The Sociology of Health in Terra Brasilis: a short genealogy of a field of knowledge

Abstract

The sociology of health is a recent fruit of an ancient tree of knowledge that goes back millennia. This study aimed to write an essay on the field of sociology of medicine and health in Brazil. The approach was qualitative, and the existing bibliography on the sociology of medicine and health was researched, especially in Brazil, by means of a narrative review. The database used was the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), using the descriptors “medical sociology” OR “sociology of health”. Thirtysix articles were analyzed out of the 165 found. It was established that the studies are divided into four main strands, origins and foundations, sociologies and medicine in the world; sociologies, training and education in health and sociology of health. The conclusion is that the replacement of current health intellectuals who occupy institutional positions, trained in postgraduate studies, by new health agents, will erase and blur the distinction of/within and already produces intellectuals with a new habitus. In addition, the future teachers of public health bachelor’s will not have been trained in disciplines in specific fields, which may reduce the depth of knowledge in those disciplines but will allow them to get closer to the field of health.