SY2010 - Sociology of Health and Medicine

[Offered in odd-numbered years]

Credit points:	03
Year:	2011
Student Contribution Band:	Band 1
Administered by:	School of Arts & Social Sciences

This subject concentrates on health, illness and the health care system in Australia and draws on comparative material from other industrialised societies and Third World countries. Selected sociological theories on health and illness are used to examine topic areas, such as the meaning and measurement of health and illness, health status of different social groups, the health professions, the bio-medical model, the health care system, socio-political influences on health, and the relationships between patients, healthcare providers and the wider society.

Learning Outcomes

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

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to adapt knowledge to new situations;
• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments, and to reason and deploy evidence clearly and logically;
• The ability to find and access information using appropriate media and technologies;
• The ability to evaluate that information;
• The ability to select and organise information and to communicate it accurately, cogently, coherently, creatively and ethically;
• The acquisition of coherent and disciplined sets of skills, knowledge, values and professional ethics from at least one discipline area;
• The ability to work with people of different gender, age, ethnicity, culture, religion and political persuasion.

Assumed Knowledge:	To undertake this subject, students must have successfully completed 12 credit points (four subjects) of level 1 study at tertiary level
Inadmissible Subject Combinations:	SY3010

Availabilities
Cairns, Internal, Study Period 2
Census Date 25-Aug-2011
Coord/Lect:	Dr James Coughlan.
Contact hours:	26 hours lectures 12 hours tutorials
Assessment:	other exams (50%); presentations (20%); assignments (30%).
External, Study Period 2
Census Date 25-Aug-2011
Coord/Lect:	Dr James Coughlan.
Contact hours:	1 hours - Electronic communication. Email and discussion Board participation via LearnJCU.
Method of Delivery:	WWW - LearnJCU
Assessment:	essays (40%); assignments (60%).

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.