SOC 238 SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH

Health is often viewed only as an individual trait arising from lifestyle choices and individual physiology. Health, however, is a product of persistent social processes within society at the micro, meso, and macro levels. The social structure – social institutions and systems of inequalities – affect health, the prevalence of illness among groups, the availability and acceptance of treatment, and the functioning of the health care delivery system. Students in this class will explore the social construction of health, illness, and healing; the sociological theories of health and illness; research methodology and health data; human experiences with disease and illness; the medical profession and practice; and the health industry.