Zdraví – kultura – společnost

Who is is responsible for our health? Is our health a medial matter or is it a social and political issue? Does better medical care and prevention result in improved health?
Health – Culture – Society deals with the phenomena of health, illness and health care in sociological, historical and cultural contexts. It demonstrates the relationship between health, the autonomy of individuals and power relationships in the society – illness disturbs our social interactions and changes our social position. We become people in need of aid. In modern society, it is medicine that became this institution of aid. Western society, however, is not jeopardized by lack of health care, but its excess or uneven distribution. Our lives are medicalized in many respects. The healthcare system primarily relies on ethical principles, but it is also affected by economic, political and professional interests. Medicine is at the crossroads as are many other institutions of our civilization.