CQUniversity Unit Profile

SOCL19070 - Health and Medical Sociology

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All details in this unit profile for SOCL19070 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.

General Information

Overview

Employing the concepts and theories of contemporary social theorists, this unit analyses the medical model of health - both historically and comparatively. Topics covered include the reasons for the expansion of western medicine or medicalisation of society, the body and mind distinction in medical science - its consequences for health, the professionalisation of medicine, and the political economy of medicine.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate

Unit Level: Level 2

Credit Points: 6

Student Contribution Band: 10

Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Student to have completed 36 credit points.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 1 - 2019

Online

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Website

This unit has a website, within the Moodle system, which is available two weeks before the start of term. It is important that you visit your Moodle site throughout the term. Please visit Moodle for more information.

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Regional Campuses

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville

Metropolitan Campuses

Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Written Assessment

Weighting: 50%

2. Written Assessment

Weighting: 50%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

CQUniversity Policies

All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.

You may wish to view these policies:

Grades and Results Policy
Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
Review of Grade Procedure
Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure

This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Student unit evaluation moodle site

Feedback

Prefer smaller quizzes scheduled throughout the teaching term.

Recommendation

Review the timing and type of the unit assessment items to support students' learning and engagement with the unit resources.

Feedback from Student emails sent to the unit coordinator at the end of the unit. Student unit evaluation moodle site.

Feedback

Unit enjoyable and challenges students. The unit content was found to be relevant to students' degree and supported a variety of learning styles.

Recommendation

The unit coordinator will continue to support students in their studies and create spaces for discussion and debate on the topics and issues covered during the term

Feedback from Student unit evaluation moodle site

Feedback

Portfolio assessment, supporting readings and videos helped with learning the content. A lot of resources offered and teacher supportive.

Recommendation

The unit coordinator will continue to offer key resources to support student learning, and to regularly update readings and other learning materials.Additional introductory sociology resources will be made available to students who are taking a sociology unit for the first time.

Feedback from Student unit evaluation moodle site

Feedback

Prefer interactive lectures not pre-recorded.

Recommendation

More interactive online tutorial sessions that will build on the lectures through the use of a study guide and tutorial activities (individual and group tasks).

Feedback from Student unit evaluation moodle site

Feedback

Devise an assessment to cover student participation to increase student engagement in the discussion forums and online tutorials.

Recommendation

Action to improve student engagement with the unit material and other students in the unit will be undertaken through online tutorial sessions and weekly discussion forums with material linked to the assessments. Strategies to promote learning communities within the unit and interaction between students for online peer learning will be focused on.

Unit Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

understand and articulate explanations of the medicalisation of society
describe the consequences for health of medical dominance
explain the sociological meanings of body, health and illness.

Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes

N/A Level

Introductory Level

Intermediate Level

Graduate Level

Professional Level

Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks	Learning Outcomes
	1	2	3
1 - Written Assessment - 50%
2 - Written Assessment - 50%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes	Learning Outcomes
	1	2	3
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - First Nations Knowledges
11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes

Assessment Tasks	Graduate Attributes
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
1 - Written Assessment - 50%
2 - Written Assessment - 50%

Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

Prescribed

Second Opinion: An Introduction to Health Sociology

Edition: Sixth (2018)
Authors: John Germov
Oxford University Press
Melbourne Melbourne , VIC , Australia
Binding: Paperback

Additional Textbook Information

Both the paperback and eBook copies can be purchased at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)

View textbooks at the CQUniversity Bookshop

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:

CQUniversity Student Email
Internet
Unit Website (Moodle)

Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:

American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
Harvard (author-date)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts

