فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Background and Aim: Today, the social history approach plays a significant role in analyzing medical history and accurate understanding of medical concepts and practices within their social, cultural and economic contexts. This article aims to explore the significance and application of the social history approach in medical historiography. Methods: This research utilizes a qualitative methodology and historiographic analysis grounded in social history discourse. Data were collected by examining historical archives, including newspapers, physicians' memoirs and documents obtained from reputable databases. Historical-documentary analysis was performed using primary and secondary sources alongside interdisciplinary research on medical history and the impact of social contexts. Ethical Considerations: This study is based on historical sources and interdisciplinary research, with no direct human intervention or experimental trials involving human participants. All sources have been employed in compliance with intellectual property rights and research ethics. The researchers are committed to maintaining academic integrity and transparency in presenting data and historical arguments. Results: The results indicate that the social history approach conceptualizes medicine as a social institution shaped profoundly by power structures, cultural beliefs and social determinants such as class, gender and ethnicity. For instance, the impact of social class on access to healthcare during the Safavid era is evident, with lower social strata resorting more frequently to alternative therapies and informal care networks. Additionally, the lived experiences of patients and healthcare providers shed light on often overlooked dimensions of medical history. Conclusion: By opening new avenues for research, the social history approach enables scholars to undertake a comprehensive, multilayered analysis of medical history, emphasizing the critical role of social, cultural and structural factors in medical transformations. It is recommended that future researches focus on localized Iranian contexts, utilizing interdisciplinary methods and fieldwork to better capture the diverse lived experiences of communities. This approach holds promise for informing healthcare policy and enhancing contemporary understandings of health and disease.