Pick a common illness and describe which parts of it are medically constructed, and which parts are socially constructed.

What diseases are the most stigmatized? Which are the least? Is this different in different cultures or social classes?

If social epidemiologists studied the United States in the colonial period, what differences would they find between now and then?

What do you think are some of the contributing factors to obesity-related diseases in the United States?

What factors contribute to the disparities in health among racial, ethnic, and gender groups in the United States?

Do you know anyone with a mental disorder? How does it affect his or her life?

What do you think are the best and worst parts of the PPACA? Why?

Compare and contrast the healthcare system of the United States with the WHO’s Millennium Development Goals.

How would a conflict theorist describe America's healthcare system?

What are some examples of the medicalization of deviance?