Sociology of Health and Illness

There are several approaches to understand health like the Biomedical, Psychological, Ecological and the Sociological approach. The Sociological approach to health asserts that health is a result of social and cultural practices of a society. This MOOC on Sociology of Health and Illness intends to map the complex relationship between structural factors and personal choice in relation to health inequalities. The course focuses on understanding the role of society towards health, health care practices, health care institutions and organisations; the actions and interactions of medical health professionals and its impact on the experiences of the patients.

Weeks

Modules

Week 1

Module 1: A Brief Introduction to Sociology of Health and Illness

Unit 1: Concept of Health, Origin and Development of Sociology of Health and Illness

Unit 2: Meaning of illness/disease, socio-cultural interpretation of disease, illness and identity

Unit 3: Disease poverty and colonialism in India

Week 2

Module 2: Basic Concepts

Unit 4: Medicalisation and demedicalisation and Illness Narrative,

Unit 5- Medical Pluralism

Unit 6- Social Epidemiology

Week 3

Module 3: Theoretical Perspectives to understand health

Unit 7: Functionalist Perspective

Unit 8: Marxist Perspective

Unit 9: Postmodern perspective

Week 4

Module 4: Social Inequality and Health

Unit 10: Equity and inequity in health

Unit 11: Globalisation of health and disease

Unit 12: Medical tourism in globalized world

Week 5

Module 5: Gender and Health

Unit 13: Meaning of Gender; Gender and Health,

Unit 14: Nutrition, Gender and tribe

Unit 15: Social Control of Body

Unit 16: Transgender and Health

Week 6

Module 6: Public Health

Unit 17: Meaning and emergence of the concept of Public health

Unit 18: Meaning of Community Health

Unit 19: Community Health Problems in India and strategies to deal it.

Week 7

Module 7: State and Health

Unit 20: Health as a fundamental right

Unit 21: The concept of Biopolitics

Unit 22: Health Policies of India after Independence

Week 8

Module 8: Understanding Social work Practise

Unit 23: Introduction to Social Work

Unit 24: Basic Concepts related to Social Work

Unit 25: Historical Development of Social Work

Unit 26: Code of Ethics

Week 9

Module 9: Health Care Institution

Unit 27- Meaning of Social Organisation

Unit 28- Hospital as social organization and medicine as a profession

Unit 29- Understanding medical social work

Week 10

Module 10: Social work Practice with communities

Unit 30: Understanding Community

Unit 31: Methods of community organisation

Unit 32: Role of community Practitioner

Unit 33: Community Organisation in tribal social system and vulnerable communities

Week 11

Module 11: Understanding Mental Health

Unit- 34: Concept of Mental Health

Unit- 35: Social Work in Mental Health

Unit- 36: Various settings of medical and Psychiatric work

Unit -37: Role of Medical Social workers, various settings in medical social work

Week 12

Module 12: Understanding Disabilities and the Role of Social worker

Unit 38: Meaning of Disability

Unit 39: Various approaches to understand disability

Unit 40: Families with persons with disability

Unit 41: Rehabilitation of Persons with disability

Unit 42: Role of Social workers while working with PWD