The Health and Society Reader

The Health and Society Reader: Health and Disease in a Changing Environment provides students with both an introduction to the sociological study of health and disease and a contemporary view of critical issues in the field.





The anthology is divided into seven sections. Sections I and II contain engaging, thought-provoking readings on medical sociology and the social causes of health disparities, including inequality, gender, and veteran status. Section III examines demographic shifts and health, helping readers better understand the relationship between aging and health and migration and healthcare access. In Sections IV and V, students read about family support and mental health, the correlation between religion, stress, and health, doctor-patient interactions, and social capital and health. Closing sections address the impact of neighborhoods on health, medical tourism, global health, and environment, risk, and health.





Featuring informative and accessible articles, The Health and Society Reader is an ideal resource for undergraduate and graduate courses in medical sociology, sociology of health and illness, and social determinants of health. It can be also be used as a supplemental text for courses in psychology, anthropology, nursing, social work, and other health-related fields.

Fernando I. Rivera is a professor of sociology at the University of Central Florida. He holds a Ph.D. and a M.A. in sociology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr. Rivera has established an ongoing research program in the fields of medical sociology/sociology of health, race and ethnicity, and the sociology of disasters.

Hyung Sam Park is an associate lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of Central Florida. He holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Pittsburgh, PA. He has taught courses on health and illness, the environment, social problems, social networks, and quantitative methods.