Review by Choice Review
In this work Loustaunau and Sobo integrate anthropological and sociological approaches to health and illness. They use examples as diverse as childbirth, suicide, and HIV to explore the role that cultural and social-structural differences play in defining illness and dictating its treatment. Gender, ethnicity, and social class are all considered as important factors in the meaning of illness and the organization of health care. The authors emphasize an appreciation for the role of cultural diversity in shaping responses to illness, but they also point out the interdependencies of the world's health care systems and, in particular, the dominance of biomedicine in the US. They trace the evolution of the US health care system and make the case for a more culturally sensitive approach to care. Each of seven chapters includes objectives and discussion questions. The authors use no jargon and require little or no background in the social sciences to achieve an understanding of health and illness from a social science perspective. General readers and undergraduates. S. A. Quandt; Wake Forest University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
