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2013-14 Undergraduate Catalog

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Sociology Courses

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SOC 3090 Social and Ethical Issues in Health and Medicine (3 credits)

Examines social and ethical issues related to the practice of medicine. Students develop an understanding of the sociological causes of illness, the medicalization of society, and the values and assumptions of those who define and deliver medical care in society. Today people point to the fact that we are experiencing a crisis in health care in the U.S. Costs have skyrocketed, access to primary care is inequitable, infant mortality rates remain high, public accountability problems persist, and we continue to emphasize medical care over and above health care. Sociological interpretations raise questions about these issues, and point to the ways in which society continues to produce disease and illness. As these topics are explored through the sociological lens, the complex ethical dilemmas associated with medical understandings and possible alternatives that emphasize health are identified. Liberal Education Goal Area 9.
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