Understanding the Sociology of Health

This text provides an overview of the sociological understanding of health. The first part of the book is devoted to overviews of sociological theory and sociological research, and discussion of concepts of health and medicine, medical power and knowledge, and challenging medical dominance. The second section examines key issues in the field, such as class, ethnicity, gender, mental health, chronic illness and disability, and health across the life course. The third section of the book looks at practice contexts, with chapters on institutional care, health care policy in the UK, and class and exercise. The text includes summary points, case studies, discussion questions, and an extensive glossary, plus b&w photos, charts, and summary tables. The companion website offers journal articles and podcasts for students, and lecture slides for teachers. Barry is a research consultant. Yuill teaches at Robert Gordon University, UK. Annotation Ac2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)