Description
Book SynopsisThis volume contains papers dealing with macro-level system issues and micro-level issues involving provision of health care as related to major health problems or population health concerns. In the first chapter, the topic of population health is reviewed and examined, looking at relationships between social structure, including socioeconomic status, and health. A number of papers examine social, demographic and structural problems, and a wide variety of major health problems including chronic illnesses, mental illness, serious acute health problems, and disabilities that require health care. Some of the specific health problems covered include major chronic health problems such as coronary heart diseases and arthritis, as well as HIV/AIDs and other sexually transmitted diseases, obesity and how to deal with obesity, mental health concerns, poverty, homelessness and health care problems with a focus on urban contexts within the United States. The last two papers in the volume extend the focus to look at more international concerns. One paper focuses on urban slum prevalence as a key factor in shaping population level rates of social well being in developing countries, and another on medical tourism. This volume includes papers that focus on the perspectives of patients, providers, and also the relevant links with health policy.
Table of ContentsPopulation health concerns and major health problems: An introduction to the topic and the volume. How and why the motivation and skill to self-manage coronary heart disease are socially unequal. Functional ability and disability among older adults with arthritis: The impact of age, duration of arthritis, and severity of arthritis. Weight loss surgery patients’ negotiations of medicine's institutional logic. From the patient's point of view: Practitioner interaction styles in the treatment of women with chronic STD. “I’m Still Here”: a 10 year follow-up of women's experiences living with HIV. Physicians as advocates for their patients: Depression treatment in primary care. Social support and the use of mental health services among Asian Americans: results from the national Latino and Asian American study. “Falling through the cracks”: health care needs of the older homeless population and their implications. The urbanization of poverty and urban slum prevalence: The impact of the built environment on population-level patterns of social well-being in the less developed countries. Unsettled borders of care: medical tourism as a new dimension in america's health care crisis. Research in the sociology of health care. Care for major health problems and population health concerns: impacts on patients, providers and policy. Copyright page. List of Contributors.