Shane Hopkinson Unit Coordinator
s.hopkinson@cqu.edu.au

Schedule

Week 1

Begin Date: 11 Mar 2019

Module/Topic

A sociological perspective and The models of health, illness & wellness

Chapter

Germov (2019) Ch.1 & 3, & Pp.182-84

Willis (2011) Ch. 1, 4 & 6 - CRO

Details & Links to all prescribed readings are on the Moodle.site

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2

Begin Date: 18 Mar 2019

Module/Topic

History of medicine and Economic interests & power in health care

Chapter

Germov (2019) Pp. 354-59, 459-70

Willis (1989) -The rise of scientific medicine - CRO

Germov (2019) Ch 5 & 6 Conclusions

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3

Begin Date: 25 Mar 2019

Module/Topic

Theorising health - social, economic & political

Chapter

Germov (2019) Ch.2 & Pp. 189-90

Germov (2019) Ch 8 & 9 Conclusions

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4

Begin Date: 01 Apr 2019

Module/Topic

Medical dominance in health care & the challenges

Chapter

Germov (2019) Ch.21 & 23

Coulter & Willis (2004) The rise and rise of CAMS - CRO

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 5

Begin Date: 08 Apr 2019

Module/Topic

Professionalisation & the division of labour

Chapter

Germov (2019) Ch.24

Willis (1994) Medical dominance and the politics of nursing skills - CRO

Events and Submissions/Topic

Vacation Week

Begin Date: 15 Apr 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 6

Begin Date: 22 Apr 2019

Module/Topic

Doctor - patient interaction and the 'Sick Role'

Chapter

Germov (2019) Pp. 28, 282-85

Freund, McGuire & Podhurst (2003) Ch.10 Modern bio-medicine - CRO

Events and Submissions/Topic

Portfolio (2000 words) Due: Week 6 Monday (22 Apr 2019) 11:45 pm AEST

Week 7

Begin Date: 29 Apr 2019

Module/Topic

Medicalisation in society & of deviance

Chapter

Germov (2019) Ch.13 Medicalisation of deviance

Busfield (2017) Concept of medicalisation re-assessed URL

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 8

Begin Date: 06 May 2019

Module/Topic

The social meanings of the body & illness

Chapter

Lupton (1994) Theoretical perspectives on medicine and society- CRO

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 9

Begin Date: 13 May 2019

Module/Topic

Goffman's Theory of stigmatisation & labelling of illness & bodies

Chapter

Germov (2019) Pp. 317-18, 334-35, 350-52

Williams (1987) Goffman, interaction and management of stigma- CRO

Alonzo & Reynolds (1995) Stigma, HIV & AIDS

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 10

Begin Date: 20 May 2019

Module/Topic

The post-modern theory of power/knowledge & the body

Chapter

White (2009) Foucault and sociology of medical knowledge - CRO

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 11

Begin Date: 27 May 2019

Module/Topic

Chronic illness & the ageing body in society

Chapter

Germov (2019) Ch.15 & 17

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12

Begin Date: 03 Jun 2019

Module/Topic

Sociological insights on death & dying

Chapter

Germov (2019) p. 387

Walter (2012) Why different countries manage death differently (URL)

Events and Submissions/Topic

Essay (2000 Words) Due: Week 12 Friday (7 June 2019) 11:45 pm AEST

Review/Exam Week

Begin Date: 10 Jun 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Exam Week

Begin Date: 17 Jun 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Term Specific Information

Current text book is 6th edition but 5th edition will also be suitable.

Assessment Tasks

1 Written Assessment

Assessment Title

Portfolio (2000 words)

Task Description

The purpose of the portfolio is to ask you to make connections between the unit material and real life issues surrounding allied health and medicine. You are required to answer four (4) short answer questions from the following list of 5, each of 500 words in length. A portfolio template is available on the Moodle site for you to use for the answers and reference list. Each answer needs to: address the question, use relevant sociological concepts, reference sociological literature, show an understanding of issues and key concepts, and provide a meaningful critique of the topic or issue. You need to demonstrate that you have engaged with, and understood, the unit materials. Referencing of the lecture notes is discouraged as these are summaries and not primary sources. Where possible use the set readings and other literature available through CQU library databases.

