ABSTRACT
Sociological theories assume that social, cultural, economic and political conditions play decisive roles in personality development and therefore also in a person’s health status. The health balance is particularly unfavourable in most of the Eastern European countries. The situation in Eastern European countries also provides evidence for the theory that the extent of social inequality is linked to the degree of health inequality. The French sociologist Bourdieu developed a theory of the relation between social disadvantages and poor health status. Social disadvantages and poor health include a conditional level and a behavioural level. The compulsive character of the expectations regarding behaviour, performance and roles typical of modern high-performance societies based on the division of labour is considered an obstacle for psychological and physical health. In contrast to the theories of health-impairing social and organisational structures, network theories focus on social defence and shielding strategies.
