Second Opinion

An Introduction to Health Sociology

Sixth Edition

John Germov

Vignettes at the beginning of each chapter introduce topics and encourage a sociologically reflexive approach.
Doing health sociology' boxes link theory to practice and highlight sociological research and theories for informing health care practice, health policy.
Discussion questions facilitate student engagement and continue the sociological debate.
Increased focus on critical reflection through questions at the end of the 'Case study: Doing Sociology' boxes.

New to this Edition:

The text has been heavily revised to ensure that it is the most up-to-date text covering current and emerging topics in health sociology.
Several new authors have come on board, revising existing chapters to reflect the evolution of health sociology.
New chapters: 11 - Young people's health; 12 The social determinants of Obesity; 18 - Health and Medical Technology.
Case Studies have been refreshed providing updated examples in the current context.
Improved focus on critical reflection by adding questions at the end of the 'Case study: Doing Sociology' boxes.
Readability and student-appeal has been enhanced through a smaller book format.
Updated documentary and film references.

Second Opinion

An Introduction to Health Sociology

Sixth Edition

John Germov

Description

Second Opinion Sixth Edition is an essential text for students of health sociology, introducing students to the theories, concepts and contexts needed to understand the social origins of health and illness. The book covers various sociological theories and perspectives relevant to health, including: the social patterns in the distribution of health and illness, the social construction of health and illness, and the social organisation of health care.

Fully updated and with new chapters on young people's health, the social determinants of obesity and health and medical technology, Second Opinion encourages students to rethink their own pre-conceptions, and adopt a second opinion about how health, illness, and the health care system are by-products of the way a society is organised.

Second Opinion

An Introduction to Health Sociology

Sixth Edition

John Germov

PART ONE: HEALTH SOCIOLOGY AND THE SOCIAL MODEL OF HEALTH
1. Imagining Health Problems as Social Issues
2. Theorising Health: Major Theoretical Perspectives in Health Sociology
3. Well-being and Wellness

PART TWO: THE SOCIAL PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF HEALTH AND ILLNESS
4. Global Public Health
5. The Class Origins of Health Inequality
6. Workplace Health
7. Gendered Health
8. Indigenous Health: The Perpetuation of Inequality
9. Ethnicity, Health and Multiculturalism
10. Rural Health
11. Young People's Health (NEW)

PART THREE: THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF HEALTH AND ILLNESS
12. The Social Origins of Obesity (NEW)
13. The Medicalisation of Deviance
14. Mental Illness: Understandings, Experience and Service Provision
15. The Illness Experience: Lay Perspectives, Disability, and Chronic Illness
16. Drug Use and Abuse in Australia: Social Origins, Impacts and Responses
17. Ageing, Health, and the Demographic Revolution
18. Medical Technology (NEW)
19. Media and Health: Moral Panics, Miracles and Medicalisation

PART FOUR: THE SOCIAL ORGANISATION OF HEALTH CARE: PROFESSIONS, POLITICS AND POLICIES
20. Power, Politics and Health Care
21. Challenges to Medical Dominance
22. The Sociology of Nursing
23. The Sociology of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
24. Jostling for Position: A Sociology of Allied Health
25. A Sociology of Health Promotion
Appendix: Tips on Planning, Writing and Referencing a Sociology Essay
Glossary
Index

Second Opinion

An Introduction to Health Sociology

Sixth Edition

John Germov

Author Information

John Germov, Pro Vice-Chancellor, University of Newcastle (Australia)

John Germov (PhD) is Professor of Sociology and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Education and Arts at the University of Newcastle (Australia). He is the President of the Australasian Council of Deans of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (DASSH), the peak national body on research and teaching in humanities and social sciences. John is a former President of the Australian Sociological Association and served on the Executive of the International Sociological Association.

Contributors:

Helen Belcher is a conjoint lecturer in the School of Humanities and Social Science at The University of Newcastle, Australia.
Melissa-Jane Belle is affiliated with the School of Social Sciences at the University of Tasmania, Australia.
Alex Broom, Professor of Sociology, School of Social Science, University of New South Wales, Australia.
Dorothy Broom, Professor Emerita at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH), Australian National University, Australia.
Caragh Brosnan, Associate Professor, School of Humanities and Social Science, University of Newcastle, Australia.
Julia Coffey, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Science, University of Newcastle, Australia.
Alex Dumas, Associate Professor, Assistant Director, Graduate Studies, UniversitÃ© d'Ottawa, Canada.Â
Maria Freij, Conjoint Senior Lecturer, University of Newcastle; Senior Lecturer, Kristianstad University, Sweden.
Dennis Gray, Professor, Deputy Director of National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Australia.
Daphne Habibis, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania, Australia.
Dr Daniela Heil, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Science, University of Newcastle, Australia.
Clarissa Hughes, Senior Lecturer in Rural Health, Charles Sturt University, Australia.
Roberta Julian, Associate Professor and the founding Director of the Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies at the University of Tasmania, Australia.
Helen Keleher, Managing Director, Keleher Consulting; and Adjunct Professor, Monash University, Australia.
Katherine Kenny, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Social Research in Health, University of New South Wales, Australia.
Tanya Lawlis, Assistant Professor, Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Australia.
Marilyn Poole, Honorary Associate Professor, Deakin University, Australia.
Katy Richmond is a former Senior Lecturer in Sociology and current Honorary Associate at La Trobe University Australia.
Sharyn L. Roach Anleu, Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor, Flinders University, Australia.
Sherry Saggers, Adjunct Professor, National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Australia.
Anne-Marie Sawyer, Lecturer, School of Social Sciences and Communications, La Trobe University, Australia.
Toni Schofield, is a researcher and writer based at the University of New England and the University of Sydney, Australia.
Annalee Stearne, Research Associate, National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Australia.
Lauren Williams, is Professor and Head of Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics at Griffith University, and has honorary professorial appointments at the University of Newcastle and the University of Canberra, Australia.