An Introduction to the Sociology of Health and Illness

Citation

(2002), "An Introduction to the Sociology of Health and Illness", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 15 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2002.06215dae.005

An Introduction to the Sociology of Health and Illness

An Introduction to the Sociology of Health and Illness

K. WhiteSage Publications2002ISBN 0 761 96399 5 (Cloth) ISBN 0 761 96400 2 (Paper)

The main purpose of this book is to demonstrate that disease is socially produced and distributed. Becoming sick and unhealthy is not the result of individual misfortune or an accident of nature. It is a consequence of the social, political and economic organisation of society. In developing this thesis, the author systematically introduces students to the major sociological explanations of the role and functions of medical explanations of disease. The book situates the student securely in the literature and provides a guide to the strengths and weaknesses of the major sociological approaches. It draws out the essential features of the major sociological contributions and elucidates how an appreciation of the dynamics of class, gender, ethnicity and the sociology of knowledge challenges medical power.