Steve Taylor is Lecturer in Medical Sociology and Medical Law at King's College, London. David Field is at the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Leicester.

• Part I: Introduction. 1. Sociology, social research and health.What is sociology?.Social research.Doing social research.Research Methods.Theoretical divisions in sociology.Sociology applied to health and health care.Summary.2. Approaches to Health and Health Care.The biomedical model of health.Socio-medical models of health.Social aspects of sickness.Summary.Part II: Social Patterns in Health and Disease.3. Socio-economic Inequalities in Health.Historical background.Measuring inequality and health.The widening gap in socio-economic health inequalities.Explanations for socio-economic health inequalities.Relative deprivation and psycho-social stress.Addressing socio-economic inequalities.Summary.4. Ethnicity and Health.Race and ethnicity.Health and illness in minority ethnic communities.Explaining ethnic variations in health and illness.Health services and health care.Summary.5. Gender differences in Health.Gender patterns in mortality.Explaining gender differences in mortality.The narrowing gap in gender mortality.Morbidity: are women really sicker?.Explaining gender differences in morbidity.Gender, health and social change.Summary.6. Health and Disease in Old Age.Older people and the aging of society.Understanding ageing and health in older people.Older people in contemporary Britain.Chronic illness and disability in old age.Healthy life expectancy.Health care and older people.Summary.Part III: Illness and Dying.7. Chronic Illness and Physical Disability.Approaches to chronic illness and disability.Chronic Illness and physical disability in contemporary Britain.Body and identity.Experiencing chronic Illness and physical disability.Adjusting to a chronic condition.Care and caring.Summary.8. Mental Disorders.Approaches to mental disorder.Self harming behaviour.Care of the mentally disordered.Suicide and self harm.Care or control?.Summary.9. Death and Dying.Death in contemporary Britain.The main places of care.Communication and disclosure.Bereavement.End of life issues.Summary.Part IV: Health Care.10. Health Care in Contemporary Britain.Social and cultural changes.Pressures on the NHS.The organisation of health care.The changing culture of health care.Summary.11. Health Policy in Britain.Health policy and the politics of health.The NHS: origins and reforms.Patterns of work in the NHS.Summary.12. Nurses and nursing.Nursing and the changing NHS.Changing roles in Nursing.Nurses, doctors and patients.New roles and the organisation of nursing work.Risk and regulation.Summary

From the third edition: “a useful introductory reference book for all nurses whether qualified , pre-registration or conversion course…an asset to any nursing library or indeed to any student undertaking health care courses”Journal of Nursing Management “…an excellent foundation for students at a very beginning level"Contemporary Nurse From reviews of the second edition: “…written in a concise style, well structured, captivating and ... highly recommended." Social Science & Medicine "All in all a book that can be read with ease from cover to cover or delved into intermittently ... A user-friendly book."Journal of Community Nursing "Nurses will be delighted to find that much nursing research is used to support the discussion. The book should find its way into most multidisciplinary libraries and… should become essential reading"Professional Nurse "This book will be helpful for students as an introductory text or for more experienced nurses who wish to revise or update their knowledge."Dorothy Ferguson in Primary Health Care Volume 17, Number 7, September 2007 "This is a book that both student and qualified nurse will find useful."David Gallimore in Nursing Times

Steve Taylor is Lecturer in Medical Sociology and Medical Law at King's College, London. David Field is at the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Leicester.

• Part I: Introduction. 1. Sociology, social research and health.What is sociology?.Social research.Doing social research.Research Methods.Theoretical divisions in sociology.Sociology applied to health and health care.Summary.2. Approaches to Health and Health Care.The biomedical model of health.Socio-medical models of health.Social aspects of sickness.Summary.Part II: Social Patterns in Health and Disease.3. Socio-economic Inequalities in Health.Historical background.Measuring inequality and health.The widening gap in socio-economic health inequalities.Explanations for socio-economic health inequalities.Relative deprivation and psycho-social stress.Addressing socio-economic inequalities.Summary.4. Ethnicity and Health.Race and ethnicity.Health and illness in minority ethnic communities.Explaining ethnic variations in health and illness.Health services and health care.Summary.5. Gender differences in Health.Gender patterns in mortality.Explaining gender differences in mortality.The narrowing gap in gender mortality.Morbidity: are women really sicker?.Explaining gender differences in morbidity.Gender, health and social change.Summary.6. Health and Disease in Old Age.Older people and the aging of society.Understanding ageing and health in older people.Older people in contemporary Britain.Chronic illness and disability in old age.Healthy life expectancy.Health care and older people.Summary.Part III: Illness and Dying.7. Chronic Illness and Physical Disability.Approaches to chronic illness and disability.Chronic Illness and physical disability in contemporary Britain.Body and identity.Experiencing chronic Illness and physical disability.Adjusting to a chronic condition.Care and caring.Summary.8. Mental Disorders.Approaches to mental disorder.Self harming behaviour.Care of the mentally disordered.Suicide and self harm.Care or control?.Summary.9. Death and Dying.Death in contemporary Britain.The main places of care.Communication and disclosure.Bereavement.End of life issues.Summary.Part IV: Health Care.10. Health Care in Contemporary Britain.Social and cultural changes.Pressures on the NHS.The organisation of health care.The changing culture of health care.Summary.11. Health Policy in Britain.Health policy and the politics of health.The NHS: origins and reforms.Patterns of work in the NHS.Summary.12. Nurses and nursing.Nursing and the changing NHS.Changing roles in Nursing.Nurses, doctors and patients.New roles and the organisation of nursing work.Risk and regulation.Summary

