[Social research as applied to health]

The concepts that have influenced relations between the social sciences and health down the years are broadly analyzed. Various approaches to integration of the social sciences with medicine are described, including social sciences as the study of culture, social medicine, and medicine as a social science. In conclusion, it is suggested that the search for an alternative to the functional approach to health problems should begin with a redefinition of the aims of medicine. Some attempts along these lines are reviewed.