Second Opinion An Introduction to Health Sociology

Second Opinion, Sixth Edition, is an essential text for students of health sociology, introducing students to the theories, concepts, and contexts needed to understand the social origins of health and illness. The book covers various sociological theories and perspectives relevant to health, including: the social patterns in the distribution of health and illness, the social construction of health and illness, and the social organization of health care.

Now fully updated, this sixth edition features new chapters on young people's health, the social determinants of obesity and health, and medical technology. Second Opinion encourages students to rethink their own pre-conceptions and adopt a second opinion about how health, illness, and the health care system are by-products of the way a society is organized.

John Germov is Professor of Sociology and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Education and Arts at the University of Newcastle, Australia. He is the President of the Australasian Council of Deans of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities (DASSH), the peak national body on research and teaching in humanities and social sciences. John is a former President of the Australian Sociological Association and served on the Executive of the International Sociological Association.