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Perceptions of the Distribution of Mental Disorder in a South American City

Some Neglected Aspects of the Sociology of Medical Occupations

Battelle Human Affairs Research Centers Seattle, Washington

Carlos A. Leon

Universidad de Valle

Although sociologists have investigated a wide variety of factors characterizing the occupational roles and personal beliefs of health workers, few studies have been focused on orientations toward the epidemiology of disease. Yet the potential significance of these views for medical diagnosis and treatment has been argued in recent writings of medical sociologists. This study. examines perceptions of the distribution of mental disorder for a wide range of health workers in Colombia. Results indicate that while marked differences do exist, they are more closely related to differences in respondents' occupational specialization than to personal characteristics. Discussion centers on the implications of these findings for understanding differences in diagnostic and treatment orientations.

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