Sociology of Health and Disease

This course is aimed at students who might be interested in studying Sociology, Healthcare or another related course at degree level.

It begins with students considering different definitions of health and illness in modern society and discussing factors influencing these concepts. ​

We will compare the biomedical and social models of health and illness, evaluating each approach through applying them to case studies and local healthcare settings. We will then consider the impact that social class, ethnicity and gender have on our health and wellbeing, making links to sociological theory to analyse these trends.​

Finally, we will consider the role of social policy in addressing health inequality and propose our own solutions to these issues. ​