Dr. Frank Elwell
E-Mail: felwell at rsu.edu

Required Texts:
Peter Freund and Meredith McGuire, 1999, Health, Illness, and the Social Body: A Critical Sociology, Third Edition, Prentice Hall: New Jersey

Catalog Description:
An examination of sociological perspectives on systems of medical care; particular emphasis will be placed upon the structure and organization of health care institutions and societal response to problems of illness and disease. Prerequisite: six hours of social science.

Course Objectives:
The aim of the course is to provide an introduction to sociological perspectives of medicine through an analysis of the writings of recent theorists, social observers, and researchers. We will investigate such topics as Epidemiology, medicalization, the organization of medical care, new technologies, and health care reform.

Course Organization:
Class time will be divided among (a) lecturing (about a 15 minute review of presentations beginning many class periods); (b) guest lectures; (c) video presentations; (d) student discussion and debate.

Grading:
There will be a mid-term and a final exam.  The mid-term will consist of both short answer (about 10) and essays (say 4 out of 5) and cover the first three units (see below).  The final exam will be in the same format and will be comprehensive.  In addition, you are required to participate in the Medical Sociology Forum.  The weight of the grades will be as follows:

	1/3 mid-term exam
	1/3 forum participation
	1/3 final-exam

Course Outline:
The table contains the overall topic organization and links to the lecture notes, as well as chapter assignments for each of the topics covered.  You will receive the sign-on and password to access the lecture notes when you sign up for the class list serve (see index page).
 
 

Unit:	Topics:	Presentations:	Readings:
1) Epidemiology	disease stress and illness superbugs access to care ebola/lassa fever Aids	Introduction Medical Sociology Measures of Health Access Stress and Health Superbugs	Chapter 1-4
2) Medicalization of society	social support sick role deviance mental illness chronic illness and disability alternative healing	Mental Illness and OK Law The Myth of Mental Illness	Chapters 5-8
3) Health Care Systems	England Canada Japan Sweden	Health Care in Japan Health Care in Sweden U.S. Fee for Service
Midterm Exam
4) Health Care Organizations I	hospitals nursing homes AMA insurance companies pharmaceutical companies HMOs Public Health	Social Control of Medicine Physicians and Profit Hospitals Today Nursing Homes Health Care Costs Uninsured Americans	Chapter 9
5) New Technologies	reproductive transplants genetic revolution  and bioethics	Animal Transplants Medical Technology	Chapter 10
6) Health Care Organizations II	physicians hospitals labor medical Supplies pharmaceuticals surgery	The AMA and Pharmaceuticals The Coming of the Corporations Physicians and the Corporations Controlling Hospital Costs	Chapter 11
7) Health Care Reform	quality costs access government and the market	The Iron Triangle Issues of the '90s Tertiary and Primary Care A Cultural Affair	Chapter 12
Final Exam