The proliferation of technologies and specialties has had a dramatic impact on the organization and delivery of the American medicine. The aim of this course is to provide an introduction to sociological perspectives of health care through the writings of recent theorists, social observers, and researchers. Students will also have opportunity to investigate selected topics of special interest. For a look at the webbed portion of this course, click the following:  Medical Sociology.

Professor:
Dr. Frank Elwell
3 credit hours

• Epidemiology: physical disease, mental illness, stress, environmental hazards.
• Health Care Systems: England, Canada, Japan, Australia.
• Health Care Organizations: hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, HMOs, insurance companies.
• Public Health: local health departments, CDC, EPA, FDA, WHO.
• Health Care Workers: unskilled, nurses, medical technicians, physicians.
• New Technologies: reproductive, transplants, genetic revolution.
• Health Care Reform: quality, costs, distribution, the role of government and the market.