Who decides what counts as illness?

Key Points

• The aim is to investigate the various factors influencing how illness is defined within society.
• Literature review on historical and contemporary definitions of illness
• Analysis of social, cultural, and political influences on medical classifications
• Interviews with medical professionals and policymakers
• Identified variation in illness definitions based on cultural context
• Highlighted the role of social norms in shaping health perceptions
• Demonstrated the impact of policy decisions on healthcare practices