William C. Cockerham is Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Chair Emeritus at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Research Scholar of Sociology at the College of William & Mary in Virginia.

"The third edition of Cockerham's classic text on the social causes of health and illness is most welcome. Notable features of this masterful and comprehensive contribution are the coverage of theory as well as research, its international reach, and its erudition. This will be an indispensable volume for teachers, students, and practitioners alike."—Graham Scambler, University College London and Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences"As in the previous editions, Cockerham presents us with a powerful understanding of the social determinants of health. This time, he updates his perspective, weaving in novel dynamic dimensions from life course research and important structural elements from social capital."—Bernice A. Pescosolido, Indiana University"This is a brilliant book to provide the foundations to students and scholars who are keen to learn about inequalities and the impacts on health and illness, clinicians who know that something is unfair in healthcare but can't put their finger on it or even those that want to have statistics and theories ready for a Christmas dinner debate with a relative... an excellent and comprehensive beginner’s guide to how inequalities change the lives of others."—Cost of Living

• Preface 1 The Social Causation of Health and DiseaseCoronavirusSmokingThe Biomedical ModelElements of ProofDiabetesHIV/AIDSSocial Determinants of Disease: Fundamental Cause TheoryMeasuring Structural EffectsConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading2 Theorizing about Health and DiseaseThe Rise and Fall of Structural-FunctionalismThe Fall of Conflict Theory and Repackaging of MarxismThe Rise of the Agency-Oriented ParadigmAmerican Medical SociologyBritish Medical SociologyConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading3 Health LifestylesLifestyle: Health as an AchievementMethodological Individualism in Health Lifestyle ResearchThe Agency–Structure DebateHealth Lifestyle TheoryClass circumstancesAge, gender, and race/ethnicityCollectivitiesLiving conditionsSocialization and experienceLife choices (agency)Life chances (structure)Choice and chance interplayDispositions to act (habitus)Completing the modelConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading4 The Power of ClassClass and Heart Attack SurvivalClass Structure and its ComponentsClass schemesWeber: status groupsThe End of Class?The Social Gradient in MortalityConfirming the RelationshipMedical Care as an Intervening Variable?ConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading5 Class and Health: Explaining the RelationshipClass, Health, and Medical Care in the United StatesClass, Health, and Medical Care in the United KingdomStressIncome InequalityCultureSmokingObesityConclusion: Social Causation or Social Selection?Critical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading6 AgeAge Stratification TheoryLife Course TheoryCohort Effects of AgeConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading7 GenderThe Gender Health and Mortality ParadoxGender Differences in Physical and Mental HealthGender Differences in Health PracticesLGBT HealthAnother Look at SmokingConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading8 Race and EthnicityEthnicityRace and Physical HealthHispanics and ImmigrationRacism as a Fundamental CauseRace and Health in BritainRace and Mental HealthSummaryCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading9 Living Conditions and Neighborhood DisadvantageUnhealthy PlacesHealth and Neighborhood Disadvantage in BritainPhysical Health and Neighborhood Disadvantage in the USMental Health and Neighborhood Disadvantage in the USConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading10 Health and Social CapitalRobert Putnam: Bowling AloneNan Lin: Social Capital as StructurePierre Bourdieu: A Social Form of CapitalRobert Sampson: Collective EfficacyResearch Applications of Social CapitalConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further ReadingConcluding RemarksThe Return of StructureStructure–Agency InterfacePolicy ImplicationsConclusionReferencesName IndexSubject Index

William C. Cockerham is Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Chair Emeritus at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Research Scholar of Sociology at the College of William & Mary in Virginia.

"The third edition of Cockerham's classic text on the social causes of health and illness is most welcome. Notable features of this masterful and comprehensive contribution are the coverage of theory as well as research, its international reach, and its erudition. This will be an indispensable volume for teachers, students, and practitioners alike."—Graham Scambler, University College London and Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences"As in the previous editions, Cockerham presents us with a powerful understanding of the social determinants of health. This time, he updates his perspective, weaving in novel dynamic dimensions from life course research and important structural elements from social capital."—Bernice A. Pescosolido, Indiana University"This is a brilliant book to provide the foundations to students and scholars who are keen to learn about inequalities and the impacts on health and illness, clinicians who know that something is unfair in healthcare but can't put their finger on it or even those that want to have statistics and theories ready for a Christmas dinner debate with a relative... an excellent and comprehensive beginner’s guide to how inequalities change the lives of others."—Cost of Living

• Preface 1 The Social Causation of Health and DiseaseCoronavirusSmokingThe Biomedical ModelElements of ProofDiabetesHIV/AIDSSocial Determinants of Disease: Fundamental Cause TheoryMeasuring Structural EffectsConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading2 Theorizing about Health and DiseaseThe Rise and Fall of Structural-FunctionalismThe Fall of Conflict Theory and Repackaging of MarxismThe Rise of the Agency-Oriented ParadigmAmerican Medical SociologyBritish Medical SociologyConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading3 Health LifestylesLifestyle: Health as an AchievementMethodological Individualism in Health Lifestyle ResearchThe Agency–Structure DebateHealth Lifestyle TheoryClass circumstancesAge, gender, and race/ethnicityCollectivitiesLiving conditionsSocialization and experienceLife choices (agency)Life chances (structure)Choice and chance interplayDispositions to act (habitus)Completing the modelConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading4 The Power of ClassClass and Heart Attack SurvivalClass Structure and its ComponentsClass schemesWeber: status groupsThe End of Class?The Social Gradient in MortalityConfirming the RelationshipMedical Care as an Intervening Variable?ConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading5 Class and Health: Explaining the RelationshipClass, Health, and Medical Care in the United StatesClass, Health, and Medical Care in the United KingdomStressIncome InequalityCultureSmokingObesityConclusion: Social Causation or Social Selection?Critical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading6 AgeAge Stratification TheoryLife Course TheoryCohort Effects of AgeConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading7 GenderThe Gender Health and Mortality ParadoxGender Differences in Physical and Mental HealthGender Differences in Health PracticesLGBT HealthAnother Look at SmokingConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading8 Race and EthnicityEthnicityRace and Physical HealthHispanics and ImmigrationRacism as a Fundamental CauseRace and Health in BritainRace and Mental HealthSummaryCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading9 Living Conditions and Neighborhood DisadvantageUnhealthy PlacesHealth and Neighborhood Disadvantage in BritainPhysical Health and Neighborhood Disadvantage in the USMental Health and Neighborhood Disadvantage in the USConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further Reading10 Health and Social CapitalRobert Putnam: Bowling AloneNan Lin: Social Capital as StructurePierre Bourdieu: A Social Form of CapitalRobert Sampson: Collective EfficacyResearch Applications of Social CapitalConclusionCritical Thinking QuestionsSuggested Further ReadingConcluding RemarksThe Return of StructureStructure–Agency InterfacePolicy ImplicationsConclusionReferencesName IndexSubject Index