This reader provides a comprehensive collection of both classic writings and more recent articles in the sociology of health and illness. It is organized into the following sections: health beliefs and knowledge; inequalities and patterning of health and illness; professional and patient interaction; chronic illness and disability; and evaluation and politics in health care. Each section has an introduction, summarizing the content and argument of each article in turn. The reader also has a general introduction which sets the scene for the field as a whole, contextualises each section and...