Portfolio questions cover weeks 1-5. You are required to complete and submit responses to only four (4) portfolio questions. If you submit more than four answers the first four are marked and used to make your final assignment mark. Each response must be 500 words in length and must contain a word count at the end. Using examples in the answers is the best way to illustrate your understanding. To develop a better sociological understanding of the topic areas you need to read beyond just the set readings for the unit.

Question 1.

Outline the sociological imagination. Why should Allied Health and other professionals have a well-developed historical, structural and cultural set of sensibilities?

Question 2.

Outline the biomedical and social models of health. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each model from the perspective of Allied Health professions?

Question 3.

In what ways does a capitalist economic system promote health and in what ways does it undermine it?

Question 4.

Heath inequalities are shaped by the social structures of race, class and gender. Select 2 social theories and use examples to explain how these social theories add to an understanding of the social model of health.

Question 5.

The health system is characterised by medical dominance. Explain what this is and the discourses or strategies Allied Health (and other health practitioners) have used to challenge medical dominance?

Instructions to students

The aim of this assessment is for you to demonstrate that you have completed the learning outcomes. As a professional you will be involved in collaboration with other professions - some who share your knowledge and those that do not. You are encouraged to discuss the questions with other students in the weekly Moodle forums in order to expand your knowledge and collaborate with your peers. Through use of the Moodle forums you will receive guidance and input from the unit coordinator on your sociological thinking and academic writing style prior to submission of the assignment. You are asked not to post drafts of your work to the discussion forum but to bring ideas, examples and an inquiring mind. Please do not unsubscribe from the discussion forums or else you risk missing out on useful information. The marking matrix is a useful guide to what is required as your portfolio will be marked against this criteria.

You are expected to utilise the electronic databases available through the library website to access peer-reviewed sociology journal articles and newspaper articles. Other useful sources include government reports and good (reputable) internet sites. Use reputable and quality sources and references to complete your assignment. Look to use references that are: current (less than five years old), objective/unbiased, relevant and from authoritative sources.

Failure to use any references in each of your answers will result in zero marks. Correct referencing using one of the two listed referencing style must be used to acknowledge information sources and any direct quotes. Do not quote or use the lecture notes and study guide. This is a sociology assessment and you are required to source sociological references (not psychology or medical references).

As Allied Health professionals you will be expected to write to the word limit (+/-10%, not including the reference list), write clear prose (no bullet points or lists) which is correctly referenced (either APA or Harvard). You will need to be able to explain concepts simply to clients in a small number of words but you can only do that if you really understand them - so the same applies here.

This is an academic piece of work and it must be written in Third Person (no use of 'I' or 'we'), and be presented double spaced with 11 point font.

You should include a Title page with name and student number and course details, due date and world count on the front and a correctly formatted reference list at the back

Submit your assignment by the due date and allow several minutes for submission to be uploaded. Contact your unit coordinator via email if you are in doubt about your submission upload and include a copy of your assignment in the email as proof of completion.

During the term any questions about assessment should be directed to the Q&A forum on the Moodle site.

Assessment Due Date

Week 6 Monday (22 Apr 2019) 11:45 pm AEST

Return Date to Students

Week 8 Monday (6 May 2019)

Weighting

50%

Assessment Criteria

In the Assessment block on the Moodle site you will find the marking matrix, along with a number of other resources to assist you with completing your assignment to the required academic standard.

The marking matrix outlines the assessment criteria that your assignment will be marked against. You should refer to this matrix to help in the preparation of your assignment.

Below are the three criteria and their weightings:

- Structure and design (20%)

- Approach and argument (60%)

- Referencing (20%)

Please contact the unit coordinator if you have any questions or are uncertain of what is required for the assessment. While the unit coordinator can not read and give comment on a draft assignment they can discuss with you the arguments, ideas and theories used in the preparation of your assignment.

