As more medical care becomes community-based, so it becomes more important for medical practitioners to have a firm understanding of the relationship between health care and the society in which it occurs.Now in its fourth edition, the 'Outline of Sociology as Applied to Medicine' has established itself as a key introductory text in its field. Thoroughly updated and brought into line with current philosophies of healthcare, this new edition will help inunderstanding the origins, nature and context of illness in society. Primarily intended for medical students, this fourth edition will also be very useful for nursing and other health care students.