Frontmatter -- Table of Contents / Inhaltsverzeichnis -- INTRODUCTION: Comparative Medical Sociology of Two Countries -- Chapter 1: Theoretical Problems in Medical Sociology -- The Comparative Evolution of Health Systems: Convergence, Diversity and Cross-Cutting Issues -- Sociology on Medicine: Understanding Medical Sociology's Critical Standpoint -- Chapter 2: Results and Method of a Comparative Project -- Social Stratification, Health Welfare and Health Culture -- Health Lifestyles: A Comparative Approach to the Culture of Health Concept -- A Comparison of Psychological Distress in America and West Germany -- Statuskristallisation und psychischer Streß -- Sample-Planung und Sample-Realisierung bei Telefonumfragen -- Einstellung und Rollenverhalten von Telefoninterviewern in einer medizinsoziologischen Studie -- Chapter 3: Experiences and Policies in Two Health Care Systems -- The Evolution of the U.S. and West German Health Care System: Contrasts and Challenges -- Strukturreform oder Weiterentwicklung des gegliederten Sozialleistungssystems der Bundesrepublik -- Recent Social Changes and Their Consequences for the Health Care System in the Federal Republic of Germany -- The U.S. Health Care System in the 21st Century -- Access to Health Care Services in the USA: Results and Methods -- Chapter 4: Health Policy, Promotion and Intervention Research -- Gesundheitspolitik zwischen Versorgung und Intervention -- Gesundheitsförderung – Gesundheitserziehung in asymmetrischen Dienstleistungsgesellschaften -- Increased Cardiovascular Risk in Lower Socio-Economic Groups: A Note on Causes and Consequences -- Einfluß familienzentrierter Betreuung auf die Überlebenszeit beim groß- und kleinzelligen Bronchialkarzinom -- Enhanced Primary Health Care: An Approach to More Effective Health Services -- AFTERWORD. Medical Humanities and Social Sciences: The Introduction of Socio-Medicine into the Medical Education Curriculum -- Classified Bibliography of Comparative Medical Sociology of Two Countries -- Author Index -- Subject/Sachindex