Science at FSV UK: Researcher from ISS on the sociology of medicine and the essential dialogue between natural and social sciences
Science at FSV UK: Researcher from ISS on the sociology of medicine and the essential dialogue between natural and social sciences
Jaroslava Hasmanová Marhánková from the Institute of Sociological Studies at FSV UK has explored various topics throughout her academic career. In recent years, however, she has primarily focused on the sociology of medicine. Through her current research on antibiotic resistance, she aims to deepen the necessary collaboration between medical and social sciences.
She currently leads the project Local Lives of Antibiotics: Antibiotic Prescription and Consumption as Cultural Practices, supported by the Czech Science Foundation. Instead of the usual focus on patient health literacy, her research examines the prescribing process itself. “We aim to understand how the individuals responsible for prescribing antibiotics – doctors, veterinarians, and other healthcare professionals – perceive their role in antibiotic resistance. How aware are they of the consequences of their decisions? How do systemic pressures, professional norms, or patient expectations shape their daily practices? What barriers or motivations influence their prescribing behavior? We also see regional differences as an important topic,” she explains.
Overall, she hopes this project will contribute to a stronger connection between natural and social sciences, which she feels is sometimes still lacking in the Czech Republic. Looking ahead, she aims to continue fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. “I find it highly stimulating. However, it is also challenging because people from different disciplines have different expectations. Unfortunately, social sciences often still have to fight for recognition in some areas. Topics related to health and medicine fall into this category,” she observes.
