About this Research Topic
Sickness is a complex phenomenon involving various physiological and psychological processes. Moreover, social aspects contribute a central component to the study of disease, including vulnerability to, perceptions of, interactions with, and consequences of sickness. Such social aspects are studied in various fields, including, but not limited to, biology, psychology, and sociology, but with limited interdisciplinary integration. This contributes to a relatively strong compartmentalization between the fields regarding research approaches, terminology, and outcomes.
With this Frontiers Research Topic, we aim to bring together different perspectives on the social features of sickness in order to initiate a dialogue across these fields. Some of the topics that will be explored are as follows:
- Social antecedents of ill-health
- Social underpinnings of contagion and disease avoidance
- Social aspects of sickness behavior
- Social perceptions and interactions with sick individuals
- Sick role and care-seeking behaviors
- Social consequences of sickness
Studies that include both biological sexes are encouraged. If only one sex is included, the reason should be stated.
With this Frontiers Research Topic, we aim to bring together different perspectives on the social features of sickness in order to initiate a dialogue across these fields. Some of the topics that will be explored are as follows:
- Social antecedents of ill-health
- Social underpinnings of contagion and disease avoidance
- Social aspects of sickness behavior
- Social perceptions and interactions with sick individuals
- Sick role and care-seeking behaviors
- Social consequences of sickness
Studies that include both biological sexes are encouraged. If only one sex is included, the reason should be stated.
Keywords: sickness, disease, illness, social factors, behavior
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
