1. Social Medicine as a science: subject matter, objectives and methods

social medicine as a science - subject matter, objectives and methods

subject matter:

• a specialization within the field of sociology.
• main interest is in the study of health, health behavior and medical institutions.
• As a specialized field, first proposed by Charles McIntire in 1894
• study of cultural factors and social relations in connection with illness, and the social principles in medical organization and treatment
• includes studies of the medical profession, the relationship of medicine to public health, and the social factors in the etiology (Krankheitsursache), prevalence, incidence and interpretation of disease.

objectives and methods:

• QUESTIONNAIRE:
• main tool with which the method is conducted.
• It must reflect the purpose of the study
• questions of the questionnaire are the most important part. questions can be divided in 3 groups: 1) Depending on their place and role in the questionnaire 2)Depending on the way they are formulated 3)Depending on how answer is given
• INTERVIEW:
• a scientific procedure with direct oral contact between two or more people
• individual information necessary for solving a scientific problems is obtained first hand
• characteristics of the interview: Collecting information of his/her behavior;
• The answers are written down
• The interviewer needs a deep background in sociology and psychology to be able to create a atmosphere of trust and honesty
• second session if need be
• different types of interview: Depending of the questions asked
• Depending on the number of people being interviewed
• Depending on the number of interviews
• OBSERVATION:
• the behavior of a person is observed or his reactions in a certain situation is observed and registered
• types of observation: Depending on the method of communicating between observer and observed
• Depending in the level of confidentiality
• Depending on the number of observation
• Simulated observation – observation in a specially created situation
• EPIDEMIOLOGICAL:
• “studies upon people”
• study of groups of people rather than the direct study of individuals
• increasing the understanding of how diseases or health-related events arise and how they might be managed both in the individual and in the societies as a whole
• aims: To describe the distribution of disease,To identify risk factors,To provide the data for the prevention, control and treatment of disease.