James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2001

SY3010:04

Sociology of Health and Medicine

Townsville, Cairns

Prerequisites: 12 units of level 1 subjects
Inadmissable Subject Combination: SY2010

26 lectures, 24 tutorials. Second semester.

Staff: Mr P Reser (Townsville campus); Dr J Coughlan (Cairns campus).

Subject content as for SY2010.

Learning Objectives:

  1. demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the ways in which health, illness and inequalities in health status are socially constructed;
  2. describe and analyse in detail the relationships between health professionals, patients/consumers, governments, business and other interest groups;
  3. distinguish between and use in a competent sociological manner, various social theories as they are applied to the analysis of health and health care systems;
  4. apply a critical sociological approach to assessment of current issues in the health area.

Assessment by essay/assignment (30%); tutorial presentation/assignment (20%); examination (50%).