The Sociology of Health and Medicine

* An up--to--date and exciting textbook that discusses new developments in the sociology of health and illness, including race, gender and class* A comprehensive book that covers all the current and traditional topics in the subject. .

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In this exciting introduction to the sociology of health and medicine, Annandale examines the core issues of the discipline and reassesses them in the light of recent developments in health care and social theory. The Sociology of Health and Medicine considers the way in which recent economic and social change has generated new issues and necessitated a re--evaluation of the traditional concerns in the field of health, illness and health care. Annandale examines how theoretical and methodological developments in social theory -- such as post--structuralism and revisions to Marxist, feminist and symbolic interactionist thought -- has led to new thinking in a number of areas. These include the processes linking "race", gender and class to health and illness, the sociology of the health service and the division of labour within it, and the experience of health and health care. Through a discussion of both traditional and new topics in the field, this book offers a wide--ranging and up--to--date assessment of the state of the sociology of health, illness and health care. The result is an innovative text that both reflects and advances changes in the discipline.