The Sociology of Health, Healing, and Illness

by Weiss, Gregory L.; Lonnquist, Lynne E.

• ISBN13: 9780130981370
• ISBN10: 0130981370
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-01-01
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Summary

Designed to reflect important changes in health care and significant advancements in medical sociology, this reader-friendly book provides a readable, interesting, and in-depth overview of the field. It offers solid coverage of traditional topics with a keen focus on the current issues and public policy debates affecting this dynamic area of study. The volume offers perspectives on the sociology of health, healing, and illness, the influence of the social environment on health and illness, health and illness behavior, health care practitioners and their relationships with patients and a look at the social implications of health care technology and comparative health care systems. For individuals looking for an appreciation for how the sociological perspective and social theory contribute to health, healing and illness.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Part I Perspectives on the Sociology of Health, Healing, and Illness
A Brief Introduction to the Sociology of Health, Healing, and Illness	1	(11)
Definition of Medical Sociology	1	(1)
Historical Development of Medical Sociology	2	(4)
Sociology's Contribution to Understanding Health, Healing, and Illness	6	(3)
The Role of the Medical Sociologist in the Twenty-First Century	9	(1)
Summary	10	(1)
Health on the Internet	10	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	10	(1)
Discussion Question	11	(1)
References	11	(1)
The Development of Scientific Medicine	12	(22)
A Brief History of Medicine	13	(1)
Early Humans	13	(1)
The Egyptian Civilization	14	(1)
Greek and Roman Societies	14	(4)
The Medieval Era	18	(1)
Medicine in the Renaissance	19	(1)
Medicine from 1600 to 1900	20	(3)
The Ascendancy of Medical Authority in America	23	(6)
Perspectives on the Ascendancy of Medical Authority	29	(2)
Summary	31	(1)
Health on the Internet	32	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	32	(1)
Discussion Question	32	(1)
References	33	(1)
Part II The Influence of the Social Environment on Health and Illness
Social Epidemiology	34	(24)
The Work of the Epidemiologist	34	(2)
The Epidemiological Transition	36	(1)
Life Expectancy and Mortality	37	(5)
Infant Mortality	42	(4)
Maternal Mortality	46	(2)
Morbidity	48	(5)
Disability	53	(1)
Summary	54	(1)
Health on the Internet	54	(1)
Key Concept and terms	55	(1)
Discussion Case	55	(1)
References	56	(2)
Society Disease, and Illness	58	(27)
The Interrelationship of Fundamental Causes and Proximate Risk Factors: The Case of Developing Countries	60	(1)
The Influence of Genetic Transmission on Disease and Illness	61	(1)
Cardiovascular Diseases	62	(5)
Cancer	67	(6)
HIV/AIDS	73	(4)
Alzheimer's Disease	77	(1)
Mental Illness	78	(3)
Summary	81	(1)
Health on the Internet	81	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	82	(1)
Discussion Case	82	(1)
References	83	(2)
Social Stress	85	(22)
Definition of Stress	85	(1)
Historical Development of the Stress Concept	85	(1)
A Model of Social Stress	86	(1)
Stressors	87	(6)
Appraisal of Stressors	93	(1)
Mediators of Stress: Coping and Social Support	94	(3)
Stress Outcomes	97	(1)
The Role of Social Class, Race, and Gender in Social Stress	98	(5)
Summary	103	(1)
Health on the Internet	103	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	104	(1)
Discussion Cases	104	(1)
References	105	(2)
Part III Health and Illness Behavior
Health Behavior	107	(19)
The Concept of Health	107	(2)
Health Behavior	109	(1)
Describing Individual Health Behaviors	109	(7)
Explaining Health Behavior	116	(6)
Summary	122	(1)
Health on the Internet	123	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	123	(1)
Discussion Cases	123	(1)
References	124	(2)
Experiencing Illness and Disability	126	(24)
Stages of Illness Experience	126	(1)
Stage 1: Symptom Experience	126	(3)
Stage 2: Assumption of the Sick Role; Illness as Deviance	129	(5)
Stage 3: Medical Care Contact/Self-Care	134	(8)
Stage 4: Dependent-Patient Role	142	(1)
Stage 5: Recovery and Rehabilitation	142	(1)
Experiencing Chronic Illness, Impairment, and Disability	143	(3)
Summary	146	(1)
Health on the Internet	147	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	147	(1)
Discussion Question	148	(1)
References	148	(2)
Part IV Health Care Practitioners and Their Relationship with Patients
Physicians and the Profession of Medicine	150	(25)
The Profession of Medicine	150	(6)
The Social Control of Medicine	156	(6)
The Number, Composition, and Distribution of Physicians in the United States	162	(3)
