Undergraduate Course: Mapping Health and Illness Across Societies (SHSS08001)
Course Outline
School | School of Health in Social Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
Summary | This course will introduce students to the social nature of health and illness, and to different models that inform aspects of our understanding of health phenomena. |
Course description |
This course will introduce students to the social nature of health and illness, and to different models that inform aspects of our understanding of health phenomena. The varying experience of social groups according to demographic and economic patterning will be viewed through a global perspective alongside the changing profile of health and illness.
The first four weeks will approach this through mapping occurrences of health and illness geographically on a global view, and through conceptual mapping to provide theoretical resources through which to begin to understand and explore what may underlie global variation. In the remaining 6 weeks social patterning of health and illness in contemporary society, and the experience of health inequalities and social exclusion will be explored with a focus on wealth/poverty, ethnicity, age, and gender.
The main sociological perspectives and theoretical approaches to the sociology of health and medicine will be introduced and students will gain understanding of differing explanatory frameworks.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisites | None |
High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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Academic year 2021/22, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
166 )
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Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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Additional Information (Assessment) |
Essay (40%)
Response paper (60%)
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Feedback |
Formative feedback is given on a short written assignment to be discussed in tutorial.
Summative feedback is given via Learn on the essay and response paper as detailed above. |
No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand the different models of health and illness and their social significance
- Develop critical awareness of the social determinants of health and how they impact on communities and social groups
- Begin to develop familiarity with the key theoretical approaches in the sociology of health and illness
- Demonstrate ability to appreciate, compare and contrast differing explanatory frameworks
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Reading List
Blaxter, M. (2010) Health. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Cockerham, W.C. (ed.) (2010) The New Blackwell Companion to Medical Sociology. Oxford; Malden: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Cockerham, W.C. (2012) Social Causes of Health and Disease. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Marmot, M. (2004) Status Syndrome. London: Bloomsbury.
Warwick-Booth, L., Cross, R. And Lowcock, D. (2012) Contemporary Health Studies: An Introduction. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Wilkinson, R. and Pickett, K. (2010) The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone. London; New York: Penguin.
White, K. (2008) An Introduction to the Sociology of Health and Illness. London: Sage.
"See the Talis Aspire reading list for this course at: http://resourcelists.ed.ac.uk/lists/E8E2B793-AA8F-C67F-1814-B8A7B0A54F4E.html" |
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills |
-A broad knowledge of a range of factors that impact health including biological, social, cultural and ecological ones
-An appreciation for regional differences in health factors and health outcomes
-The ability to critically engage with a range of models of health
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Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
Course organiser | Dr Alette Willis
Tel: (0131 6)50 3881
Email: a.willis@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Anna Pecka
Tel: (0131 6)51 2139
Email: Anna.Pecka@ed.ac.uk |
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