An Outline of Sociology as Applied to Medicine

An Outline of Sociology as Applied to Medicine, Third Edition provides an understanding of the origins, nature, and context of illness in society. This book discusses the relationship between health care and the society in which it occurs. Organized into 15 chapters, this edition begins with an overview of some deficiencies of the biomedical model of illness. This text then explores the traditional medical model, which holds that disease is a lesion inside the human body that produces two types of indicator of its presence, namely, the signs and symptoms. Other chapters consider the difference of perspectives between doctor and patients. This book discusses as well the presence of various biological causes of illness that is strongly influenced by social factors. The final chapter deals with the social significance of medicine. This book is a valuable resource for sociologists. Primary care physicians and specialists will also find this book extremely useful.

Preface to the Third Edition 1 Introduction 2 Going to the Doctor The Experience of Symptoms Illness Behavior Importance of Illness Behavior for the Doctor Illness Behavior and the Medical Model 3 Measuring Health and Illness Mortality Morbidity Prevalence Studies Sickness Absence Rates Caseload Measures of Functioning Self-Report Measures Subjective Health Measures Quality of Life Measures 4 Social Causes of Illness Causal Models Establishing a Causal Relationship Social Factors Social Integration Social Support Life Events 5 Labeling Behavior Primary Deviance Secondary Deviance Stigma Disability and Handicap Labeling and Psychiatric Disease 6 Social Patterns of Illness: I Explaining Illness Patterns Historical Changes Geography Occupation Gender Ethnicity Unemployment 7 Social Patterns of Illness: II Age Social Class 8 Coping with Illness Managing Labels Coping with Chronic Illness Carers 9 Models of Illness Exploring Abdominal Pain Symptoms and Pathology Biographical Medicine Alternative Models of Illness Models of the Doctor-Patient Relationship 10 Types of Health Care Self-Care Family Care Community Care Self-Help Groups Professional Care 11 Clinical Autonomy Controlling Information Controlling Costs Paying the Doctor Evaluating Doctors' Decisions 12 Delivering Health Care Allocating Scarce Resources The Market for Health Care in the USA Government Provision of Health Care in the UK Towards a National Health Service 13 Evaluating Health Care Is the Health Care System Effective/Efficient? Does the Health Care System Meet the 'Real' Needs of Its Consumers? Is the Health Care System Fair? Is the Health Care Sy