Health Sociology

Welcome
Purpose: this Wikibook sets out to create an open, free, and editable introductory e-textbook on the subject of health sociology.

Audience: ISCED level 6 (e.g. Bachelor's) or above students seeking an introduction to health sociology, although everyone is welcome to read and participate with this work.

Scope: this work sets out to provide a top-level overview of topics relating to health sociology. As such, this is not an exhaustive text, but a concise presentation of concepts, ideas, and issues related to health sociology. Efforts to include a variety of relevant materials, from case studies to videos, have been utilised throughout to enhance the project as an e-textbook. A number of sections have further readings to explore beyond this work and links to additional wiki resources.

Format: this e-textbook is a dynamic, rather than static, piece of work. Its content, layout, and direction will alter and be expanded upon as contributors come and go. As such, whilst reading and engaging with the material, if there is something you disagree with, want to flag for review, or you find an error on - you are able to contribute. As a community project, all contributions are made freely and voluntarily and decision making on any aspect will take place collectively. Fact checking, layout, and wider editorial responsibilities fall on all contributors to take part in. If there comes a point in the future where a single record of our work would be beneficial, potentially an archived copy of our contributions can be saved and a new edition can be started. Currently, this e-textbook is written in British English and further language editions may be started in the future. But, this project is a long way off from that and welcomes all interested in health sociology to contribute what they can to this in-development project for future generations to engage with.

Structure: this e-textbook is structured in nine parts. Part one focuses on providing a general overview of what health sociology means, how we "know" health, and key concepts that learners should understand before going into the material. Part two develops upon overarching themes found throughout health and society, exploring issues such as inequality to class. Part three then explores the lived experiences of humans and their health throughout various stages and experiences of living and death. Part four offers insight into the practical considerations of undertaking healthcare activities within society. Part five builds upon these practical insights and examines the social processes and phenomenon that govern these practices. Part six moves to a top-level view of our society to explore wider social influences on our health and wellbeing. Part seven considers the historical social relationships with our health and their ramifications for present and future generations. Part eight then leans on significant theoretical perspectives to frame and contextualise the various insights provided throughout. Part nine ends by discussing the future of our health and society, exploring the importance of democratic activism, technology, and societal wellbeing to the continued development and equity of everyone's health.

Contents
Introduction

Contributors

Part 1: Understanding health and society

Health and society

Theory and "knowing" health

Key concepts

Part 2: Themes of health and society

Inequality, Inequity, Injustice, and Liberation

Intersectionality

Class

Ethnicity

Sex, Sexuality, and Gender

Age

Location

Environment

Genetics

The body and the mind

Part 3: Living within a human lifespan

Sex and Reproduction

Childhood

Teenhood

Adulthood

Relationships

Bodies

Pain

Mental Health

Anxiety, scares, uncertainty, and the unknown

Drugs, usage, and addicition

Chronic Illness

Disability

Sleep

Aging

Death and Dying

Part 4: Doing health in society

Organising care

Institutionalisation

Doctoring

Nursing

Dentistry

Allied health professions

Public health

Health promotion

Lay care

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Palliative care

Deathcare

Part 5: Negotiating health with society

Social construction of health

Medical model

The Professional and the Lay Person

Diagnosis to treatment

Cure finding

Professionalisation

Medicalisation

Pharmaceuticalisation

Geneticisation

Healthcare journeys

Natural disasters

Human disasters

Part 6: Setting the agenda in health and society

Policy

Economics

Politics

Ideology

Capitalism

Consumerism

Neoliberalism

Privatisation

Lobbying

NGOs

Think tanks and research groups

Sceptics and conspiricy theorists

Community groups

Part 7: Histories of health and society

Histories of Healing

Westerncentricism

Empiricism

Mechanical anatomy

Colonialisation

Industrialisation

Globalisation

Part 8: Perspectives of health and society

Bioethics

Feminism

Foucault

Marxism

Political economy

Social constructivism

Planetary health

Queer theory

Part 9: Bettering health and society

Activism

Democratic innovations

Citizenship

Digital information

Technology

Wellbeing

End matter

Glossary