Genesis and evolution of basic analytical categories of medical sociology
Journal Title: Medycyna Ogólna i Nauki o Zdrowiu - Year 2012, Vol 18, Issue 4
Abstract
Introduction: Medical sociology is the first fully developed branch of the social sciences which examines the social aspects of health, illness, and treatment.Objective: To describe the cognitive identity and subject of research of this discipline, taking into consideration changes from a historical perspective.Brief description of the state of knowledge: Medical sociology has developed in a historical perspective in a specific, double frame of reference, on the one hand defined by general sociology as the theoretical and methodological base of medical sociology, and on the other hand, by medicine as the subject of sociological investigations and, moreover, indicating practical problems, the solving of which require the participation of experts in sociology.Conclusions: The double frame of reference of medical sociology has shaped the contemporary formula of the research field of this discipline. It covers an application trend closer to the medical sciences, pursued inter alia in the formula of teaching this subject as part of medical programmes, and in the formula of studies on behavioural medical problems (sociology in medicine), as well as a trend closer to general sociology with a critical leaning, within which social functions of medicine and functions of its formal institutions are analyzed (sociology of medicine). Moreover, contemporary medical sociology conducts research which goes beyond the foregoing classification, inter alia on the social aspects of health, being chronically ill and experiencing illness, on the human body, on non-medical healing systems, and other studies the results of which make up both the knowledge of society (therefore serving sociology), and can be applied in medicine. The specificity of the sociological approach to these problems consists in showing their immersion in a broad socio-cultural context, taking into account connections with the structure of society.Key words: medical sociology, social sciences, sociology in medicine, sociology of medicine
Authors and Affiliations
Michał Skrzypek
Keywords
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