The Sociology of Health, Healing and Illness

Covering traditional topics and emerging trends in medical sociology, this text includes: medical ethics, AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, alternative healers, the health system, the history of medicine and the role of technology. Matters of gender, race and social class are emphasized. It also discusses questions of social and public policy such as health-care financing, for-profit medicine, doctor-assisted suicide, organ-donation policy and surrogate motherhood.