SOCn9000 Health Inequalities, Measurement and Policies

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2026

The course is not taught in Autumn 2026

Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Ing. Tomáš Doseděl, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Beatrice Elena Chromková Manea, M.A., Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Iva Šmídová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Iva Šmídová, Ph.D.
Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Soňa Enenkelová
Supplier department: Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/20, only registered: 0/20, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 10 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Abstract
The course introduces key issues in social inequalities in heath, their conceptual framework and methodological approaches to describe, analyse and understand them. The course is based on topical lectures as well as seminars analysing course readings and practice in reading and understanding policies, inequalities measurement and theories of health inequalities grounding them in social structure and systemic as well as interpersonal inequalities (macro and micro perspective). The topics include social determinants of health, social structure and its reproduction (especially the role of work), life-course perspective and subjective as well as objective indicators and other means for measurement of inequalities in health. In the final weeks, the course provides critical perspective to positivist researching of health inequalities by presenting qualitative approaches oriented on recipients of care. It also stresses responsibility of experts and their ethical approach to the subject of their research and measurement.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, students will be able to: • Identify key topics in health inequalities, assess their conceptual understanding, measurement and respective policies • Use the key terms developed in social science approaches to health inequalities, gain better understanding and reflection on their potential for changing the status quo • Apply, compare and contrast the major approaches towards the study of health inequalities including their critical perspectives • Students will be able to understand measures relevant to social inequalities of health
Key topics
Course contents 1. Social, economic and environmental determinants of health and lifestyle 2. Social structure and inequalities: the role of education 3. Social inequalities in health and policies to combat them 4. Health, work and policies: the impact of the labour market 5. Measurement of health status - objective indicators - Health register data - I.: Demographic indicators (life expectancy, mortality rates, morbidity, incidence, prevalence)6. Measurement of health status - objective indicators - Health register data - II.: Europe through the lens of demographic indicators (age, gender, education) 7. Measurement of health status - objective indicators - III.: Critical investigation into measurement indicators and major international datasets 8. Subjective indicators - Self-reported health status scales - I. 9. Subjective indicators - Self-reported health status scales - II. 10. Life-course perspective and health status 11. Turning health inequalities on their head: perspective of recipients of care 12. Qualitative (inductive) approaches to measuring health inequalities 13. The role of health experts: responsibility, ethics and care
Study resources and literature
    required literature
  • CONRAD, Peter. The medicalization of society : on the transformation of human conditions into treatable disorders. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007, xiv, 204. ISBN 9780801885853. info
    not specified
  • ILLICH, Ivan. Limity medicíny : Nemesis medicíny - zaprodané zdraví. Translated by Radkin Honzák. Vyd. 1. Brno: Emitos, 2012, 177 s. ISBN 9788087171264. info
  • SILVERMAN, David. Interpreting qualitative data : a guide to the principles of qualitative research. 4th ed. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2011, xv, 500. ISBN 9780857024213. info
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
Lectures, class discussions based on course readings and methodological training. In addition peer teamwork, academic writing (position papers), public presentations and peer feedback.
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
To finish the course successfully, students are expected to attend the lectures and participate in class discussions and methodological training. Apart from this, the following tasks must be completed: - group activities and practical sessions wrapped up in 2 position papers (400-500 words) submitted during the semester on course readings and their application on health inequality measurements and policies - presentation of a course research paper at the final mini-conference (individual and in teams) - final paper (essay) using selected course readings and applying them on an analysis of a particular selected case of health inequality (can be either country-specific or cross-country, linked to country's health system)
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught every other week.
Teacher's information
All course instructors are members of the Sociology Department, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University. See their personal profiles in the Information System.
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