Sociology of Health and Illness

This book brings together perspectives from social science, health-care and pastoral theology, looking at the way death is handled in contemporary society and the sensitive ethical and practical dilemmas facing nurses, social workers, doctors and chaplains.

This topical and authoritative book examines how the regulation of doctors has been modernised by the introduction of the quality assurance process medical revalidation. In doing so, it questions if there indeed is evidence to support the argument that revalidation serves the public interest by ensuring individual doctors are fit to practice.

Bringing together leading academics worldwide, this collection compares and critically examines the ways in which different countries are regulating healthcare in general, and health professions in particular, in the interest of users and the wider public.

Addressing urgent challenges and debates in trans health, this book interweaves patient voices with social theory and autobiography, offering an innovative look at how shifting language, patient mistrust, waiting lists and professional power shape clinical encounters, and exploring what a better future might look like for trans patients.

This edited collection brings together international academics, policy makers and practitioners to examine the social and cultural contexts of breastfeeding and looks at how policy and practice can apply this to women’s experiences.

Based on ethnographic research conducted over a year, this book tells the story of twelve people, each living with illness. Focusing on everyday life, it explores ideas of care, vulnerability and choice. Juxtaposing text with illustrations, the book highlights the intimacies of visual sociology and demonstrates the value of sensuous scholarship.

This book critiques the popular claim that ‘more information’ equates to ‘better health’ and explores the potential challenges related to people’s changing relationships with traditional health systems as access to, and control over data shifts.

Offering important nuances and crucial insights into diverse gender identities and trans-related healthcare inequalities, this ground-breaking research marks an important contribution to the wider fields of gender studies, LGBTQ scholarship and medical policy.

This book provides accessible insights into pressing social problems in the United States in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and proposes public policy responses for victims and justice, precarious populations, employment dilemmas and health and well-being.

This crucial contemporary study reviews the evolving role of local authorities in health, social care and wellbeing. Health and policy experts survey disparities across Britain, share case studies of strategies and consider authorities’ interaction with local and central government.

Published with SSSP, this book addresses the greatest social challenges facing the world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors propose public policy solutions to help refugees, migrant workers, victims of human trafficking, indigenous populations and the invisible poor of the Global South.

Critical realism helps researchers to extend and clarify their analyses. This original text draws on international examples of health and illness research across the life course, from small studies to large trials, to show how versatile critical realism can be in validating research and connecting it to policy and practice.