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SOCIOLOGY/ANTHROPOLOGY

The sociology and anthropology of health make both theoretical and empirical contributions to population health.

At NCEPH, the emphasis of these disciplines is on social and cultural studies of health, chiefly through qualitative research methods such as ethnography, intensive interviews, participant observation, text analysis and focus group discussions.

Examples include a study of parenting practices of women using illicit drugs or consuming harmful quantities of alcohol, an investigation of social factors in the management of diabetes type 2, a case study of the translation of the national Alternative Birthing Services Program into various local programs for implementation, consumer perceptions of risk and foodborne illness.

Qualitative approaches are often combined with quantitative data in collaborative projects such as the study of the health needs of Indigenous people in the ACT.