PS2150: Week 1 Assignment

Why is medical sociology important to your healthcare career?
This assignment helps you apply your knowledge from this week’s modules
and readings.
As a healthcare professional, you must understand that disease and illness
are impacted by social factors. In order to provide the best care for patients,
it is important that the healthcare staff recognizes and understands the
background of each of their patients. 50
Introduction to Sociology of Health, Healing and Illness
Answer the following questions. 1. Define the term: Medical Sociology
Type answer here 2. What event(s) led to the birth of social medicine (efforts to improve public health)?
Type answer here
3. List the four changes that occurred in medicine during the 1950s and 1960s that led to the
emergence of medical sociology.
a.
b.
c.
d. Type answer here
Type answer here
Type answer here
Type answer here 4. Define the term: sociological perspective.
Type answer here 5. Define the term: sociological imagination.

1 6. Sociologists conduct research to understand society, groups of people and human behavior. For
example, a sociologist may want to understand why there is a high divorce rate in America.
Sociologists typically follow the scientific process when conducting research to ensure that the
findings are reliable and valid. One important step to the scientific process is data-collection. List the
four data-collection techniques and explain why a sociologist would choose to use each of them.
(hint: refer to The Scientific Foundation of Sociology section).
List the Data-Collection Technique Why should sociologists should use it? Type answer here Type answer here Type answer here Type answer here Type answer here Type answer here Type answer here Type answer here The Development of Scientific Medicine
Answer the following questions.
7. Hippocrates is known as the “Father of Medicine”. There are three major contributions that he is
credited with. Please list each of Hippocrates’ major contributions and provide a explanation of each
major contribution. (hint: refer to the Medical Sociology Sub-disciplines section).
Hippocrates Contributions Explanation of the Contribution Type answer here Type answer here Type answer here Type answer here Type answer here Type answer here 8. Germ theory of disease states that many diseases are caused by the presence and actions of
specific micro-organisms within the body. _______________ is credited with discovering the germ
theory and is considered the “Father of Modern Medicine”.
9. Why is germ theory of disease so important to the medical field?

2 Social Epidemiology
Answer the following questions. 10. Define the term: epidemiology.
Type answer here 11. Describe the work of epidemologists.
Type answer here 12. What is the purpose of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?
Type answer here 13. What is the difference between mortality and morbidity?
Type answer here Reflection
Reflect on what you have learned this week to help you respond to the question below. You may choose
to respond in writing or by recording a video!
14. Imagine you are a medical sociologist and you were going to conduct research, what topic would you
like to have a more in-depth understanding? Explain. (Hint: if you need ideas for a topic, look in your
textbook under the Major Topics in Medical Sociology section from chapter 1)