Female Physicians	165	(3)
Physician Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction	168	(2)
Physician Impairment: Stresses and Strains of the Physician Role	170	(1)
Summary	170	(1)
Health on the Internet	171	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	171	(1)
Discussion Case	172	(1)
References	172	(3)
Medical Education and the Socialization of Physicians	175	(21)
The History of Medical Education	175	(2)
Modern Medical Education	177	(7)
The Medical School Experience: Attitude and Value Acquisition	184	(3)
The Medical School Experience: Stress	187	(3)
The Medical School Experience: Career Choices	190	(1)
Future Directions in U.S. Medical Education	191	(1)
Summary	192	(1)
Health on the Internet	193	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	193	(1)
Discussion Case	193	(1)
References	194	(2)
Nurses, Mid-Level Health Care Practitioners, and Allied Health Workers	196	(23)
Evolution of Nonphysician Health Care Practitioners	196	(3)
Nurses and the Field of Nursing	199	(8)
Mid-Level Health Care Practitioners	207	(2)
Allied Health Workers	209	(1)
The Health Care Team	210	(2)
Relationships among Health Care Workers	212	(3)
The Changing Environment among Health Care Workers	215	(1)
Summary	216	(1)
Health on the Internet	216	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	216	(1)
Discussion Question	217	(1)
References	217	(2)
Complementary and Alternative Medicine	219	(26)
The Meaning of Complementary and Alternative Medicine	219	(1)
Scientific Medicine and Alternative Healing	220	(1)
Complementary and Alternative Healers	221	(2)
Chiropractic	223	(5)
Acupuncture	228	(3)
Spiritual Healing and Christian Science	231	(5)
Ethnic Folk Healing	236	(4)
Summary	240	(1)
Health on the Internet	241	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	241	(1)
Discussion Case	241	(1)
References	242	(3)
The Physician-Patient Relationship: Background and Models	245	(25)
Models of the Physician-Patient Relationship	245	(2)
Key Dimensions of the Physician-Patient Relationship	247	(9)
The Influence of Social Class, Race, and Symptomology on the Physician-Patient Relationship	256	(1)
The Influence of Gender on the Physician-Patient Relationship	257	(4)
Patient Satisfaction with Physicians	261	(2)
Patient Compliance with Medical Regimens	263	(2)
Summary	265	(1)
Health on the Internet	265	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	265	(1)
Discussion Case	266	(1)
References	266	(4)
Professional and Ethical Obligations of Physicians in the Physician-Patient Relationship	270	(19)
Truth-telling as an Issue	270	(4)
Confidentiality as an Issue	274	(4)
Obligation to Treat AIDS Patients	278	(6)
Summary	284	(1)
Health on the Internet	285	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	285	(1)
Discussion Cases	285	(1)
References	286	(3)
Part V The Health Care System
The Health Care System of the United States	289	(25)
Health Care Expenditures	289	(3)
Financing Health Care	292	(4)
America's Uninsured Population	296	(1)
Explaining the High Cost of Health Care	297	(5)
Cost Containment: DRGs, Rationing, and Managed Care	302	(6)
The Politics of Health Care Reform	308	(3)
Summary	311	(1)
Health on the Internet	311	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	311	(1)
Discussion Cases	312	(1)
References	312	(2)
Health Care delivery	314	(22)
The Emergence of Freestanding Ambulatory Care Sites	314	(3)
The Flourishing of Managed Care Organizations: HMOs and PPOs	317	(4)
Emergence of the Modern Hospital	321	(11)
Home Health Care	332	(1)
Summary	333	(1)
Health on the Internet	333	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	333	(1)
Discussion Case	334	(1)
References	334	(2)
The Social Implications of Advanced Health Care Technology	336	(27)
Societal Control of Technology	336	(1)
Health Care Technology	337	(5)
The Right to Refuse or Demand Advanced Health Care Technology	342	(8)
Organ Donation and Transplantation	350	(5)
New Reproductive Technologies	355	(4)
Summary	359	(1)
Health on the Internet	360	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	360	(1)
Discussion Case	360	(1)
References	361	(2)
Comparative Health Care Systems	363	(23)
Major Influences on Health Care Systems	363	(2)
Health Care Services in Developing and Industrialized Countries	365	(1)
Types of Health Care Systems	366	(2)
China	368	(3)
Russia	371	(3)
Canada	374	(5)
Great Britain	379	(3)
Common Challenges to Health Care Systems around the World	382	(1)
Summary	382	(1)
Health on the Internet	383	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	383	(1)
Discussion Questions	383	(1)
References	384	(2)
Photo Credits	386	(1)
Name Index	387	(9)
Subject Index	396

