'An excellent guide. An extensive and distinguished teaching and research career gives Bury a unique vantage point from which to write this overview of the subject ... Bury charts a humane, scholarly and wise path through the complexities of social inequalities in health, relations between patients and their doctors and issues surrounding death and dying.' - Times Higher Education Supplement'This book is a simply structured, and thoughtful review of a discipline, written by someone who has taught it over the years ... in summarising the extensive literature, trends and debates of the 1990s (and incidentally by including italicised keywords and concepts), the book will be of great assistance to both the student and teacher of medical sociology.' - Sociology of Health and Illness'An ideal introduction to the sociology of health and illness, being clearly written and wide ranging.' - Medical Sociology News'Plenty of ideas and insights for all to investigate and reflect upon.' - Health Matters

• Chapter 1 Introduction; Chapter 2 From illness behaviour to health beliefs and knowledge; Chapter 3 Inequalities in health; Chapter 4 Doctors, patients and interaction in health care; Chapter 5 Chronic illness and disability; Chapter 6 Death and dying; Chapter 7 The body, health and risk;

'An excellent guide. An extensive and distinguished teaching and research career gives Bury a unique vantage point from which to write this overview of the subject ... Bury charts a humane, scholarly and wise path through the complexities of social inequalities in health, relations between patients and their doctors and issues surrounding death and dying.' - Times Higher Education Supplement'This book is a simply structured, and thoughtful review of a discipline, written by someone who has taught it over the years ... in summarising the extensive literature, trends and debates of the 1990s (and incidentally by including italicised keywords and concepts), the book will be of great assistance to both the student and teacher of medical sociology.' - Sociology of Health and Illness'An ideal introduction to the sociology of health and illness, being clearly written and wide ranging.' - Medical Sociology News'Plenty of ideas and insights for all to investigate and reflect upon.' - Health Matters

• Chapter 1 Introduction; Chapter 2 From illness behaviour to health beliefs and knowledge; Chapter 3 Inequalities in health; Chapter 4 Doctors, patients and interaction in health care; Chapter 5 Chronic illness and disability; Chapter 6 Death and dying; Chapter 7 The body, health and risk;