1st Edition

Modern Medicine Lay Perspectives And Experiences

Edited By Simon J. Williams, Michael Calnan Copyright 1996
    270 Pages
    by Routledge

    270 Pages
    by Routledge

    Do lay people view modern medicine as a fountain of hope or a font of despair? What are their experiences of modern medical care and technology, and how do their views and experiences differ across different social groups? Combining theoretical insights with a range of qualitative and ethnographic research, this volume examines lay experiences and evaluation of medicines and drugs, chronic illness and life-saving technology, and reproductive technologies. It also considers the growing popularity of complementary therapies as a potential challenge to orthodox medicine.

    Part I Introduction; Chapter 1 Modern medicine and the lay populace: theoretical perspectives and methodological issues, Simon J. Williams, Michael Calnan; Chapter 2 Lay evaluation of scientific medicine and medical care, Michael Calnan, Simon J. Williams; Part II Medicines and drugs; Chapter 3 Lay views of drugs and medicines: orthodox and unorthodox accounts, Nicky Britten; Chapter 4 Risking tranquillizer use: cultural and lay dimensions, Jonathan Gabe, Michael Bury; Chapter 5 Perceptions and use of antihypertensive drugs among cultural groups, Myfanwy Morgan; Part III Chronic illness and modern medicine; Chapter 6 The critical moment: time, information and medical expertise in the experience of patients receiving coronary bypass surgery, Alan Radley; Chapter 7 Narratives of normality: end-stage renal-failure patients’ experience of their transplant options, Uta Gerhardt; Chapter 8 A “failure” of modern medicine? Lay perspectives on a pain relief clinic, Gillian A. Bendelow; Part IV Women and reproductive technology; Chapter 9 Pain and pain relief in labour: issues of control, Lynda Rajan; Chapter 10 New reproductive technologies: the views of women undergoing treatment, Elaine Denny; Part V Complementary therapies and lay re-skilling in late modernity; Chapter 11 Using complementary therapies: a challenge to orthodox medicine?, Ursula Sharma; Chapter 12 Conclusions: modern medicine and the lay populace in late modernity, Simon J. Williams, Michael Calnan;

    Biography

    Simon J. Williams, Michael Calnan