Excerpts

We are living through a time of dynamic changes regarding disease and illness, health- and illnessrelated behaviors, the health care professions, and the health care systems in the United States and other countries. The fourth edition of this text has been written to update our description and analysis of these dynamic processes and the work of medical sociologists that help us to understand them. In preparing this fourth edition we have sought to retain and strengthen the emphases and features of the earlier editions; to thoroughly update patterns, trends, and statistics; and to present new material that reflects important changes in health care in society and important advancements in medical sociology. KEY EMPHASES WITHIN THE TEXT This edition of the text maintains the same five emphases as the earlier editions.First, we provide broad coverage of the traditional subject matter of medical sociology and include both new perspectives and new research findings on this material.The core areas of medical sociology (the influence of the social environment on health and illness, health and illness behavior, health care practitioners and their relationships to patients, and the health care system) all receive significant attention within the text. Naturally, statistics throughout the text have been updated to provide timely analysis of patterns and trends. Recent research findings and thought have been incorporated in every chapter. Attention devoted to relatively new areas in the field has not reduced coverage of traditional areas such as social stress, illness behavior, and the physician-patient relationship. Second, we have continued to emphasize emerging areas of analysis in medical sociology and recent work within the field.Recent health care reform efforts in both the public and private domains continue to have dramatic effects on almost every aspect of health care. We describe these effects on the profession of medicine (Chapter 8); medical education (Chapter 9); the status of nurses, mid-level health care practitioners, and alternative healers (Chapters 10 and 11); the physician-patient relationship (Chapter 12); the way that we pay for care (Chapter 14); and the sites at which we receive health care (Chapter 15). We also continue to incorporate key medical ethics issues throughout the text. These issues represent some of the most important health related debates occurring in the United States today, and many medical sociologists have acknowledged the importance of understanding these policy debates and setting them within a sociological context. We have attempted to provide balanced and comprehensive coverage of several of these issues (especially in Chapters 13 and 16 and in the Discussion Questions and Cases at the ends of chapters). This fourth edition also provides extended analysis of a wide range of topics including: Expanded focus on global perspective.Material on both developing and industrialized countries has been added to the text in several chapters. In addition, each chapter includes a new feature, "In Comparative Focus," that offers an informative comparison between the United States and one or more other countries on a selected topic. For example, infant mortality in developing countries (with a focus on Pakistan) is examined in Chapter 3; the provision of prenatal care in Western Europe is examined in Chapter 4; the status of female physicians in Mexico is examined in Chapter 8; the extent of truth-telling in the physician-patient relationship in Japan is examined in Chapter 13; and the exportation of managed care to Latin America is examined in Chapter 15. Extended coverage of health issues of children and adolescents. A reworking (and retitling) of Chapter 4 to extend coverage on experiencing chronic illness and disability. Extended coverage of the effects of the Human Ge