PT|EN
Sociology of Health
Courses Degree in Social Sciences
Cod: 41120
Department: DCSG
ECTS: 6
Scientific area: Sociology
Total working hours: 156
Total contact time: 15

This course aims to understand health and disease as cultural and social constructions. The learning process goes through the analysis of the roles and the social logic of institutions linked to the illness. The relationship between health and society is analyzed through theoretical perspectives on social inequalities in illness and health and through the framing of subjective experiences of individual health and disease in the cultural and social context. The theoretical approach is rooted in sociological and anthropological studies and is complemented with practical examples.

Health, Society and Culture
Medical Institution
Social inequalities in health
lay rationalities of health and illness

In accordance with the objectives, it is intended that at the end of this Course, the student has acquired the following competencies:
 - Interpret and analyze sociologically health and disease, health organizations, health-care systems and a plurality of rationalities, etc.;
 - Understanding health / disease as social and cultural fact;
 - Analyse medicine as a social institution;
 - Reflect critically about data on health and disease;
 - Understand the attitudes and behaviours of health and illness in social and cultural context.

Concepts of health and disease
Medicine as a modern institution
Health Policy
Social inequalities in health
Life Experiences with Health and Disease/ The cultural context in relation to health / disease
Popular knowledge as a cultural system and Lay Rationalities

ALVES, Fátima (Org); Silva, Luisa; Fontes, Breno; Luz, Madel Terezinha (Coord). (2013). Saúde Medicina e Sociedade: uma visão Sociológica. Lisboa: Pactor, Lidel.
Carapinheiro, Graça; Correia, Tiago (Org) (2015), Novos Temas da Saúde, Novas Questões Sociais, Lisboa: Mundos Sociais
ALVES, F. A doença mental nem sempre é doença – racionalidades leigas sobre saúde e doença mental. Porto: Edições Afrontamento, 2011.
CARAPINHEIRO, G. (1993). Saberes e Poderes no Hospital: Uma Sociologia dos serviços Hospitalares. Porto: Edições Afrontamento
ROSA, Rosário; Alves, Fátima; Ferreira da Silva; Luisa (2011). Protagonismos alternativos em saúde – contexto teórico de uma pesquisa compreensiva. In RECIIS – R. Eletr. de Com. Inf. Inov. Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, v5, n.4, Dez., [www.reciis.icict.fiocruz.br] e-ISSN 1981-6278  DOI:10.3395/reciis.v5i4.554pt
Consult Other bibliography in the virtual class.

Continuous assessment is privileged: 2 digital written documents (e-folios) during the semester (40%) and a final digital test, Global e-folio (e-folio G) at the end of the semester (60%). In due time, students can alternatively choose to perform one final exam (100%).

It is crucial that students consult frequently the couse in:
http://elearning.uab.pt