From the third edition: “a useful introductory reference book for all nurses whether qualified , pre-registration or conversion course…an asset to any nursing library or indeed to any student undertaking health care courses”Journal of Nursing Management “…an excellent foundation for students at a very beginning level"Contemporary Nurse From reviews of the second edition: “…written in a concise style, well structured, captivating and ... highly recommended." Social Science & Medicine "All in all a book that can be read with ease from cover to cover or delved into intermittently ... A user-friendly book."Journal of Community Nursing "Nurses will be delighted to find that much nursing research is used to support the discussion. The book should find its way into most multidisciplinary libraries and… should become essential reading"Professional Nurse "This book will be helpful for students as an introductory text or for more experienced nurses who wish to revise or update their knowledge."Dorothy Ferguson in Primary Health Care Volume 17, Number 7, September 2007 "This is a book that both student and qualified nurse will find useful."David Gallimore in Nursing Times

Steve Taylor is Lecturer in Medical Sociology and Medical Law at King's College, London. David Field is at the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Leicester.

• Part I: Introduction. 1. Sociology, social research and health.What is sociology?.Social research.Doing social research.Research Methods.Theoretical divisions in sociology.Sociology applied to health and health care.Summary.2. Approaches to Health and Health Care.The biomedical model of health.Socio-medical models of health.Social aspects of sickness.Summary.Part II: Social Patterns in Health and Disease.3. Socio-economic Inequalities in Health.Historical background.Measuring inequality and health.The widening gap in socio-economic health inequalities.Explanations for socio-economic health inequalities.Relative deprivation and psycho-social stress.Addressing socio-economic inequalities.Summary.4. Ethnicity and Health.Race and ethnicity.Health and illness in minority ethnic communities.Explaining ethnic variations in health and illness.Health services and health care.Summary.5. Gender differences in Health.Gender patterns in mortality.Explaining gender differences in mortality.The narrowing gap in gender mortality.Morbidity: are women really sicker?.Explaining gender differences in morbidity.Gender, health and social change.Summary.6. Health and Disease in Old Age.Older people and the aging of society.Understanding ageing and health in older people.Older people in contemporary Britain.Chronic illness and disability in old age.Healthy life expectancy.Health care and older people.Summary.Part III: Illness and Dying.7. Chronic Illness and Physical Disability.Approaches to chronic illness and disability.Chronic Illness and physical disability in contemporary Britain.Body and identity.Experiencing chronic Illness and physical disability.Adjusting to a chronic condition.Care and caring.Summary.8. Mental Disorders.Approaches to mental disorder.Self harming behaviour.Care of the mentally disordered.Suicide and self harm.Care or control?.Summary.9. Death and Dying.Death in contemporary Britain.The main places of care.Communication and disclosure.Bereavement.End of life issues.Summary.Part IV: Health Care.10. Health Care in Contemporary Britain.Social and cultural changes.Pressures on the NHS.The organisation of health care.The changing culture of health care.Summary.11. Health Policy in Britain.Health policy and the politics of health.The NHS: origins and reforms.Patterns of work in the NHS.Summary.12. Nurses and nursing.Nursing and the changing NHS.Changing roles in Nursing.Nurses, doctors and patients.New roles and the organisation of nursing work.Risk and regulation.Summary

From the third edition: “a useful introductory reference book for all nurses whether qualified , pre-registration or conversion course…an asset to any nursing library or indeed to any student undertaking health care courses”Journal of Nursing Management “…an excellent foundation for students at a very beginning level"Contemporary Nurse From reviews of the second edition: “…written in a concise style, well structured, captivating and ... highly recommended." Social Science & Medicine "All in all a book that can be read with ease from cover to cover or delved into intermittently ... A user-friendly book."Journal of Community Nursing "Nurses will be delighted to find that much nursing research is used to support the discussion. The book should find its way into most multidisciplinary libraries and… should become essential reading"Professional Nurse "This book will be helpful for students as an introductory text or for more experienced nurses who wish to revise or update their knowledge."Dorothy Ferguson in Primary Health Care Volume 17, Number 7, September 2007 "This is a book that both student and qualified nurse will find useful."David Gallimore in Nursing Times