Sociology of Health

ABOUT THE COURSE: Sociology of Health, being a sub-discipline of Sociology, helps us to understand the world of health, illness, disease, healthcare and medicine through the lenses of socio-cultural and politico-economic processes, institutions and mechanisms. Socio-cultural determinants play very crucial role in ensuring preventive, promotive, rehabilitative and public health in any society. Study of social structure, culture, social groups & social patterns help in understanding differences in health outcome of different groups and necessary for removing inequalities & inequities there. “Health for all” is a global goal and this paper helps in understanding health policies, programmes, missions and national/ international development goals also with special focus on health targets. It also helps in understanding contribution of food, nutrition, sanitation etc in achieving the goal of having a healthy society. This paper has included sixty important topics to be covered in twelves weeks. This course could be opted as a core paper by students of Sociology and as an Elective/Open Elective paper by any other student at UG/PG levelsINTENDED AUDIENCE: Core paper & Elective paper for Undergraduate, Postgraduate & Research students studying Sociology; Social Policy; Gender Studies; Law; B Pharma; Nursing Elective & Open Elective for all students studying at undergraduate or postgraduate level in Social Sciences or in any other faculty Social workers; Policy makers; Health activists; Health/Hospital Management; Nursing; Community Medicine; common educated people who want to understand society & health inter-relationshipPREREQUISITES: No necessary pre-requisite; anybody enrolled in a Sociology course can opt for this as a Core/Elective course if allowed by their course structure; As Elective/Open Elective, it could be used by anybody in any faculty interested in this paper. This course begins with basic understanding required at UG level.INDUSTRY SUPPORT: Any industry/service related to healthcare & public health. Any industry showing interest in CSR in the field of public health, nutrition, sanitation, healthcare of women, children, elderly or at community health level.

Week 1:Sociology of Health: Introduction and Basic Concepts

• Sociology of Health: An Introduction
  
• Sociology of Health: Emergence, Growth and Scope
  
• Basic Concepts in Sociology of Health: Health, Disease, Illness, Sickness, & Medicine
• Diseases: Classification, Prevalence, Causative Agents and Social Factors
• Health and Diseases: Indicators and Socio-Cultural Determinants
  

Week 2:Theoretical Perspectives to Understand Health & Illness

• Biomedical Perspective on Disease, Health and Medicine
  
• Functional Perspective on Health, Illness and Medicine
  
• Marxist (conflict) Perspective on Health, Disease and Medicine
  
• Symbolic Interactionist and Post-structural Perspectives on health, illness and medicine
  
• WHO, Holistic Approach and Cross-Cultural Perspective on Health
  

Week 3:Medical Pluralism & Health Behaviour

• Medical Pluralism and Biomedicine
  
• Traditional Medicine, Complimentary Medicine and WHO
  
• AYUSH: Indian Systems of Medicine
  
• Social Medicine, Community Medicine and Preventive Medicine
  
• Health Behaviour, Healthcare Approaches and Medical Pluralism
  

Week 4:Medicalization & Demedicalization

• Medicalization: An Introduction
• Demedicalization, Medicalization and Emerging Discourses
• Ivan Illich: Iatrogenesis and Medicalization
  
• Michel Foucault on Medicalization
  
• Gender and Medicalization
  

Week 5:Public Health

• Emergence of Public Health in the United Kingdom and the United States
  
• Public Health in India: Definition, Goals and Agencies
  
• Sanitation and Public Health in India
  
• Food, Nutrition and Safe Drinking Water in India
  
• Epidemiology and Social Epidemiology
  

Week 6:MDGs & SDGs: Health Goals and Achievements in India

• Understanding Development: Economic, Social, Human and Sustainable
  
• MDGs: Background, Goals and Health Targets
• MDGs in India: Health Goals, Targets and Achievements
• SDGs: Background, Approach and Health Goals
• SDGs: Other Important Goals Related to Health
  

Week 7:Healthcare Structure & Major Health Programmes in India

• Health Committees and Healthcare in India
  
• Vertical Disease Control Programmes in India
  
• Vaccination and Universal Immunization Programmes in India
• Healthcare Structure and Government Healthcare System in India
• NRHM, NUHM and National Health Mission (NHM)

Week 8:Health Policies in India

• First National Health Policy of India (1983) and Alma Ata Declaration
  
• National Health Policy 2002 of India: Background and Thrust Areas
• National Health Policy 2002 of India: Highlights and Analysis
• National Health Policy 2017 of India: Contexts, Aim, Goals & Objectives
• National Health Policy 2017 of India: Thrusts, Programmes & Other Issues
  

Week 9:Health of Women & Reproductive Health

• Health of Women: Emerging Concerns
  
• Reproductive Health of Women
  
• Maternal Health and Pregnancy Care in India: Concerns and Achievements
• Maternal Health in India: Inter-State Disparity
• Maternal Health in India: Recent Government Programmes
  

Week 10:Health of Children & Vulnerable Groups

• Health of Children in India: Global Initiatives and Major Problems
• Health of Children in India: Disparities and Government Initiatives
• Health of Elderly Population: Global and Indian Scenario
• Persons with Disability (PwD): Perspectives and Issues
• Occupational Health: Major Concerns
  

Week 11:Health Expenditure & Universal Health Coverage (UHC)

• Health Expenditure Patterns (THE, GHE and OOPE) in India
  
• Expenditure on Hospitalization (Public & Private) in India: Major Issues
  
• National Health Accounts (NHA) Estimates for India 2019-20: A Review
  
• Universal Health Coverage (UHC): Definition, Need & Targets
  
• Universal Health Coverage in India: Contexts and Achievements
  

Week 12:Health Inequality and Sociology of Health

• Health Inequality and Inequity: Emerging Challenges
  
• Addressing Health Inequality in India: Trends and Initiatives
• Sources of Health Information in India
• NGOs, People's Participation and Healthcare in India
• IHDI, GII and Other Emerging Issues in Health