Health Sociology

General

• Code: 278-190305
• Semester: 3rd
• Study Level: Undergraduate
• Course type: General Background
• Teaching and exams language: Greek
• Teaching Methods (Hours/Week): Theory (2)
• ECTS Units: 3
• Course homepage: https://moodle.teithe.gr/course/index.php?categoryid=196
• Instructors: Kourkouta Lamprini
• Class Schedule:
  • Tue 12:00 - 14:00: Αίθουσα 4

Course Contents

• Introduction to Health Sociology. Distinctions of Health Sociology. Sociology of illness – health services – the therapeutic relationship – quality of life – bioethics.
• Sociology of illness. Health and illness. Basic conceptual approaches. Perceptions, attitudes and behaviors towards health.
• Sociology of illness (continued). Inequalities and differences in health. Income inequalities and life expectancy. Inequalities in the health status of the population. Inequalities in the supply and use of health services. Injustice and stressful life events. Stress and illness. Health care seeking.
• Sociology of health services. Health services in society. Hospital – “business”: dilemmas. Leadership and management.
• Sociology of health services (continued). Communication and quality of health care. Medical records and health care records.
• Sociology of the therapeutic relationship. Social roles in the therapeutic relationship between doctor and patient. Similarly, in the relationship between nurse and patient.
• Sociology of quality of life. Health and quality of life. Social indicators of quality of life. Inconsistency of assessments between subjective and objective dimensions of quality of life. Limitations of quality of life assessments.
• Quality of life in patients with cancer, HIV, heart problems, Alzheimer’s disease, renal problems.
• Sociology of bioethics and deontology. Basic principles of bioethics. Informed consent. Ability to perceive information. Decision making. Concealment of truth. Trust and medical confidentiality.
• Sociology of bioethics (continued). Euthanasia and assisted suicide, experimental medical research, palliative care, therapeutic futility.
• Sociology of bioethics (continued). Organ transplantations. Assisted reproduction. Cloning.
• Sociology of bioethics (continued).Conflict of interest. Dilemmas of resources allocation and therapeutic effectiveness.

Educational Goals

The aim of the module is to help students understand the social characteristics of illness, the experience of illness, the dynamics of relationships within the healthcare system, and the limitations and prospects of professional care. Developing critical thinking skills through the study of this discipline can enhance nurses’ self-awareness to provide contemporary and non-discriminatory person-centered care. Thus, the nursing profession, which presupposes privacy, confidentiality and close interpersonal relationship with patients, is also approached from a sociological perspective, which supports and accepts the influence of social dynamics in its practice.

General Skills

• Adapting to new situations.
• Decision-making.
• Working independently.
• Team work.
• Working in an international environment.
• Working in an interdisciplinary environment.
• Generating new research ideas.
• Project planning and management.
• Respect for difference and multiculturalism.
• Working in an interdisciplinary environment.
• Production of free, creative and inductive thinking.

Teaching Methods

• Face to face.

Use of ICT means

• Presentation of the course with power point.
• Communication with students by e-mail.
• Support of the learning process through the electronic platform moodle.

Teaching Organization

Students Evaluation

• Written exams.