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Health inequalities

In: Handbook on the Sociology of Health and Medicine

Author

Listed:
  • Kevin Dew
  • Sarah Donovan

Abstract

Sociology provides a range of concepts and theoretical orientations that help us understand health inequalities and their association with social factors. In this chapter explanations are provided grouped into a focus on structures, resources and interactions. Structural approaches include Marxist, systemic racist and gender perspectives that focus on the ways in which health inequalities relate to macro-sociological features of society. A focus on cultural and social capital, drawing on the work of Bourdieu, indicates the influences these resources have on health outcomes. An ethnomethodologically informed interactional perspective highlights ways in which everyday sense making activities can impact on health outcomes. These different levels of analysis, going from the macro to micro, shed light on the multiple ways in which people’s health chances are shaped by social forces, and can be insightfully used to consider the impact of novel events, such as with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Kevin Dew & Sarah Donovan, 2023. "Health inequalities," Chapters, in: Alan Petersen (ed.), Handbook on the Sociology of Health and Medicine, chapter 7, pages 110-123, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    • Handle: RePEc:elg:eechap:19641_7
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    File URL: https://www.elgaronline.com/doi/10.4337/9781839104756.00015
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