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Medicine, Health and Society
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Medicine, Health and Society



February 2012 | 200 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
Sharp, bold and engaging, this book provides a contemporary account of why medical sociology matters in our modern society.

Combining theoretical and empirical perspectives, and applying the pragmatic demands of policy, this timely book explores society's response to key issues such as race, gender and identity to explain the relationship between sociology, medicine and medical sociology.

Each chapter includes an authoritative introduction to pertinent areas of debate, a clear summary of key issues and themes and dedicated bibliography.

Chapters include:

• social theory and medical sociology

• health inequalities

• bodies, pain and suffering

• personal, local and global.

Brimming with fresh interpretations and critical insights this book will contribute to illuminating the practical realities of medical sociology.

This exciting text will be of interest to students of sociology of health and illness, medical sociology, and sociology of the body.

Hannah Bradby has a visiting fellowship at the Department of Primary Care and Health Sciences, King's College London. She is monograph series editor for the journal Sociology of Health and Illness and co-edits the multi-disciplinary journal Ethnicity and Health.

 
Prologue: Sociology, Medicine and Medical Sociology
Introduction

 
Medical Sociology and Its Relationship with Sociology

 
Theory and Application

 
Sociology and Medicine

 
Interdisciplinarity and Multidisciplinarity

 
References

 
 
Introducing the Sociology of Medicine, Health and Society
 
Social Theory and the Sociology of Health and Medicine
Introduction

 
Parsons and Functionalism

 
Criticism of Parsons' Idealized Type

 
Theories of Conflict and Political Economy

 
Inequalities and Social Stratification

 
Interactionism

 
Phenomenology

 
Modernity and Post-Modernity

 
Social Constructionism

 
Post-Structuralism and Structuralism

 
Criticism of Constructionism

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
 
Health Inequalities
Introduction

 
Theory and Inequality

 
Inequity and Inequality

 
Measurement of Inequality

 
The Pattern of Health Inequalities

 
Causes of Inequalities

 
Healthcare and Inequalities

 
Global Inequality

 
Conclusion

 
 
Women, Gender and Feminism
Introduction

 
Feminism

 
Gendered Visibility

 
Gendered Polarity and Theorizing Difference

 
Reconceptualizing Gender

 
Undoing Polarities

 
Health Inequalities

 
Morbidity, Gender and the Effect of Work

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
 
Ethnicity, Racism and Difference
Introduction

 
Background - UK

 
Background - USA

 
Sociology of Race Relations

 
Ethnicity and Health Inequalities

 
Mental Health

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
 
Bodies, Pain and Suffering
Introduction

 
The Sociological Body

 
Dissecting the Body

 
Cultural Bodies

 
Biotechnological Bodies

 
Embodiment

 
Bodies and Disabilities

 
Bodies and Narrative

 
Mute Bodies

 
Meta-Narrative and Suffering

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
 
The Workings of Medicine
Introduction

 
Background

 
Medicine's Golden Age

 
Medical Power

 
Medical Imperialism

 
Proletarianization, Deprofessionalization and Corporatization

 
Challenging Medicine: Efficacy, Efficiency, Accessibility

 
Efficacy, Equity and Efficiency

 
Managers, Managerialism and Markets

 
Challenging Equity

 
Has the NHS Improved?

 
The Doctor-Patient Relationship in a Regulatory Framework

 
The Legal Challenge

 
Consumerism in Medicine

 
Specialization

 
Alternative Medical Practitioners

 
Medical Tourism

 
Medicalization in a Digital Era

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
 
Conclusion
Introduction

 
The Practice of Medicine

 
Medical Encounters

 
Biotechnology

 
Ethics and Expectations of Biotechnological Innovation

 
The Culture of Bioethics

 
Global Health

 
Medical Migration

 
Global Suffering and Sociology

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
Glossary of Terms

 

In this timely book, Hannah Bradby brings together classic sociological writings and the latest research on the links between medicine, health and society. Bradby discusses a range of important issues with three main themes: patterns of illness in populations, health and illness in everyday life, and the promise and pitfalls of modern health care systems. Bradby offers insightful analysis as well as synthesis in areas such as inequalities, gender and ethnicity, where she is a leading expert. Throughout the book, Bradby's command of her material is impressive, and expressed in an approachable and lively style. Highly commended - a key work for all students of medical sociology
Mike Bury
Professor Emeritus of Royal Holloway College



The book covers a wide range of topics within sociology and medicine. The book is split into chapters of different subjects, divided into segments with an introduction, critical discussions, a conclusion and references.
I would adopt this book for higher education study. It is a heavy textbook, without diagrams or pictures, these are not needed as the topics in the book are covered clearly and in detail.

Ms lisa oneill
Education, City College Norwich
March 27, 2023

An really interesting medical sociology text which chapters on the sociology of body and pain which I have recommended.

Dr Bethany Simmonds
Social, Historical & Literary Studies, Portsmouth University
August 21, 2016

a good supplemental text that is useful across levels, have recommended as extended reading

Miss Hannah Bethan Miles
HE CARE, Grimsby Institute of HE & FE
August 12, 2015

I have asked the students whom I teach at MSc level to consider reading this book as part of their supplementary reading. It is insightful and gives a public health point of view.

Miss Daljinder Virk
Department of Psychology, Coventry University
April 1, 2014

A really great introduction. Students are provided here with an accessible overview of the key issues in sociology of health and illness. Very well written and an invaluable resource - for students of sociology and social policy, it should also be read by health professionals in their training too.

Dr Sarah Nettleton
Department of Sociology, York University
February 11, 2014

The book is very good, but on inspection is not a good match for the student population on my course (biomedical science students in 3rd year). The book covers key topics we address in the course (eg. relating to the social organisation of medicine, including some sociology of health and illness), but from a more sociological perspective than is taken in other course materials. I also teach (selected sessions) on an MSc Public Health and Health Services Research module 'Health and Society', for which this book is likely to be a good source reference and will consider using this as a supplemental reading in the sessions coming up in March. It would be better suited to this student audience, at Masters level, than to undergrad biomedical science students.

Dr Tracy Finch
Institute of Health & Society, Newcastle University
January 6, 2014

a well written textbook that fills a gap in provision so far for students to appreciate the connections between these fields

Mr Richard Kotter
Dept of Geography, Northumbria University
October 18, 2013

I found this a useful text for student midwives to have an introduction to sociology linked to medicine and health. It is well written and easy to understand and has relevant theories explained within it. The reading lists for each chapter give students further reading around the relevant topics.

Ms Mary Beadle
Department of Nursing & Midwifery, Hull University
April 15, 2013

An interesting, concise textbook which is ideal for students at all three levels, where they are looking for supporting material for their arguments.

Mrs Carolyn Gibbon
School of Health and Postgrad Medicine, University of Central Lancashire
February 21, 2013

Sample Materials & Chapters

Prologue

Chapter Two


For instructors

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