A Robert Gordon University (RGU) lecturer has responded to his textbook’s worldwide popularity by taking a global approach with the latest edition.
Chris Yuill, a lecturer at RGU’s School of Applied Social Studies, has just released the fourth edition of his bestselling textbook ‘Understanding the Sociology of Health: An Introduction’, co-authored with Anne-Marie Barry.
The book deals with the many ways in which society and health interact with each other, covering such topics as health inequalities, the history of health and healing, death and dying and mental health.
Previous editions of the book are required reading in universities across the UK and also in South Africa and Singapore. The book is used in health and sociology courses in some parts of Europe and its second edition was translated into Chinese in 2012.
Given its wide reach, this latest edition adopts a more global perspective on health and wellbeing, tackling issues such as how inequality affects health. The relationships between gender, ethnicity and health are considered in an accessible and interactive format.
Talking about the latest edition, Chris said: “Given how much our world is interconnected and that the bid challenges that face our health and wellbeing loom larger than any one country, it was essential to understand how our health fits into the global picture.
“We need to understand how inequality is now a major source of health problems and what to do about it.
“I’m very proud that the book’s worldwide usage continues to grow, as it is vital that more people start to think about these issues that face us all, no matter where you live.”