Midterm

FinalReview

Professions, Health, and Health Care - A Review

We began our short session with a quick review of what materials are not covered on the final examination. Starting with the section Help Seeking Behaviors for the week of October 18-20, and continuing until the end of the semester, you are NOT responsible for the following:

Physician socialization and education- November 1-3:

	CGH: Toward a new sociology of medical education, 315-334;
	Learning to doctor, 335-345;
	Gender and medical socialization, 346-358

Health care systems- November 17:

	Skim readings in FM: Economic interests and power in health care, 278-320.
	Use readings for examples and history of the health care system.

Health care and stratification issues – November 29, December 1:(omit this entire section)

	CGH: Women in a women’s job, 405-420
	FM: Stratification and power in health care systems, 248-276
	*Fisher: Chapter 7: Institutional patterns of interpretation

I then tried to give some ‘meaning’ to the materials that we’ve read this semester. Basically, all readings for the second half of the semester have provided us with ideas about the macro-level forces (or structural features) of the American health care system. In reviewing readings and lectures for the final it is best to start with common themes that are addressed by all readings. I therefore ask you to consider which readings offer examples and/or theories to the following questions:

	What is the American health care system? (Its forms structure and functions)
	What are some of the changes the system has undergone? (In terms of social control, socialization, and education)
	What are the values and characteristics of the system? (Dominance, Deprofessionalization, Proletarianization, Corporatization, Countervailing Powers)
	What are the consequences of the system? (Economic and political interests that impact upon costs and access, coverage/insurance, regulations)

This should now provide you with a complete understanding of how health and illness are socially constructed by society and are not purely a function of the Western biomedical model. The earlier readings in the semester demonstrated the importance of micro-level systems: how social norms and cultural values affect perceptions of health and illness; how the politics of the doctor-patient relationship contribute to different constructions of health and illness; and the consequences of these constructions, in the form of health behaviors and lifestyles. The more recent readings, after the midterm, focus on macro-level analyses, as outlined by the above thematic questions.

If you turn to the class web page, you’ll find six new handouts on the following topics/readings:

	#9- Seeking help and social support- Thoits/Pescosolido
	#10 – Medical Professions and Dominance
	#11 – Professions and values: Comparison of professional and corporate values
	#12 - Social Control - Light and Gallagher
	#13 – Women and medicine
	#14 - Economics of health care – A review of points from Navarro/Donelan

These handouts, in addition to class notes, should be able to guide your thoughts on the six questions on the final examination. As with the midterm, please make sure that:

	1. All answers are typed, double spaced
	2. Begin each question on a new page
	3. Staple all papers; put name on every page along with page number
	4. Be sure to use specific examples from the readings, especially when you are providing me with your opinion or positions
	5. Exams are due in my office at noon on Tuesday, December 14^th. If you’d like to hand it in earlier, please be sure to give it to my secretary Margaret Gibbs, Room 168 Hamilton Hall. DO NOT leave it on her door or with the Department- this is to ensure that no exam is lost.

I will be in my office tomorrow from about 11:30-2:00 for questions (if I can answer them). Also, you may use the class listerserver to post questions until the end of this week! Good luck to all of you- I know you’ll do a great job!