Interdisciplinary Relationships Between Medicine and Social Sciences

Abstract

The aim of medical science is treating and preventing diseases. The development of medical sciences has been influenced by developments taking place in other sciences including social sciences. Sciences including physical sciences, biological sciences or social sciences interact with each other. The interaction takes place between sciences in each category and between sciences from different categories. However, there are very few studies that deal specifically with the interaction of medicine with social sciences. As both have to work together because of the human complex nature as a result some authors considered medicine itself as a social science, thus creating an interdisciplinary environment that hosts both medicine and social sciences. This chapter reviews the complex interdisciplinarity between medicine and a number of social sciences, including anthropology, psychology, sociology, political sciences and economy.