Health and illness - Michael Bury

Health and illness underpin our everyday existence. Health allowsus to live full lives and to function as social beings; illnessdisrupts our lives, sometimes seriously. But health not onlyaffects individuals, it also impacts upon society as a whole.Medical breakthroughs and scandals, health scares and healthservice problems all vie for the attention of politicians andpublic alike.


Michael Bury provides a lively introduction to the sociology ofhealth and illness for students approaching the topic for the firsttime. Drawing on classic writings and up-to-date research, hediscusses the conceptualization and patterning of health andillness in contemporary society. He highlights a range of factors,such as gender, age, ethnicity and class, which influence theoccurrence and distribution of illness over time. The book thenfocuses on debates about the body, the role of health services andthe politics of health policy. In conclusion, Bury argues that wemust take a dynamic view of health and illness as processes thatare shaped by social circumstances and altering perceptions.


This short introduction will be essential reading for all studentsstudying the sociology of health as part of their degree programme.