SUBMITTED TO: Dr.

Komal Saleem

SUBMITTED BY: Maryam Shahzadi

SAP ID: 70076221

COURSE: Behavioral Sciences

DEPARTMENT: BDNS 4th Semester

ASSIGNMENT: 01
Differentiate among:
 Disease
 Illness
 Sickness
What is the difference between an illness, sickness and
disease?
Disease
Disease is a condition that
prevents the body from
working normally, whether
affecting a certain organ or
the whole body, and has
causes and symptoms that
are usually extrinsic.
A disease is what a doctor
diagnoses.Doctors are
trained to diagnose diseases,
but there is no medical
training in diagnosing
“cured”.
There’s a well known saying -
although I can’t find the
source:
“A patient goes to the doctor
with an illness, and goes
home with a disease.”
illness sickness
Illness is the “state” of Sickness is the same as
being unhealthy, Physically illness but from society’s
or mentally. i.e how the perception, how they see
patient perceives his the patient.
condition. you can say I am ill as an
illness a disease or period of opposite to healthy, but as
sickness affecting the body stakeholders in the society,
or mind; people are divided to
healthy and sick people.
sickness the state of being
ill; a particular type of illness
or disease; the feeling or fact
of being affected with
nausea or vomiting.
Different perspectives of human malady: Disease, illness, and sickness
investigated

Disease illness Sickness

Field, Area, Primary Profession, Personal, Society, social

agents/stakeholders medical and (experiential, institutions,
other health existential) health policy
care makers,
professions lawyers

Basic phenomena Physiological, Subjective Social

mental, experience, first- conventions,
genetic, person negative norms, roles
environmental experience, (including
entities or suffering, pain social
events prejudice)

Access to Observations, Introspection, Participation,

phenomena examinations, intuition interaction,
through: measurements (phenomenology), social
(by the natural interaction (science)
sciences and (language), studies
by the use of mental states
technology) (psychology)

Knowledge status Objective Subjective Inter-

subjective

Altruistic approach Cure Care Resource

allocation,
justice

Entitles to: Results Examination, Attention, Economic

in: diagnostics, support, moral support and
treatment and social excuse, compensation,
reduced sick leave, but
accountability may also
result in
discrimination
and
stigmatization
Conclusion
Disease, illness, and sickness are three interrelated concepts that refer to three pertinent
perspectives of human malady (i.e., the professional, the personal, and the societal
perspectives). They provide a fruitful framework for explaining and addressing several of the
epistemic and moral challenges in the philosophy of medicine and in clinical practice.
References
Album, D. & Westin, S. 2008. Do diseases have a prestige hierarchy? A survey among
physicians and medical students. Social Science & Medicine, 66, 182–188.
Boorse, C. 1975. On the distinction between disease and illness. Philosophy and Public
Affairs, 5, 49–68.
Boyd, K. M. 2000. Disease, illness, sickness, health, healing and wholeness: Exploring some
elusive concepts. Med Humanit, 26, 9–17.
https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-sickness-illness-and-disease