This document provides directions for a written assignment on medical sociology. Students are asked to respond to questions from Lessons 1-4 by combining the questions into a single document. They must also select a journal article relating to the course material and objectives and write a 2-page analysis explaining how the article relates to one of the learning objectives. The assignment will be graded based on addressing the parts and questions correctly, writing mechanics, use of APA format, and demonstrating critical analysis of the connection between the article and objective.

1. Assignment 04
HE320 Medical Sociology
Directions: Be sure to make an electronic copy of your answer
before submitting it to Ashworth College for grading. Unless
otherwise stated, answer in complete sentences, and be sure to
use correct English spelling and grammar. Sources must be cited
in APA format. Your response should be three (3) to six (6)
pages in length; refer to the "Assignment Format" page for
specific format requirements.
In Lessons 1-4 you have learned a great deal of information on
theoretical explanations of the sociology of health, illness, and
health care. This written assignment will allow you to provide
practical application of concepts learned from Lessons 1-4. This
written assignment contains two parts. In the first part, you will
combine the questions presented for lessons 1-4. Please see list
of questions below and provide responses:
Part I
Lesson 1
Please answer the following question in 250 words or more.
What contribution does Parsons’ concept of a sick role make to
our understanding of sickness in society? What are the
weaknesses of that concept?
Lesson 2
In 250 words or more, answering the following essay question:
Ethnicity affects individuals’ health in many different ways.
Compare the effect of ethnicity on health for two ethnic groups

2. (of your choice), summarizing and explaining the similarities
and differences between them.
Lesson 3
In 250 words or more, please answer the following question:
Why has HIV/AIDS spread more rapidly in Africa than in the
United States? Why has heterosexual transmission played a
greater role in Africa?
Lesson 4
Please answer the following question in 250 words or more.
Critique the medical model of mental illness, using evidence
from the reading material from lesson 4.
Part II
For part two of the assignment, you are asked to find a
newspaper article or peer-reviewed journal article related to
material covered in class or in the text and provide a written
analysis of the article that explores a medical sociological
aspect of the ideas or events depicted within the article. Within
your written analysis, you need to identify one of the first four
course learning objectives presented in the course and explain
how this learning objective relates to the article selected. When
selecting your article, please make sure the article identifies one
of the subjects discussed within lessons one through four.
Response should be a minimum of two pages long, submitted
according to APA guidelines with applicable reference page and
title page (title page and reference page not included in page
count).
The four course learning objectives are provided below:

3. 1. Identify and explore the socio-cultural aspects of health and
illness, specifically as relating to the definitions of health,
illness, behavior, and social epidemiology.
2. Describe and examine the social causes of disease and illness
and vaccinations due to race, clan, and ethnicity.
3. Explore the health professions and health institutions from
the broader perspectives provided by theory and research in the
sociology of occupations and complex organizations.
4. Identify the forces within the health care field and society as
a whole that leads to increased government participation in the
delivery of health care including the nature of health
maintenance organizations and managed care.
Grading Rubric
Please refer to the rubric on the next page for the grading
criteria for this assignment.
CATEGORYExemplarySatisfactoryUnsatisfactoryUnacceptable
40 points30 points20 points10 points
Student provides all four
question responses and
demonstrates critical thought
and analysis through
explaining the connection
between questions and
overall course concepts.
Student provides all four
question responses and only
demonstrates surface level
of analysis of connection

4. between questions and
course objectives.
Student provides only 2-3
question responses and does
not demonstrate critical
thought or analysis in the
connection between
questions and course
objectives
Student provides less than 2
question responses and does
not demonstrate any critical
analysis or thought in the
assignment
15 points12 points8 points 5 points
Student chooses an article
that relates to one of the
learning objectives and
article is an appropriate and
scholarly source.
Student chooses an article
relates to one of the learning
objectives and provides a
surface level explanation of
connection.
Student chooses an article
that does not relate to any of
the learning objectives and
does not explain connection.
Student chooses a non
scholarly article
20 points15 points10 points5 points
Student explains concepts
within article and provides
higher order reasoning to
explain the connection

5. between article and
objective. Substantiate
information with applicable
sources.
Student explains concepts
within article but provides a
surface level explanation
between the connection of
the article and presented
learning objective.
Substantiate information
with applicable sources
Student summarizes article
but fails to explain the
connection between article
and selected objective or
objective not identified.
Student summarizes an
article that does not relate to
any of the course objectives.
Writing not appropriate for
academic and scholarly
purpose.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student does not make any
errors in grammar or spelling,
especially those that distract
the reader from the content.
Student makes 1-2 errors in
grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the
content.
Student makes 3-4 errors in
grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the
content.

6. Student makes more than 4
errors in grammar or spelling
that distract the reader from
the content.
15 points 12 points 8 points 5 points
The paper is written in
proper APA and
organizational format. All
sources used for quotes and
facts are credible and cited
correctly. Excellent
organization, including a
variety of thoughtful
transitions.
The paper is written in
proper format with only 1-2
errors. All sources used for
quotes and facts are credible,
and most are cited correctly.
Adequate organization
includes a variety of
appropriate transitions.
The paper is written in
proper format with only 3-5
errors. Most sources used for
quotes and facts are credible
and cited correctly. Essay is
poorly organized, but may
include a few effective
transitions.
The paper is not written in
proper format. Many sources
used for quotes and facts are
less than credible (suspect)
and/or are not cited
correctly. Essay is

7. disorganized and does not
include effective transitions.
Format - APA Format,
Citations,
Organization,
Transitions (15 Points)
Part I: Combine
Questions from
Lessons 1-4 into a
Single Document
Based on APA
Guidelines (40 Points)
Mechanics (10 Points)
Part II: Article
Addresses One of the
Last Four Learning
Objectives for the
Course (15 Points)
Written Analysis
Provided that Explains
the Relation Between
Article and Learning
Objective (20 Points)