The phenomenon of medical consumption as one of the fields of action of the consumer society (Western Mediterranean aplication)

In modern society, one of the two basic concepts to be taken as a reference to have an understanding of social change is "production" and the other is "consumption". Conceptual/theoretical and applied studies on social change confirm this. Liberal economics maintains the profits and gains it initially made by emphasizing saving through production by emphasizing waste through consumption in the consumer society. In this process, the rational individual under the influence of institutions with his/her fixed, definite and continuous identity turns into a fragile individual with his/her fluid, uncertain and variable identity. An economic-based social change changes not only society and individuals but also the institutions in which they operate. This change, referred to as a "paradigm shift", is related to the changing perspective in theory. In this study, the paradigm shift in medicine and the effects of this change are revealed in theory and practice. In the consumer society, illness/health/physical appearance has become one of the most effective tools in influencing individuals towards consumption. In the theory, the concept of "medical consumption", which refers to the consumption of individuals for their physical health and physical appearance on the basis of consumer society, was developed and its definition, scope and limits, and its effects on the individual and society were discussed. In practice, firstly the appearance of medical consumption in daily social life is described. Afterwards, in this study, individuals' medical consumption tendencies were analyzed in terms of demographic, social and health-related characteristics that make individuals vulnerable, which are claimed to affect their relationship with medical consumption. For this purpose, 400 participants aged 18 and over who applied for medical consumption practices in the Western Mediterranean region, covering the provinces of Antalya, Burdur and Isparta, were reached. It has been observed that individuals who assume the role of consumers in a consumer society frequently resort to medical consumption practices in relation to their health and physical appearance. It has been determined that individuals' relationship with medical consumption varies according to their demographic and social characteristics, but mostly does not vary according to their health-related vulnerable characteristics.