This document discusses the role of medical sociology and how social factors influence health and disease. It covers key topics such as how social epidemiology studies the social determinants of health, how social conditions can cause and spread disease, and how cultural beliefs and traditions impact health behaviors. The family is presented as the primary social unit that can both positively and negatively influence health through shared environment, practices, and support systems. Medical sociology aims to understand these social dimensions of health to help develop more effective public health interventions and policies.

1. AMANY RASHAD ABOEL-SEOUD
Prof. COMMUNITY MEDICINE
Zagazig University, EGYPT

2.  Definitions, sociology in relation to health
and disease.
 Health concept, Determinants of Health
 Health promotion
 Changing health behavior
 Communication & Health Education
 Social Marketing
 The role of health institutions and health
professionals in society

3.  Society: system of inter relationships of man in his
group. May be country, village, school, factory.. etc
 Social science deals with man behavior in his society,
including history, geography, civics and politics.
 Medical sociology: deals with relation between health
and social factors as environmental conditions
surrounding man and affects his health, traditions,
lifestyle behaviors, self treatment, values, customs and
cultures. It is concerned also with the distribution of
health care services and in particular the inequalities
in health care (health disparities)

4.  Social security/ Social insurance: ‫الضمان‬
‫االجتماعى‬ security given to man by social
governmental or private organizations for risks
he is exposed as sickness, loss of work, violence,
death, accidents, fire and disability
 Social defense: for protection against antisocial,
criminal behaviors of man as beggary,
prostitution, alcoholism. Social system that
defends the society against crime by treating
and defending the offended.
 Social disease: diseases that have social stigma
and human interactions as TB, AIDS and leprosy

5.  Social problems: poverty, crime, starvation,
alcoholism, STD, addiction, street children,
lonely elderly , discrimination.
 Social factors affecting health & disease:
level of socioeconomic standard determine
health status of individuals as per-capita
income, family size, literacy, poverty,
malnutrition, unemployment.
Social conditions affect & are affected by
health and disease

6. Comprises different elements including:
 Social epidemiology: the study of socioeconomic,
demographic, and behavioral factors in relation
to the causes of disease and mortality diagnosis
 Development and organizational dynamics of
occupations and professions in healthcare services,
hospitals, health maintenance and long-term care
organizations. It includes inter-organizational
relationships between patient and physicians ttt

7.  The reactions of societies to illness, including
cultural meanings and normative expectations
 The social policies, social movements, and
economic conditions that shape and are shaped by
health and disease within countries, as well as in
a comparative, international context
 The social patterns of the utilization of health
services, the relationship of health care delivery
systems to other social institutions, and social
policies toward health.

8. Social causes of disease and
illness
Reasons for seeking particular
types of medical service
Patient compliance or
noncompliance with medical
advice.
Health services
For S.vulnerable groups

9.  Social behavior plays a critical role in
determining or/and influencing the health of
individuals, groups, and the larger society.
 The most important thing for all specialties
in Medicine is the diagnosis of disease in
patients but studying the underlying cause of
disease, spread, cultural effects, the ability
to control among all family members and
friends, neighborhood (family diagnosis) is
also important for control that disease in the
community.

10.  Many facts relating social conditions to
diseases as low social classes had higher
morbidities and mortalities than higher
classes
 The spread of diseases is heavily influenced
by: the socioeconomic status of individuals,
ethnic traditions or beliefs, cultural factors
and types of nutrition
 More than one individual in the same family
are affected by the disease

11.  Socioeconomic / demographic data: as age,
family size, education, occupation, habits,
income, residence, position in siblings, etc..
 Conditions of house: available facilities
 Nutritional status, breast feeding,, types of
food, food habits
 Marital status: divorce, death of parents
 Satisfaction with available services,
attendance, immunization coverage
 Prevailing health services, types
 Political, legal, religious aspects affecting H

12.  Health promotion of all people: life style
modification, health education.
 Co-operation with other sectors affecting
health, change polices, put legislations
 Research studies to improve health,
prevent diseases, help handicaps
 Diagnosis & treatment of diseased,
prevent spread to others. Acceptable,
qualified health services
 Health impact assessment for all projects

13.  Sharing in local community
in planning or in solving social problems
related to health
 Counseling
 Share in controlling disasters
 Community participation, mobilization,
increasing advocacy
 Assessment of QOL ,quantify pensions for
disabled

14. It is the primary unit of society
It consists of group of biologically
related individuals living together
and eat from the same kitchen
(household may include servants)
Family members share common
genes, physical, social, cultural and
environmental conditions.

15.  Formation: marriage
 Extension: birth of 1st child
 Complete extension: birth of last child
 Contraction: 1st child leave home, death of
members
 Complete contraction: last child leave, death
of parents.
 Not all family cycles are the same

16.  Nuclear family: married couples &
Their dependent children
 Joint family: extended, includes married
couples and their children, in rural areas,
usually men are related by blood. All
properties in house belong to all. Senior man
has the authority, they give strength to each
other, continue family name.
 Three generation family: children,parents
and grandparents.
 Broken family: divorce, died , separated

17.  Residence: to offer clean comfortable
place
 Distribution of functions
 Reproduction, child rearing
 Socialization of children before school
 Economic support * Health care
 Social support during labor, stress, insults,
care of elderly, handicapped
Family acts as placenta feeding its members
with filtered beneficial habits required to be
physically, socially & mentally healthy

18.  Concept of disease etiology, treatment: evil
eye, god’s will, past mistakes, spirit or ghost.
use of folk remedies, plants, zar, hegab
 Unsanitary disposal of sewage, refuse: in
street, public places, in water, animal
breading inside houses.
 Food habits: vegetarians, fasting, certain
type of cooking, utensils, additives, food
staffs, male eats more and first
 Child labor:by daya, no antenatal care, kohl
wrapping, no bath, breast feeding

19.  Personal hygiene: no bath, oral /teeth
hygiene, shared shaving, circumcision,
drinking from same cup, cutting nails,
wearing shoes. Smoking sheesha
 Early marriage, childbirth