Handbook on the Sociology of Health and Medicine

This timely Handbook provides an essential guide to the major topics, perspectives, and scholars in the sociology of health and medicine. Contributors prove the immense value of a sociological understanding of central health and medical concerns, including public health, the COVID-19 pandemic, and new medical technologies. Through critically analysing the wide variety of approaches taken by sociologists of health and medicine, this Handbook explores what makes the field distinctive. Chapters cover the full human life span and review key theoretical viewpoints as well as significant empirical themes, drawing on cutting-edge research. The diverse selection of contributors offer insights into important areas of health and medical development including precision medicine, epidemics and pandemics, data-intensive medicine, AI, neuroscience, and future hospitals. The chapters also examine the implications of COVID-19 across various domains of health, medicine, and healthcare. Covering key questions, debates, and emerging perspectives, this Handbook will be an invaluable resource for students and scholars in sociology, public health, and science and technology studies. It will also be an important guide for policymakers and practitioners seeking to develop effective health policies and programs. Front Matter Copyright Contents Figures Tables Contributors Acknowledgements 1. Introduction to the Handbook on the Sociology of Health and Medicine Part I Major theoretical influences and perspectives 2. Constructing the boundaries of health sociology 3. Critical theories in sociologies of health and medicine 4. New materialist perspectives on health, illness and health care 5. Sociologies of health and gender 6. Biomedicalisation revisited: concepts and practices 7. Health inequalities 8. Illness narratives: from analysis to answerability Part II Significant empirical research themes 9. Young people and the sociology of chronic illness: meanings, management and consequences 10. The sociology of mental health and illness 11. Pharmaceuticalisation: origins, drivers and new developments 12. Sociological approaches to the gendering of emotions in health and illness 13. Sociology of the medical profession and para-professions 14. Health, society and social suffering 15. Sociologies of food and eating 16. Diagnosis 17. The media politics of health, illness and healthcare 18. The sociology of bioethics 19. Antimicrobial resistance: discourse, practice and relating 20. Sociologies of public health and health promotion 21. Risk and health 22. Ageing 23. Racism and racialisation in healthcare settings 24. Disability and the sociology of health and illness 25. Sociology of the pregnant and birthing body 26. Sleep, health and medicine: sociological agendas 27. Sociological contributions to the study of death in health and medicine Part III Emerging topics and perspectives 28. Sociologies of precision medicine 29. The sociology of epidemics and pandemics 30. Data-intensive medicine 31. Artificial intelligence for long-term care in later life 32. Digital health: practices and infrastructures 33. Neuroscience, novelty, and the sociology of the brain 34. Hospitals of the future Index