyen Hoang & Johansson, Eva & Diwan, Vinod K. & Winkvist, Anna, 2001. "Fear and social isolation as consequences of tuberculosis in VietNam: a gender analysis," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(1), pages 69-81, October.
    2. Tran Thi Anh Thu & Mary Chambers & Nguyen Vinh Trung & Michael Parker & Ngo Thi Hoa, 2022. "A Mixed-Methods Approach to Identify Farmers’ Perception and Practices Regarding Antibiotic Use in Vietnam," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-22, November.
    3. Craig, Sienna R. & Adams, Lisa V. & Spielberg, Stephen P. & Campbell, Benjamin, 2009. "Pediatric therapeutics and medicine administration in resource-poor settings: A review of barriers and an agenda for interdisciplinary approaches to improving outcomes," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 1681-1690, December.
    4. Stella A. Quimbo & John W. Peabody & Riti Shimkhada & Jhiedon Florentino & Orville Solon, 2011. "Evidence of a causal link between health outcomes, insurance coverage, and a policy to expand access: experimental data from children in the Philippines," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(5), pages 620-630, May.
    5. Valerie Møller & Ida Erstad & Dalinyebo Zani, 2010. "Drinking, Smoking, and Morality: Do ‘Drinkers and Smokers’ Constitute a Stigmatised Stereotype or a Real TB Risk Factor in the Time of HIV/AIDS?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 98(2), pages 217-238, September.

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