Referencing Style

American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
Harvard (author-date)

Submission

Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed

understand and articulate explanations of the medicalisation of society
describe the consequences for health of medical dominance
explain the sociological meanings of body, health and illness.

Graduate Attributes

Communication
Critical Thinking
Information Literacy
Information Technology Competence
Cross Cultural Competence
Ethical practice

2 Written Assessment

Assessment Title

Essay (2000 Words)

Task Description

The task involves researching and writing a sociological essay on the question provided. It is expected that you will demonstrate your familiarity with key sociological concepts, relevant themes and sociological theories explored through the unit. It is important to base your essay on a sociological analysis of the topic. This means you are expected to show evidence of critical thinking, which means moving beyond obvious explanations or surface understandings of the topic area to show a more complex, multifaceted grasp of the issues.

Question

Use the sociological imagination template to critically discuss the ways in which one of the following issues has been medicalised and how this contributes to moral panics rather than solutions. It is expected that you will examine the way the issue is represented in the media and explain how these kinds of social constructions reflect and reinforce positions of power. You may select to cover one or more of the following topics: Obesity, Drug Use or Mental Illness. If you have a topic you would like to examine please contact the coordinator to discuss it.

Instructions to Students

You are expected to utilise the electronic databases available through the library website to access peer-reviewed sociology journal article. Other useful sources include government reports and good (reputable) internet sites. Use only reputable and quality sources and references to complete your assignment. Look to use references that are: current (less than five years old), objective/unbiased, relevant and from authority sources. Identify and properly reference the media sources you have used to inform your discussion whether they be newspaper, magazine, advertisements, video, television etc.The marking matrix is a useful guide to what is required as your portfolio will be marked against this criteria.

Failure to use any references in each of your answers will result in zero marks. Correct referencing using one of the two listed referencing styles must be used to acknowledge information sources and any direct quotes. Do not quote or use the lecture notes and study guide. This is a sociology assessment and you are required to source sociological references (not rely solely on psychology or medical references).

As an Allied Health professional you will be expected to write to a word limit (+/-10%, not including the reference list), write clear prose (no bullet points or lists) which is correctly referenced (either APA or Harvard). You will need to be able to explain concepts simply to clients in a small number of words but you can only do that if you really understand them - so the same applies here.

This is an academic piece of work you are expected to write in Third Person (no use 'I' or 'we'), double spaced with 11 point font. You should include a Title page with name and student number and course details, due date and word count on the front and a correctly formatted reference list at the back.

Submit your assignment by the due date and allow several minutes for submission to be completed. Contact your unit coordinator via email if you are in doubt about your submission upload and include a copy of your assignment in the email as proof of completion.

During the term any questions about assessment should be directed to the Q&A forum on the Moodle site.

Assessment Due Date

Week 12 Friday (7 June 2019) 11:45 pm AEST

Return Date to Students

Exam Week Friday (21 June 2019)

Weighting

50%

Assessment Criteria

In the Assessment block on the unit Moodle site you will find the marking matrix, along with a number of other resources to assist you with completing your assignment to the required academic standard.

The marking matrix outlines the assessment criteria that your assignment will be marked against. You should refer to this matrix to help in the preparation of your assignment.

Below are the three criteria and their weightings:

- Structure and design (20%)

- Approach and argument (60%)

- Referencing (20%)

Please contact the unit coordinator if you have any questions or are uncertain of what is required for the assessment. While the unit coordinator cannot read or comment on draft assignments they can discuss with you the arguments, ideas and theories used in the preparation of your assignment.

Referencing Style

American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
Harvard (author-date)

Submission

No submission method provided.

Learning Outcomes Assessed

understand and articulate explanations of the medicalisation of society
describe the consequences for health of medical dominance
explain the sociological meanings of body, health and illness.

Graduate Attributes

Communication
Critical Thinking
Information Literacy
Information Technology Competence
Cross Cultural Competence
Ethical practice

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.