There are no pre-requisites for this module to be added

This module introduces students to Sociology as the study of society and its component parts and how it – and they - function. There is a brief introduction to the history of and main theories associated with the field. The significance of class, gender and ethnicity within societies and studies into them is emphasised.Students are shown how the divides within society may impact on the health and well-being of its different groups of members. They are shown how health may be viewed differently between different groups and they may vary too in the priority they accord steps taken to improve the health of communities through proactive measures to prevent illness and disease. Differences within society can be evidenced through patterns of healthiness or of incidence of illnesses. Cultural differences within societies can also be seen to impact on levels of illness through variations in life-styles.The sociology of health facilitates the placing of humans within wider social, cultural, economic, political and environmental contexts and show how differences within society can be seen to impact both on healthcare provision and its priorities and on the range and seriousness of illnesses that healthcare professional may encounter in their work.

Upon completion of this module you will be able to

LO1: Describe in broad terms the history of Sociology as a field of study and its key theories

LO2: Demonstrate an awareness of the significance of social conditions to the incidence of illness

LO3: Describe how differences in society impact on healthcare provision and measures taken to promote good health and reduce the instances of illness