Health, Illness, and Medicine in Canada

by Juanne Nancarrow Clarke

A well-written, student friendly text, Health, Illness and Medicine in Canada provides students with insight into the issues surrounding the sociology of health, illness and medicine in Canada. Part one addresses the major sociological approaches of structural functionalism, symbolic interactionism, feminist theory, and conflict theory. Part two shifts focus to more immediate issues relating to sociology of health and medicine - social inequity, disease, and death, while taking a first-hand look at the experience of being ill. This section also features a unique case study on women and cancer. Part three of the text is devoted to the sociology of medicine, and takes an extensive look at pertinent issues such as social constructs of scientific and medical knowledge and medical practice, medicalization, the medical profession, the roles of nurses and midwives in a changing health-care system, complementary and alternative medicine, and the medical-industrial complex.

Genres: Textbooks, Medicine

446 pages, Paperback

First published June 4, 1990

Reviews

[Celina Del Vecchio · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first time taking a soc class and I was so scared (still am tbh) but content was interesting when we actually got into the health and illness aspect of it all. It was very similar to content that I’ve already learned; however, there were some interesting facts and stats that I was unaware of. I did learn a lot, which I appreciated.

All the sociological theories and perspectives were boring to me but I also am just not that type of thinker. Also learning theory is objectively never interesting sooo I digress 🙂‍↕️

Overall, I think my horizons have been broadened and I’m glad I did something that was outside my comfort zone :)

[Kevin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this textbook to be very biased and that it quite often used unscholarly sources as evidence towards a point. I also found the layout to be very dense and that the information was not always broken down in a flowing manner.

[Midia · Rating 5 out of 5]

as a student, I found this book very very helpful in the sociology and health sciences. It does not only provide information but also support it with real data and research. Good book if you want any help or research in health, medicine, women in medicine and social aspect of medicine.