A theoretical framework centering on four classes of self-referent constructs is offered as a device for integrating the diverse areas constituting medical sociology. Guidance by this framework sensitizes the researcher to the occurrence of parallel processes in adjacent disciplines, facilitates recognition of the etiological significance of…

According to the Web of Causation epidemiologic model, every disease has multiple causes, and every cause also has multiple causes. The article describes a Web project in an introductory epidemiology course and includes specific guidelines for the written project and a model student web. (SM)

Three studies were conducted to examine factors which affect lay observers' judgments about peers who express illness complaints. In the first study, brief scenarios describing a hypothetical patient suffering from a sore throat were presented to 118 college students. The results revealed that subjects were less likely to regard the patient's sore…

The Sense of Coherence (SOC) construct, proposed by Antonovsky, has the following three components: (1) Comprehensibility (COMP), the cognitive sense that stimuli confronted convey structured and clear information; (2) Manageability (MAN), the sense that resources at one's disposal are adequate for successful coping; and (3) Meaningfulness (MEAN),…

The study developed and implemented a questionnaire to examine misconceptions related to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) among 57 college students enrolled in Psychology 101 courses at Essex Community College in Maryland. The questionnaire covered etiology and epidemiology of AIDS and the personal attitudes and experiences of the…

Discusses insights discovered from research into human biology that are raising possibilities for therapy, prevention of disease, and challenges to society in the form of ethical decisions about the appropriate application of genetic information. (Author/RT)

The articles in this special issue explore the connections between the dual disabilities of alcohol abuse and physical impairment, and reflect progress made in exploring the causes and treatments of alcohol abuse among the physically impaired. Selected articles include: "Results of a Model Intervention Program for Physically Impaired…