Making Sense of Illness: Science, Society and Disease (Cambridge Studies in the History of Medicine)

Aronowitz, Robert A.

ISBN 10: 0521558255 / ISBN 13: 9780521558259

Published by Cambridge University Press, 1999

About this Item

Seller Inventory # I-9780521558259

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Making Sense of Illness: Science, Society and Disease (Cambridge Studies in the History of Medicine)
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication Date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521558255
• ISBN 13: 9780521558259
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Making Sense of Illness is a fascinating investigation into the social and clinical factors that determine what constitutes a "legitimate" illness in the twentieth century. By examining six case studies of diseases that have emerged within the past fifty years--from what we now consider to be "straightforward" diseases such as coronary heart disease, to the currently widely-debated Chronic Fatigue Syndrome--Aronowitz examines the historical and cultural factors that influence how doctors think about illness; how illnesses are recognized, named, classified, and finally, what they "mean" in an individual and social context. The choices that are available to the investigators, clinicians, patients and the processes by which change occurs are factors that all play a great role in "legitimizing" an illness, and these are the roles that are seldom examined. By juxtaposing the histories of each disease, Aronowitz shows how cultural and historical precedents have determined research programs, public health activities, clinical decisions, and even the patient's experience of illness. This is a must-read for anyone interested in public health and the history of medicine in the United States.

Book Description

In Making Sense of Illness Robert Aronowitz offers historical essays about how diseases change their meaning. Each of the diseases or etiologic hypotheses in this book has had a controversial and contested history: psychosomatic views of ulcerative colitis, twentieth century chronic fatigue syndromes, Lyme disease, angina pectoris, risk factors for coronary heart disease, and the type A hypothesis. By juxtaposing the history of the different diseases, the author shows how values and interests have determined research programs, public health activities, clinical decisions, and the patient's experience of illness.