European Society for Health and Medical Sociology

Voices in Health Sociology, Vol.1, No.1  This is a historical account of the foundation of the German Society of Medical Sociology (DGMS) in 1972. It explains how medical sociology originated in the U.S. in the 1950s and 60s, influencing Europe, including Germany. This post has been written by  Johannes Siegrist.

Liubov

The development of medical sociology in Europe

Medizinische Soziologie in Deutschland

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  Voices in Health Sociology, Vol.
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A historical note: Foundation of the German Society of Medical Sociology in 1972

Voices in Health Sociology - ESHMS

***Voices in Health Sociology, Vol. 1, No. 1.***

The sociology of medicine and health was developed in the United States
of America in the 1950 and 60s (Straus, 1957), with early spill-over to
the United Kingdom [(Jefferys,
1996)](https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/6.2.94). Soon, several other
European countries started to initiate specialized sections within
sociological associations, or even own national societies of medical
sociology [(Claus, 1983)](https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(83)90305-2).
Among others, this was the case in Germany, where, during a meeting of a
group of young researchers in 1972, a national society of medical
sociology (DGMS) was founded [(Siegrist,
2022)](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-37692-5_1). Of interest,
research and teaching in this new sociological subdiscipline was only
marginally developed at that time, and it was an extrinsic event that
triggered this development. In 1970, a new compulsory national
curriculum of medical education was introduced, and among its
innovations, courses and examinations in the fields of medical
psychology and medical sociology as part of preclinical studies were
prescribed. Accordingly, more than a dozen faculties of medicine opened
new professorships in these subdisciplines, and a national examination
board for multiple choice examinations was established, where each
discipline was responsible for content and quality control of
examinations. In order to be appointed to this examination board,
representatives of each discipline had to be nominated by their
respective national society. As no such association was available for
the newly appointed professors of medical sociology, they were
threatened to be excluded from this central task. Thus, founding a new
national society was the only way to exert control. Therefore, in its
initial stage, this national society had very close links to academic
medicine, and in particular to medical education [(Pflanz & Siegrist,
1978)](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-1391-6_9).

Yet, with further progress and new funding opportunities, the research
spectrum was extended by integrating health services research and public
health investigations, with a special focus on primary prevention.
Moreover, teaching activities evolved beyond medical curricula, mainly
in terms of graduate and postgraduate programs in epidemiology and
public health. It is important to mention that already in 1975, a
section of health and medical sociology within the German Sociological
Association was established [(Reibling et al.,
2022)](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-37692-5_3), While starting with
a critical attitude towards the medical paradigm, this association
developed fruitful collaborative links across disciplines, and
specifically with DGMS.  Today, DGMS represents a scientifically active
network with good visibility, at least at national level, thanks to its
annual meetings, its investments in training young researchers, and its
contributions to public debates on health policy issues, such as the
COVID pandemic [(Dragano et al.,
2022)](http://dx.doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.m2022.0133). In 2022, at the
occasion of celebrating its 50^th^ anniversary, this association
documented its academic achievements in a distinct publication,
describing its professional development as well as its leading current
scientific contributions [(Siegrist et al.
2022)](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-37692-5). In collaboration with
the European Society of Health and Medical Society (ESHMS), this
national society is prepared to extend its future activities in times of
multiple challenges of the health and well-being of populations in
Europe and beyond.

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## About the Author {#about-the-author .wp-block-heading}

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### Johannes Siegrist {#johannes-siegrist .wp-block-heading}

Prof. Dr. Johannes Siegrist is Emeritus Professor in "Work Stress
Research" at the Faculty of Medicine, Heinrich-Heine University,
Düsseldorf, Germany. He holds degrees from the University of Freiburg
and has been a faculty member at Marburg and Duesseldorf. He was a
Visiting Professor at Johns Hopkins and the University of Utrecht. A
widely published scholar, Siegrist is a member of the Academia Europaea.
His research covers chronic work stress, social inequalities in health,
and the role of stress in chronic disease development.

**Contact:**  
Johannes.Siegrist(at)med.uni-duesseldorf.de  
[ResearchGate](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Johannes-Siegrist)

[Institute of medical
sociology](https://www.uniklinik-duesseldorf.de/en/institute-of-medical-sociology){target="_blank"
rel="noreferrer noopener"}, Düsseldorf
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## References {#references .wp-block-heading}

[Claus, L (1983) The development of medical sociology in Europe. *Social
Science & Medicine* 17(21),
1591-1597.](https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(83)90305-2)

[Dragano N, Reuter M, Berger K (2022). Zunahme psychischer Störungen
während der COVID-19-Pandemie -- die Rolle beruflicher und finanzieller
Belastungen. Eine Analyse der NAKO Gesundheitsstudie / Increase in
mental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic---the role of occupational
and financial strains. An analysis of the German National Cohort (NAKO)
Study. Dtsch Arztebl Int; 119:
179-87](http://dx.doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.m2022.0133)

[Jefferys M (1996) The development of medical sociology in theory and
practice in Western Europe 1950-1990. *European Journal of Public
Health* 6(2), 94-98.](https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/6.2.94)

[Pflanz M, Siegrist J (1978): Basic assumptions in teaching medical
sociology in medical schools. The case of West-Germany. In: Y. Nuyens,
J. Vansteekiste (eds.), *Teaching Medical Sociology.* Nijhoff
(pp.107-117).](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-1391-6_9)

[Reibling N, Kriwy P, Behrens J (2022) Medizin-und Gesundheitssoziologie
in der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Soziologie (Medical and health
sociology within the German Sociological Association). In: Siegrist J,
Stößel U, Trojan A (eds.) (2022) Medizinische Soziologie in Deutschland.
Entstehung und Entwicklungen (Medical Sociology in Germany. Its origins
and developments) (pp. 45-64). Wiesbaden:
Springer.](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-37692-5_3)

[Siegrist J (2022) Die Entwicklung der Medizinischen Soziologie in
Deutschland (The development of medical sociology in Germany). In:
Siegrist J, Stößel U, Trojan A (eds.) (2022) Medizinische Soziologie in
Deutschland. Entstehung und Entwicklungen (Medical Sociology in Germany.
Its origins and developments) (pp. 3- 21).Wiesbaden:
Springer](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-37692-5_1)

[Siegrist J, Stößel U, Trojan A (eds.) (2022) Medizinische Soziologie in
Deutschland. Entstehung und Entwicklungen (Medical Sociology in Germany.
Its origins and developments). Wiesbaden:
Springer.](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-37692-5)

[Straus, R (1957) The nature and status of medical sociology. *American
Sociological Review* 22(2), 200-204.](https://doi.org/10.2307/2088858)
   
