Health, Illness, and Society, Updated Second Edition provides a comprehensive yet concise introduction to medical sociology. In his accessible style, Steven Barkan covers health and illness behaviors, the social determinants of health problems, the health professions and health care system in the U.S., and how the U.S. system compares to that of other countries.

The updated second edition adds a new chapter, “The COVID-19 Pandemic,” which highlights several ways in which the pandemic exhibits health and health behavior disparities resulting from social inequalities and the deficiencies of the U.S. health system. The book also critically examines the achievements and limitations of the Affordable Care Act and discusses efforts of the Trump administration to weaken the ACA. Each chapter opens with learning questions to guide the student and “Health and Illness in the News” stories that apply each chapter’s contents to contemporary events. Chapter summaries reinforce key ideas and “Give it Some Thought” boxes emphasize critical thinking.

New to the Updated Second Edition

• New Chapter 14, “The COVID-19 Pandemic,” discusses several ways in which the pandemic reveals health and health behavior disparities
• New data on medical students and faculty, sexual harassment in medical school, and medical school debt provide students with a deeper understanding of the issues facing doctors
• New health care data on peer nations and discussion of health and health care rankings of U.S. women provide a critical examination of the quality and cost of health care in the U.S. versus its peer nations
• Enhanced examination of health insurance status and surprise medical billing, updated survey data on health care costs, and a discussion of high deductibles emphasize the patient financial burden created by a private system of medicine