Sick role

Definition

The sick role is a concept that describes the social rights and obligations of a person who is accepted as being ill. It allows individuals to take a break from their responsibilities, provided that they seek help and aim to get better.

Related terms

Medicalization:

The process by which human conditions and problems come to be defined and treated as medical issues.

Role theory: A framework that considers most of everyday activity to be acting out socially defined categories (e.g., mother, manager, teacher).

Stigmatization:

The act of treating someone differently because they have a characteristic or illness that is thought to be disadvantageous or shameful